Making a shell garland
SHELL GARLAND
If you’ve spent the day at the beach, chances are you’ll be coming back to camp with a shell collection.
You will need:
Length of twine Handful of ‘holey’ beach shells Beach treasures – such as sea glass, tiny bits of driftwood
1 Choose a handful of shells to make a garland, ensuring each shell has a hole big enough to thread the twine.
2 Arrange the shells in a straight line, leaving 5–10cm between each shell.
3 Tie each shell onto the length of twine. Leave enough twine to create a loop at the top of the garland.
4 Hang your shell garland from your beach tent or take it back to decorate camp. Remember to untie your shells and return them to the beach at the end of your holiday.
Got someone who doesn’t like sitting around? Or kids who are getting restless? These projects are sure to please busy bees
BEER CAN-DLES
Combining upcycling, fire and a bit of fudged DIY. Just the sort of project best not tried at home!
You will need:
Empty beer cans Corrugated cardboard Saved candle stubs and/or bunch of old candles A barbecue or firepit Old saucepan Stirring stick Chopping board Knife Scissors
1 Using scissors, carefully cut beer cans to a height of 5cm. Keep the base of the can; recycle the top bit.
2 Cut 5cm strips of corrugated cardboard. Roll up the cardboard strips until they are roughly the same diameter as a can. Wedge the roll as tightly as possible inside the can base. Using scissors, prise a small hole in the centre of the cardboard roll. Poke a small piece of cardboard into the hole to create a ‘wick’.
3 Set a small fire in your firepit or barbecue. Chop your candles into small pieces and add them to an old saucepan. Melt the candles over a small fire until they are liquid wax, stirring regularly with a twig or stick.
4 Very carefully, pour the hot liquid wax over the cardboard rolls. Keep pouring slowly until the wax reaches the top of the beer can. Wait for a few minutes for the cardboard to soak up the hot wax and then top-up each beer can until it’s full to overflowing.
5 Allow the wax to cool completely and go solid before use. When it’s dark, light the ‘wick’ with a match. Beer can-dles burn for up to two hours and should only be used outdoors and attended. » Linger longer at the dinner table with candles you’ve made yourself
Making Pimm’s
Half fill each of four glasses with ice cubes, strawberry quarters, quarter slices of orange, quarter slices of cucumber and a few fresh mint leaves. Pour 200ml of Pimm’s into a large jug; top with 600ml of lemonade and stir gently. Fill glasses to the brim and enjoy.
Campfire paella
Prawns and spring onions charred on the barbecue set off this flavourpacked Spanish classic a treat.
Serves 6
2.25 litres chicken stock Large pinch of saffron strands Olive oil 220g chorizo ring, cut into finger-width slices 3 onions, sliced 2 red peppers, diced 4 fat garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 tbsp smoked paprika 500g paella rice 200ml oloroso sherry 500g mussels in shells Bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped 12 whole fresh giant prawns 6 spring onions Bunch of asparagus 2 lemons, cut into wedges
you will need
1 x 46cm paella pan Aluminium foil A large and stable grill/trivet to sit over your campfire
Let birdsong and a setting sun keep you company in the ‘kitchen’ – food laced with a lovely smokiness you only get when you cook over fire
1 Set a large charcoal fire and allow to burn down to create a hot bed of grey coals. Spread the coals to a diameter matching your paella pan, but don’t spread too thinly as the heat needs to last.
2 Make sure you have prepared all your ingredients before you start cooking. Make up the stock and add the saffron to it, then set aside.
3 Place the paella pan on your trivet or grill and heat a couple of glugs of olive oil. Add the chorizo and fry until browned, then remove and set aside.
4 Add a little more oil and cook the onions and peppers until softened but not coloured – cooking timing will vary depending on the temperature of the coals.
5 Add the garlic and paprika and cook for another few mins, before adding the paella rice. Give the rice a stir, then pour in the sherry and allow to bubble for a minute.
6 Pour in half the stock and add the chorizo back to the pan, give everything a final stir and then leave to bubble away until the rice is tender – add more stock as needed and stir regularly to stop it sticking.
7 Once the rice is tender, scatter the mussels over the top and half of the parsley then cover the pan with foil, cook for a further 2 mins and remove from heat and let stand, still covered, for 5 mins.
8 While the paella is standing, lay the prawns, spring onions, asparagus and lemon wedges over the grill. Grill the prawns for 3 mins on each side, and grill the veg and lemon until a little charred and tender.
9 Remove the foil from the pan and scatter the prawns, veg and lemons over the top and the rest of the parsley. Squeeze the juice from a few of the lemon wedges over the dish, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and serve. »
COOKING ON FIRE: A TOOLKIT
Whether you’re off camping for a couple of weeks, cooking out with friends or having an impromptu barbecue in the back garden, here are ten essentials to get the fire started and food cooked properly.*
Splitting axe For splitting (not chopping) logs for kindling and firewood. Always split logs with the grain and use a chopping block.
Wire brush For cleaning grills, utensils and cooking surfaces. It’s good practice to remove the burnt bits of your last cook before use.
Resin tinder stick For a natural way to light your fire in any weather. Tinder sticks are made from pine wood and have an 80% resin content. Simply scrape off a couple of strips and ignite.
Pocket knife For shaving wood to make tinder, separating sausages and slicing onions; a sharp knife is an essential to have in your back pocket.
Matches For quickly lighting fires with
minimal fuss for hungry campers. Don’t forget to save your used matches to be used as tinder for a future fire.
Poking stick For poking, prodding and manoeuvring firewood and spreading coals. Pick a stick that fits snugly into your hand. Find for free.
Fire resistant gloves Allows you to handle hot pots and pans, remove hot grills and lift food directly on and off hot embers.
Trivet For elevating pots and pans above an open fire. Provides a solid base to stand all manner of cooking paraphernalia, coffee pots and kettles over a fire without spillage. For a good one, try firewok.co.uk.
Pair of metal tongs For turning and lifting food on and off the fire.
Metal fish slice For flipping pancakes and burgers and getting underneath food that can’t be lifted with tongs. Can also be used to scrape away residue during cooking.
Campfire peaches
This simple campfire recipe parcels peaches with butter and honey for a delicious taste of summer.
Serves 4
4 peaches, halved and stones removed 40g unsalted butter 4 tbsp honey
to serve
Whipped cream, crème fraîche or Greek yogurt Foraged edible flowers (optional)
you will need
Aluminium foil
1 You will need to cook these directly onto hot embers (see Paella). Lay two large sheets of foil, one on top of the other. Arrange the peach halves in the centre of the foil facing upwards.
2 Place a slither of butter in the middle of each peach and then drizzle all over with the honey (if using set honey, then distribute some onto each peach half). Dot any remaining butter in between the peaches, then wrap the foil around the fruit, sealing the edges, so to form a parcel. Be sure to keep the peach faces facing upwards inside the foil.
3 Place the parcel of peaches directly onto hot embers and cook for around 20 mins, until the peaches are tender throughout. Rotate the parcel now and then to aid an even cook.
4 Serve the peaches alongside the juices from cooking and whatever you have chosen to accompany them.
Fruit baked in the embers, marshmallows toasted over coals – sweet reasons to sit a little longer beside the fire