4 Things To Do While You’re At Home

Jess Hill 20th March 2020 No Comments Blog

The first day of spring is here and no one imagined spending most of Spring at home but here we are. To help with boredom here are some activities you can do while at home!

Indoor camping

If you’re stuck at home with kids struggling for ideas to keep them occupied then indoor camping might be the way forward.

get the snacks and drinks – hot chocolate is a good choice
Make some games – cards, board games or treasure hunt
You can use a tent or make one out of bedsheets and blankets
Make sure to fill the tent with blankets and pillows so its extra comfy

Indoor S’mores

To fit with your indoor camping why not make some food to enjoy! S’mores are the best treat to have while camping. Grab some crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate and you are ready to go. Check out our other blog all about S’more and other yummy ingredients you can use.

Gardening

Being inside for most of the day isn’t fun so bring some of the outside inside by taking up gardening!

Start easy with some herbs like basil, rosemary or mint, make sure you don’t overwater them and they have adequate drainage. Another idea is making your own terrarium, this is a collection of small decorative indoor plants that created by you is one of a kind. You can buy kits to help you get started then once you’ve got the gist you can experiment with other decorative elements.

If you do have access to a garden then go to town with herbs, vegetables or flowers. Did you know using Firemizer in your wood burner creates finer ash. This can be used in your garden or for composting.

Movie Night

Who doesn’t love watching a film! So why not make it more memorable than just sitting on the sofa. Create your own cinema, get some sweets and popcorn, set up a comfy, cosy seating area full of blankets and pillows and you’re ready to go. Don’t forget the films though!

How To Look After Indoor Plants

Jess Hill 6th March 2020 No Comments Blog

With spring approaching and new plants, flourishing you may be thinking of adding extra things to your home to spruce it up. Well, why not get some indoor plants, they have so many benefits and make your home feel very cozy.

Benefits of indoor plants

Boost mood, productivity, concentration and creativity
Reduce stress, fatigue, sore throats and colds
Clean indoor air by absorbing toxins, increasing humidity and producing oxygen
Add life to a sterile office, give privacy and reduce noise levels

Succulents

These are very trendy and easy to find. Popular succulents are living stones, lithops, money plant and crassula ovata.

How to keep them alive

they need plenty of light but don’t let them get chilled or sunburned.
If your plant starts to stretch or get tall it is not getting enough light
Grow them in gritty free-draining compost and allow them to dry out completely between watering
Never let them stand in water

Cactus

There are so many different types of cactus. Bunny eared Opuntia cacti produces prickly pads and the Barrel Cactus with its bright yellow spines are perfect for growing on windowsills. Moon cactus are also popular and especially with children as they are fun and funky plants that have a small round top cactus, which can be red, orange of yellow, grafted on top of a taller green base specimen.

happiest in a sunny spot
Don’t overwater them
Place in gritty, free-draining compost and water with tepid rainwater
Wait till the compost has dried before watering again

Fern

These come in different varieties but not all make good houseplants. Maidenhair, asparagus and sword ferns will grow in cool shady spots like the bathroom or kitchen.

grow best in bright light with some shaded spots midday
Poor light can be tolerated for short periods
The plant will die if room temp is below 10 degrees
Keep the compost permanently moist
In hot dry air mist those leaves to prevent browning and drying to a crisp
Throughout spring and summer give ferns some dilute liquid feed every couple of weeks.

Geranium

The best ones to grow inside are those with scented leaves. Some popular choices are the rose-scented pelargonium capitatum and lemon-scented pelargonium citronellum.

grow them in a sunny position but not in a spot hit by the full midday sun
Water moderately during spring and summer
Avoid the compost becoming too wet
Feed plants every 10- 14 days with high nitrogen fertilizer in spring
Pinch out the shoot tips in late winter to encourage growth
Once flowers start to form switch to a high potassium fertilizer such as tomato feed.

Can you make pancakes over a fire?

Jess Hill 21st February 2020 No Comments Blog

With pancake day only 3 days away the most important question is can you make pancakes over a fire?

The answer is a firm yes, so if you’re out camping and want some pancakes or fancy making over your fire at home here is how.

