Many of us have romantic notions about the quaint housewife of colonial times preparing the family meals in the huge fireplace seen in so many of New England's 18th century homes. Many also think, "well, if I lose power I could always cook in the fireplace." However, preparing a meal in a modern household fireplace can be a very difficult experience, and without advance preparation, the proper tools, and some knowledge, it can be downright dangerous.

In Colonial America most foods were not cooked directly over the flames in the fireplace. This was mainly because temperature over flames is too variable and difficult to control safely. As a result, most foods were cooked over coals on the hearth in front of the fireplace. Hence the term "hearthside cooking." Meats and game birds can be slow roasted in front of the flames on a spit or suspended on a skewer and twine, but there are easier and less messy ways to prepare foods by using the hearth in front of the fireplace.

Gingerbread 2 cups flour - unbleached, or part whole wheat and part unbleached flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1 Tbs. ginger 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt 1/2 cup butter or margarine - softened 3/4 cup dark molasses 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 - 3/4 cup hot water 1 egg The following should be done by hand. If the power is out you won't have a food processor or mixer anyway! Beat together brown sugar, butter, and molasses. Beat in the egg. Mix together all of the dry ingredients and add to the sugar and butter mixture. Mix with the hot water. Mix well, but do not over mix. Pour into a greased 9" pottery pie plate and set inside the preheated Dutch oven. Cooking time should be about 35 minutes. Cornbread 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup corn meal - preferably white corn meal 1-2 Tbs. molasses 1/4 cup melted butter 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. baking soda 1 cup buttermilk 1 egg Mix all of the dry ingredients. Melt butter; mix with egg, molasses, and buttermilk. Quickly add this to the dry ingredients and stir just until moist. Pour into a greased 8" pottery pie plate and bake in pre-heated Dutch oven, about 30 minutes.

You can prepare about anything you would cook in a conventional oven using the following method. Try the easy gingerbread and cornbread recipes here for starters. Stews are best cooked in a simmering pot on an iron tripod over a small fire, but this takes some practice and most cooks burn their first few batches. Once you have successfully baked over coals try using the coals under a trivet and fry pan for cooking breakfast one morning.

First you must determine that you have a fireplace appropriate for hearthside cooking. You must have a hearthstone that is made of a material that will not be damaged by hot coals. Slate and granite are good for this purpose, marble is not. Some tile is okay, but if you are concerned about damage then do not try it. In front of the fireplace you will need a flameproof hearthrug or, preferably, a fireboard. This is a board that is backed by a fire retardant material. They can be purchased for about $50 from a fireplace shop. Both the rug and board prevent any flooring from receiving a spark that may escape from the hearth while cooking. All this assumes you have a chimney that has been inspected and cleaned regularly. Always have a fire extinguisher handy!

A few words of caution about hearthside cooking. Be careful: death from fireplace cooking accidents were the second leading cause of mortality to colonial women (childbirth was the first). Do not wear skirts or sandals. Wear jeans and preferably leather shoes. Tennis shoe rubber has an extremely low melting point. Cotton or wool clothing is better than polyester - which can melt to your skin if it catches on fire.

The next things you will need are a few essential tools:

• A cast iron Dutch oven with lid. The lid should have a raised lip that will allow you to fill the top with coals after it has been placed on the pot.
• A cast iron trivet. If your Dutch oven does not have feet you will need two trivets instead of one.
• An iron hook to lift the lid off the pot while it is hot. Dutch ovens have a ring in the lid just for this purpose.
• A ceramic (not glass or metal) deep dish pie plate that fits loosely in the Dutch oven.
• A good set of fireplace tools (shovel, poker, broom, ash can, and tongs).

Build your fire at least one hour before you are ready to begin cooking. You need to create a good bank of coals to cook with. Build your fire in the back corner of the fireplace. When you are ready to begin you must pre-heat your Dutch oven - just as you would the regular oven in your kitchen. Place a pile of coals on the hearth about 8 inches round and 2 inches deep. Place the pile far enough from the fire for you to stand comfortably next to the pot for 3 minutes or so. Place the Dutch oven, with lid on, over the small pile of coals. If your oven does not have feet then use one of the trivets to hold the pot off of the coals. Now fill the top of the lid with hot coals. Let stand for 10 minutes while you prepare the raw ingredients.

When you are ready to bake, place the food in the pie plate, open the oven and place the pie plate in the oven, preferably on a trivet. Close the lid quickly. Most foods when cooked this way are done when you can smell them. Avoid opening the lid to check the contents while cooking. You may wish to replace the coals on the lid and under the pot once after you have put the food in the oven.

You can learn more about hearthside cooking by taking a class through the Concord Museum, Old Sturbridge Village, or many of the historic house museums in Massachusetts.


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