The bonfire is not only the focal point of an evening party with friends, providing warmth and a great atmosphere. It can also be used as a cooking area.
If we take a barbecue with us when going camping, the only problem is the choice of dishes to be prepared on it. However, if we have the so-called Dutch oven, we can think about organizing an atmospheric evening by the fire, where we will prepare a special meal.
The first step in the open-air cooking stage is finding the perfect wood. Hardwood is best for this purpose. If it is not at the campsite itself, it will probably be available at the nearest store. It's a bad idea to cut branches - trying to light a fire with "live" and green wood will end up with a lot of smoke. Apart from releasing many pollutants into the atmosphere, it will spoil such a well-planned evening.
We cook over the fire
The best places for a fire can be found on a flat, rocky area, without low-hanging branches and bushes growing nearby. The problem with looking for it will be solved by a ready, designated place on the campsite, but if it is not there, we will quickly prepare it ourselves. Of course, we make sure beforehand that this is allowed to be done at all.
There are at least several ways to prepare a fire . In the event of wind, you can dig a shallow hole to prevent the fire from being suppressed, or you can simply form a circle or the letter U from the stones found at the campsite. They will protect the area around the fire against the spread of ashes with heat. If you have a large stone, you can turn it into a makeshift chimney - place one end next to the fire and the other end towards the wind. The smoke will escape along the stone.
Lighting a bonfire itself does not require any special ingenuity. We line the bottom of our circle with paper, on which we arrange thin twigs. After starting the fire, add more, larger branches, preferably arranging them evenly. When the wood starts to turn into glowing coals, you can move it to one place, thus preparing it for cooking.
Panoramix cauldron
As the more experienced say, when preparing meals over a fire, we first of all need a lot of patience. Cooking also requires special pots - not all of them like open fire or embers from the coals. The aforementioned Dutch oven, known as the good old cast iron cauldron , will work perfectly well. It is true that it is not convenient to transport for a backpacker, because it is characterized by a lot of weight, but it should have a place in a motorhome. Depending on the model, it is enough to hang it over the fire on a special rack or place it on legs.
It only remains to cook. We can choose from thick soups, stews and a whole range of aromatic stews.
A writer by profession, a passion of a cat. One day he will see what is behind the Urals - good to Vladivostok. So far, when he can, he enjoys the sun of the countries of southern Europe. And it's also fun;)
