Winter picnicking begins on Bonfire Night. This can be as much fun as summer
outdoor feasts: picture spicy steam rising from a Thermos of mulled wine,
the kick of a whisky mac stirrup cup, mittened fingers fumbling for sugary
snacks when out tobogganing. It’s a Christmas-card scene until the frostbite
sets in. Here are some ideas for fuelling yourselves on bright, frosty
mornings in the countryside and cold nights in woolly hats craning up at
blossoming fireworks or the glitter of the Great Bear.
I grew up near Lewes, in East Sussex, where November 5 is one of the most
important festivals, a commemoration of the 17 people burnt at the stake
outside what is now the town hall for their religious beliefs between 1555
and 1557. The tidy, decent downland town becomes a riotous bacchanalia — or
an Asbo hell — for one night only; tar barrels and torches flaming in the
streets, popes and politicians burnt in effigy on the vast fires of the
bonfire societies. People swig wine by the bottle — and then use the bottle
to launch rockets at each other. Health and safety is not big in Lewes on
Bonfire Night.
All this demands a high-energy diet. Roasted chestnuts, baked potatoes, toffee
apples, toasted marshmallows and what we used to call “martyrs’ toes” —
chipolatas baked with honey and mustard — are needed, because the party goes
on for much of the night. Food must fuel you fast and simply outdoors in
winter, not least because no one has much time to dole it out.
Proper hot dogs with yellow mustard or ketchup are perfect for these parties.
Use frankfurters or knackwurst: bottles of real German ones are available in
some independent shops, or you can get them in packets at Sainsbury’s. If
you cut and butter the finger rolls in advance, you can dispense them as
fast as a glass of eggnog. Baked potatoes (see Joanna Weinberg’s advice on
the right) cooked in foil in the bonfire ashes are great and comforting. And
cold demands sugar — also on the right is a “foolproof” recipe for Scottish
Tablet from Sue Lawrence.
Alcohol plays a crucial role in warming up these events. The fireworks do
sparkle more after a couple of tumblers of mulled wine fortified with
brandy. Many people think that heating alcohol increases its potency. In
fact, if you allow mulled drinks to boil the alcohol evaporates. But if you
are intending to light any blue touchpaper, be aware that the warmer the
drink, the faster it slips down.
Mulled spiced apple I love this cocktail — the invention of the
photographer Caroline Irby. It is a fresher-tasting twist on the winter
outdoor standard, mulled wine. You can make it with apple juice for those
who don’t want alcohol, or stiffen it with a shot or two of calvados or
brandy for the others.
To make a big jug (six or more long glasses) 2 litres good cider or apple
juice 3 sticks of cinnamon, cracked 6 each of whole cloves, cardamom pods
and all-spice kernels Peeled, cored apple slices Method Bring to a gentle
simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to sit for a few
hours. Strain out the spices and reheat before serving. Test for sweetness —
if you have used a dry cider you may want to dissolve some sugar or honey in
the mix. If serving very hot, put a spoon in the glass to absorb the heat.
Add an apple slice to each glass.
Bullshot The colonel of the winter warmer drinks — suitable for field
manoeuvres, rugby matches and other red-blooded outdoor activities. Can be
served hot or cold, but probably best steaming from a Thermos in a muddy
field as bugles blow. Here is the chef Mark Hix’s recipe.
To make a big jug (six tumblers) 12 shots of vodka (360ml), or more if you
wish 750ml canned beef consommé (soup will need diluting if concentrated).
Campbell’s is ideal.
10-12 drops of Tabasco sauce to taste 5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Juice of 3
limes 3 tsp celery salt A few turns of black pepper
Hot Toddy This great Scottish hot drink is wasted on sore throats. I
have always made it simply with a squeeze of lemon juice, a teaspoon of
honey and two fingers of whisky (not the single malt, please), topped up
with hot water. A slice of lemon spiked with a couple of cloves is a nice
touch, and so is a pinch of cinnamon. But recently I was offered one made
with tea, not water — it was good.