Mixture recipe

1/2 cup of self-raising flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup of milk

Vegan option

- 300g self-raising flour
- A teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 400ml plant-based milk (oat, almond, soya, coconut)
- vegetable oil for cooking

All you need to cook is warmth from the fire and hot flat surface to cook on

Don’t cook in the flames but use the hot embers, charcoal is an easier option as it’s easier to get the hot embers stage and you use less fuel. However wood will work just fine!

Cooking surface

Cast iron cookware is the best and a crepe pan is a top choice as they are very flat and large.

You can use a cast iron griddle which has slightly higher sides but other than that there isn’t much difference.

Method

When the embers are hot place your pan onto the embers and pour a little bit of oil.
Once spread and the oil is warm pour on pancake batter
The proper way to tell when a pancake needs turning is when the bubbles in the top burst.

Toppings

Orange and sugar
Lemon and sugar
Banana and Nutella

Top tip: don’t forget to use firemizer under your charcoal or wood as this will help even out heat giving you an even burn which helps cook over a fire!

What drinks can you make over a campfire?

Jess Hill 31st January 2020 No Comments Blog

What better way to make the most of your campfire than bringing some home comforts to the outdoors!

Traditional Campfire Coffee Recipe

First, place six teaspoons of ground coffee into the camping coffee pot and then pour three pints of cold water over the coffee grounds.
Place the coffee pot on the fire and bring to a boil.
Once boiled, take the pot off the heat and allow it too steep for approximately three minutes.
To make the coffee more delicious, try adding three or four spoons of cold water to the liquid after steeping to settle the coffee grounds.

The Campfire Percolator Coffee Pot

This campfire coffee recipe is the most common method for making campfire coffee.

Add one to two tablespoons of coarsely ground coffee for every six ounces of water.
To avoid having coffee grounds in your mixture, it is recommended that you poke a hole in the coffee filter and place it in the perk basket.
Watch the percolator until the mixture turns a coffee color because the longer the coffee percolates, the stronger it will become.

Campfire hot chocolate

Mix the dry ingredients at home, Cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Heat milk in a camp coffee pot or saucepan over low heat.
As the milk begins to heat add 2 tablespoons of the cocoa mix to the bottom of your mug.
Then top with 1 cup of warmed milk and stir until combined.
Why not add some toasted marshmallows into your hot chocolate

Cooking Tip: Using whole milk for this recipe will make it nice and creamy. Or you can use an alternative milk option like soya milk or coconut milk, it’s perfect with hot chocolate.

Cooking Tip: Don’t scald the milk, heat it slowly

cooking tip: Don’t forget to use Firemizer on your campfire. this will help distribute the heat for an even burn.

Campfire Cocktail

ingredients

Bulleit bourbon
Malt whiskey
Marshmallow syrup
Caster sugar
Mini marshmallows

To make the syrup, boil the marshmallows with 500ml water. Once they have dissolved, add the sugar and stir to dissolve this until fully combined.
Stir all ingredients over ice and serve with a toasted marshmallow (optional).

5 Reasons Wood Burners Are Good For You

Jess Hill 24th January 2020 No Comments Blog

As people are becoming more aware of pollution wood burners are getting a lot of heat [pun not intended] from the media and activist groups. However, there are benefits to wood burners and ways to decrease any potentially harmful particulates.

Drying the air

Wood burners are very good at drying out damp environments which will make your home more pleasant and breathable. By keeping the air in your home free from moisture will prevent mold from forming which could lead to health problems.

Repelling allergens

Log fireplaces can help reduce the number of allergens in the air. These can get caught in the updraft of hot air from the fire. This will carry them out through the chimney or flue.

Providing relaxation

When it is cold and miserable outside there’s nothing better than sitting by a warm fire. A wood burner can really make a house feel more homely. You can also use your fire to cook on adding another element to your wood burner.

Cut down on heating bills

As heating bills rise more people find it hard to heat their homes. Having a wood burner can be very economical by saving you money on your heating bills. While you may have to still use your heating in other rooms having the option to lessen your heating bill while keeping warm is a win-win.

Good for the environment

Wood is carbon-neutral fuel, the amount of carbon dioxide given off when burnt is equal to the amount consumed by other trees which absorbs the carbon dioxide and releases oxygen.

