Bonfire Cookery

Several families enjoyed cooking on an open fire at Foxglove today as part of their half term activities. Luckily, the weather was kind and the rain held off all day long.

The day began with some serious measuring and mixing to get the different bread doughs to just the right consistency. There was a bit of trial and error involved as this kind of cooking isn't an exact science!

Next, apples and potatoes wrapped in foil were put into the ash pile from yesterday's fire where the net ride maintenance has been carried out by volunteers. They were carefully counted as they went in so that none would be missed when they were raked out again! There were fifteen potatoes or was it sixteen?!

Some of the dough was put into an oiled frying pan.

The pan was then placed on the hot ash above the potatoes and apples to make delicious Bannock. This Scottish bread recipe makes a scone-like bread and according to tradition it must never be cut with a knife as this brings bad luck. Instead, it must be teared and shared! The group decided to add raisins to this batch which worked out well.

Twister dough was cooked on the end of freshly cut Willow, this bread requires a flame and two new small fires were made on an existing fire site using flint and steel.

No bonfire cookery event would be complete without a toasted marshmallow, which rounded off the session perfectly.

It was lovely to see the children so focused and enjoying the great outdoors.

Thank you to all of the families who supported this event by turning out when rain was forecast and for sharing your photographs from the day.

Thank you too to the volunteers who helped behind the scenes; preparing food, ensuring the ash pile was hot, manning the fires, ferrying items to and from the Field Centre and tidying up at the end.