The toddy, as a hot water-based cocktail, dates back to the 18th century: one
etymological theory is that the name came from the spring water drawn from
Tod’s Well on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh.
For a 1 litre Thermos of hot toddy (6 good-sized glasses) 200ml ordinary
whisky 50ml lemon juice Two big pinches of cinnamon, one of powdered clove
Two tablespoons of honey 750ml hot water Method Mix the ingredients well,
making sure that the honey dissolves. Warm the Thermos before filling it,
and shake well before serving. Do not operate heavy machinery afterwards.
Buttered rum I’m taking this comfortable, gently spiced short drink to
the fireworks tonight. It has a real but subtle kick to it. If you make a
Thermos of it, you need to give it a good shake before serving.
To make six small glasses 25 grams unsalted butter 4 tsp maple syrup or golden
syrup 1 tsp ground allspice (or use some ground clove, cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 pinch of powdered clove 1 pinch of salt 300ml golden or dark rum Method
Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan, then add the rum and spices. Bring
almost to a simmer, stirring well. Test the sweetness and the spice. You can
serve it with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer, or put straight into a warmed
Thermos to take outside. Shake well before serving.
Toffee apples Almost any hard toffee recipe will work, but this one
gives the glossy red glaze that you may remember from fairground toffee
apples. Children love them. I use small, sharp apples such as Cox’s and
spike them on throwaway wooden chopsticks from a Chinese takeaway. Cinnamon
can be used to flavour the toffee, too.
Ingredients: 12 small apples 400g golden granulated sugar 200ml water 4 tbsp
golden syrup ½ tsp red food dye (optional) 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 tsp
vinegar 12 chopsticks or 6in wooden sticks Method You need a small, heavy,
non-stick pan. Melt the sugar and golden syrup in the water over a medium
heat and add the vinegar. Raise the temperature until the mixture is
bubbling gently — it will need to do this for at least five minutes. You
need to take the sugar to “hard crack” heat — about 135C — but if you go to
150 or so it will burn. A roasting thermometer is very useful but you can
test the toffee by letting a drop fall from a wooden spoon into a glass of
cold water and trying it. It needs to be fairly brittle. When ready, add the
vanilla essence and food dye and stir.
Each apple should be solidly spiked through its top or bottom on a stick. One
at a time, swirl them round in the molten toffee, then let them stand, stick
up, on buttered silver foil. If you need to keep them for more than a few
hours, they should be wrapped in cling film.
Tablet Ingredients: 125g unsalted butter 1kg golden granulated sugar
300ml full fat milk 200g condensed milk (half a standard can) 2 tsp vanilla
extract Method Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the
sugar, full-fat milk and a pinch of salt and heat gently, stirring, until it
has dissolved. Then bring to the boil and simmer over fairly high heat for
8-10 minutes, stirring. Add the condensed milk and simmer for another 8-10
minutes. Keep stirring.
After 10 minutes, test by dropping a little of the mixture from a wooden spoon
into a cup of cold water. It should form a soft ball that you can pick up.
On a cooking thermometer the temperature should be 115C.
Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla. Using an electric whisk, beat on medium
for 4-5 minutes until the mix stiffens a little and becomes slightly grainy.
Pour immediately into a buttered baking tray 23cm x 33cm, and allow to cool.
Mark into squares when almost cold. Store in an airtight tin.
Roasting chestnuts and toasting marshmallows Not easy on a big bonfire.
For marshmallows — one of the night’s greatest treats — my mother used to
equip us with long sticks or bamboos with old forks wired to the ends. The
best way to do it is to hover your marshmallow over glowing embers — not a
flame — until it is brown all over. If the marshmallow bursts into flames,
blow it out quickly — it will be perfect. A bit of carbon is good for you.
Chestnuts should be pricked through the skin, then done in a wire basket over
the coals. You need to be careful to get the heat right — the chestnuts
should burst but not burn. The cheat’s way is to boil them for five minutes
first to speed up the process, or simply bake them in your hottest oven
until they open and harden a little.
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