Anniversary. 5 years JOSHMARTIN.

Thanks to Damian, we did not forget this “birthday”. And we’re completely fine with spontaneous parties. It should take place in summer and open air for once.

So all of us, accompanied with partners and kids, went to the fire kitchen in my garden right by the river. Cooking outside together over an open fire makes eating a whole new experience.

With few cooking utensils, but with lots of fresh and delicious basic food, enough wood to keep two fireplaces burning for over 10 hours and a weather report that supports this occasion in accordance with Corona, we dared to tackle the pots in mid-July.

First there were spring onions, pointed peppers, cherry tomatoes and dates with bacon from the grill, as well as eggplants and butcher’s onions straight out of the embers, plus a beetroot crème fraîche, hummus and an elaborate Romesco sauce, garnished with pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs from our own garden. Then a Shakshuka, a fine stew from the Middle East. We prepared them in the cast iron pan with quail eggs from the neighbor. Later then liquid camembert from the wooden box with strawberry jam and olive bread from the cast iron pot.

In the meantime, people went swimming, explored the river bank, sat together comfortably, smoked shisha, piled up stone men and of course toasted to the anniversary! Several times.

Although there was a large fire pot, stirring the “Spezzatino di manzo”, a stew from Ticino, was a strenuous fingertip exercise, which Jony mastered with confidence. It is wonderful what smoky umami aromas can be elicited from this rustic method of preparation.

The weather didn’t go along quite as hoped. But we did not allow ourselves to be put off after the fifth downpour and we sat around the fire in the drizzle even late at night. Admittedly, we conjured up the fresh figs in the port wine brew in the kitchen after midnight.

It was nice.
A cheer up to simplicity, camp fires and being together.

Inspiration for our menus.

Wood delivery.

Simple ingredients, but fresh and juicy.

Add a few pans, trays and pots made of cast iron as well as hot embers and you can conjure up wonderfully fragrant things.

Warm afternoon sun and an improvised grill grate. It doesn’t take much.

The starters are already sizzling.

Everyone can help themselves according to their desire and hunger.

Eggplants cooked directly in the embers.

Straightforward. The food. The location. The guests.

And time.

Still warm olive bread is appreciated also by the little ones.

Surfboard trip with Uncle Jony.

Roasting ox heart tomatoes and smoking a shisha pipe are not mutually exclusive.

Leo has found his favorite spot.

Fish could also have been cooked on the hot stones.

40 quail eggs later.

The next generation learns from the professionals.

Shakshuka made from ox heart tomatoes, quail eggs and with oriental spices.

Jony takes care for the Spezzatino di manzo.

Every now and then a downpour.

The best conversations always take place around fire.

Fire, torches and candle light.

It was so delicious that I forgot to photograph the finished dish. It has to be like that.

There would have been enough chairs.

It was nice.