There are other alternative fuels like coffee logs that are made from used coffee beans. Both wood and coffee logs work well with firemizer which will reduce your fuel consumption, reduce particulates and creosote in your flue.

How To Start Cooking Over Your Fireplace

Jess Hill 17th January 2020 No Comments Blog

To get the most out of your fire this winter why not try cooking with your fireplace!

A wood-burning fireplace is safe for you to cook in, however, a gas fireplace is not. For a gas fireplace, the logs need to be clean and unobstructed to work properly. Grease or food could fall onto the logs and could potentially cause a fire hazard.

Safety for indoor cooking

it is important to have the flue open when you start cooking on your fireplace. Leaving the flue closed will allow a build-up of carbon monoxide which is very dangerous.
Keep flammable items away from the fireplace as you’ll be interacting with the fire while cooking.
Make sure your fireplace is clean and maintained as cooking in an unclean fireplace can cause smoke risks.

You can cook over a wide temperature from 160 degrees for slow roasting to over 750 degrees for high heat grilling.

Cooking options

Cooking straight onto the embers. You can cook whole onions, eggplant, peppers, yams, potatoes and thick steak-like porterhouse, t-bone or ribeye.

arrange two parallel rows of firebricks, broadsides down toward the front of the fireplace, shovel a layer of ember between the two rows, then rest a frying pan, griddle or dutch oven on the bricks. The wood smoke will still infuse the food with a smoke flavour if it is in a pan.

Skewers

sausages or kebabs with metal skewers, don’t forget you can cook s’mores this way too!

Dutch oven

You can easily cook soups or stews on your fireplace. The trick is to get your fireplace going that it produces plenty of hot embers. Then you can place the dutch oven on the embers. Remember to rotate to distribute the heat evenly.

A String

This is still used in southern France, a method called la ficelle (on a string). Meat or poultry is put into a compact packaged and suspended from a hook in the ceiling or mantelpiece. The meat rotates near the heat from the fire.

Tips for cooking with your wood fireplace

avoid overly fatty foods like rib-eye steak as they will create a lot of smoke when cooking over the fire.
Choose the right wood, well-seasoned woods like applewood will give you a unique flavour that you won’t get from an oven. This is also less likely to give off dangerous sparks.
Avoid pine or cedarwood, they burn at low temperatures and can leave resin in your chimney. Don’t use regular logs that may include petroleum wax as these are dangerous to ingest.
Test the temperature, the heat distributes unevenly – to prevent this use Firemizer and will allow for an even burn.
Place a pan to catch drips

How To Look After Your Wood Burner?

Jess Hill 10th January 2020 No Comments Blog

As you’ve probably been getting the most out of your fire this winter, to maximize its efficiency you have to look after your wood burner.

Here are some things to look out for and do to keep your fire going for many winters!

Cleaning

Giving your fire a thorough clean can be just the thing it needs to bring it back to life. It is also important to get your chimney swept at least once a year as they can tell you about any damage. You should also clean the glass, most modern stoves are fitted with airways systems to keep the glass clean. If yours does not then you can use newspaper dipped in malt vinegar or use wood ash. Don’t use any abrasive materials to clean the glass as this could cause permanent damage.

Check for rust

This may not be a problem for a modern stove however it worth saying. If you do spot any rust you can rub the area with wire wool and then reapply stove paint to get it looking as good as new.

Empty the ash pan

When the hot ashes start to pile up they can come into contact with the lower side of the grate and the heat from the ashes could cause it to become distorted and lose shape.

Clean the baffle/ throat plate

This area on and around the baffle plate is the top spot for soot to gather. This makes your stove less efficient by blocking the flue it also could be dangerous. Clean this once a week depending on how often you use your stove.

Leave the door ajar

When the stove isn’t being used it is best to leave the door slightly open. This allows a flow of air through the system which can help stop corrosion.

Use Firemizer

Using this in your wood, coal or multi-fuel stove can help reduce creosote and harmful particulates. As well as reducing your ash content and reducing the number of times you have to empty the ash pan.

