This kit was small and light weight and could easily be carried when out in the field. I had to try it out. I built a small fire that I let burn down and revived it by blowing onto the remaining few embers. For those who make fire-by-friction, they are aware that building the ember is the path to a flame so a tool that supplies oxygen can give you an advantage in this process.

In days past, when fireplaces where a feature in a home, large blowpipes were often used (see “Fireplace Blowpipe”). This was a larger scale tube that offered help from a more convenient distance in a contained fireplace setting. But in the event that you don’t have a tube it is nice to know an alternate method using The “Carolina Diamond” Airway Blowing Method.

In the world of firecraft, it can be a “life saver” to know different methods to create and maintain a fire, so next time you go shopping look for a metal straw to add to your tools of the trade.

Many years ago I decided to fry some eggs on a stone and used oil on the stone surface. In this case I tried to keep in mind a simpler approach by dusting the surface with flour instead of using oil. I rolled the dough out in thin sheets beforehand and began to cook them one by one, learning stone cooking techniques with each piece.

To have too low a temperature takes a long time and the bread dries out and becomes brittle. A high temperature with shorter cook time is needed for best results. Once the dough is placed over the hot spot of the stone you can see how it creates air pockets or “bubbles” on the dough’s upper surface. You can check for small brown spots on the dough’s contact surface to see when it’s ready to flip over onto the other side. Whereas I am used to cooking over coals when using a stick or grill, active flames under the stone is what is needed to create the proper temperature on top.

The trick is to cut the shortening into the flour before adding the water, then kneed the dough for about 5 minutes and let it rest for 20 minutes while the baking powder makes them rise. This makes 8 large tortillas if you roll them out as thin as possible.

I want to thank my friend Gregory for sharing his grandmother’s recipe and I hope that you can experience this fun method of cooking some day as well!

The method that I use most often when I am an exhibitor is using a dedicated garbage can lid placed rim-side up on 3 rocks or bricks. This allows air-flow underneath it and protects the grass beneath it. The rim helps to contain the firewood. The lid alone will become scorched but to minimize that effect you can buffer the heat by lining it with small stones, dirt or sand before building the fire on top of it. Another convenient temporary fire tray is a metal wheelbarrow. It’s best to line it first with the materials just mentioned so as to protect the metal and wood under-structure. Terra cotta flower pot trays or chimnias should also be lined first because they are more fragile do to heat extremes.

In any case, these temporary fireplaces when elevated protect the ground or surface beneath while minimizing damage and can often virtually leave no trace once removed.

The advantage of a blowpipe is that it delivers air strategically to the coals or early small flames of your fire. It enables you to distance yourself from the smoke and heat while building the flames beneath the kindling which lay above it. It provides both comfort and safety. Blowpipes can range from fancy brass tubes fitted with a broad mouth piece on one end and a poker on the other end, or, you can improvise one from conduit pipe. You can even use PVC pipe briefly, but it tends to melt. In the field you can use reeds or river cane whose nodes have been pierced to allow air flow. You can even use rolled up paper or cardboard, but use caution as they are flammable and can combust if exposed too long. You’ll be amazed at the ease of use and wonder why you hadn’t thought of it before. With colder weather coming on, this could be your ticket to a warmer Winter in your house.

A trivet is used to hold a pot or pan over a fire or coals. Traditionally, these would be made out of cast iron or wrought iron. But in a pinch, you can use steel shelf brackets. The materials needed are: 3 brackets, 3 bolts and 3 nuts. By bolting the tip of the long arm of the bracket to the edge of the next bracket, then repeat the positions on the next 2 brackets, you create a triangular platform. This is surprisingly stable and can be placed wherever needed. Of course you can use a warming rack or oven rack placed on bricks as a grill, but a trivet can float a pot or pan independently for more control and uses less of a footprint inside the fireplace.