What is A Yule log

Jess Hill 13th December 2019 No Comments Blog, News

The Yule log began as a Nordic tradition. The Yule log is the largest log picked and would be placed into the fire hearth. This Christmas tradition is carried out in several countries all over Europe.

It is a tradition to light the log with a previous year’s log. Keeping the wood in storage it is slowly fed to the fire through the 12 days of Christmas
In France, it is a tradition for the whole family to help cut down the log.
A tradition in Cornwall uses a dried out and bark-free log call the mock.
Barrel makers in the UK had unused logs that they couldn’t use therefore they gave their customers them for Yule logs.

Similar traditions

Ashen faggot is an old English tradition from Devon and Somerset. A faggot is a large log or bundle of ash sticks bound with nine green lengths of ash bands preferably from the same tree. They would burn this on Christmas Eve and in the heart of the fireplace.

Types of wood

The UK uses oak
Scotland uses birch
France uses cherry. They sprinkle wine over the log before its burning, therefore, it smells nice once lit

Sprinkle Chemicals on the log to create coloured flames;

Potassium nitrate violet,
barium nitrate green,
copper sulphate blue,
table salt bright yellow

However, throwing ashes out on Christmas Day can be unlucky

Chocolate Yule log

Eaten in France and Belgium this is a popular Christmas pudding. Additionally, made with a chocolate sponge, layered with cream and covered with chocolate and decorated to look like bark.

How To Roast Chestnuts This Christmas

Jess Hill 6th December 2019 No Comments Uncategorised

Get into the festive season by indulging in the best Christmas food. One of those being roasted chestnuts. They can be used for turkey stuffing, cakes or crumbles.

They are at their peak over the festive season. For the best flavour look for the largest nuts and choose those that are shiny and feel heavy.

First, you cut the shell carefully. Make an x shape on the nut but be careful not to cut the nut inside just the outer shell
Heat the oven to 200 degrees fan or gas 6. Roast for 30 minutes until the skin splits open.
Let me cool and then you can peel them. Serve immediately or chop ready to add to another recipe.

Roasting over an open coal fire

If you want the ultimate festive experience this is how to roast chestnuts over an open fire.

Prepare the charcoal grill for direct heat. Light charcoal, for a medium-hot fire you should be able to hold your hand 6 inches above the flame for around 5 seconds.
Use a knife to cut an x into each chestnut
Cook for 20 minutes or until chestnuts have split

To roast them in the fireplace wrap the chestnuts in a foil packet then place into a medium-sized fire. Roast for about 15 minutes then leave them to cool before unwrapping. When the chestnuts are cool enough to handle you can peel them.

How to keep your pets safe this winter

Jess Hill 29th November 2019 No Comments Blog

It is important to keep your pets safe over winter, as the temperature drops and the chance for snow increases there are things we can do to help our pets.

1. Wrap up before a walk

As you would put a coat on your dog may need one too. Especially if they are fine coated such as a greyhound or staffie.

2. Check their toes

After being outside it is best to check their toes for snow, salt and grit. The snow between their toes can gather together and create ice balls which can be very painful. To help prevent this you can trim the hair between their toes as this can get very long.

3. Fire safety

This time of year the fires will be going and dogs love nothing more than cosying up by the fire. Check out our other blog about keeping your pets fire safe.

4. Keep them warm and dry

Make sure they are dry once inside and have somewhere warm to return to away from cold drafts.

5. Active cats

Your cat may want to stay indoors more over the winter months. If they do like to go outside make sure they have a warm dry shelter outside they can go to or get a microchip cat flap. This will stop other cats from entering your home and allow your cat to come and go as they please.

6. Keeping small pets warm

If you have pets like rabbits, guinea pigs or ferrets that live outdoors think about bringing them indoors in a sheltered area such as a shed or garage. Give them some extra bedding to keep them warm and keep them away from cold drafts.

7. Winter hazards

Antifreeze and de-icer used to stop cars from icing up when in contact with pets they can be very toxic. Cats are at the most risk as they like the sweet taste. Make sure you mop up any spills.
Salt and grit, this can irritate pets paws, if you salt around your home choose a pet-safe product.
Poisonous plants, holly, ivy and poinsettia are all toxic to pets if they eat them.

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Author: Jess Hill