The best food I have ever had in my entire life was cooked outside in cast iron over an open fire. Hands down. No doubt about it. Nothing compares. Ever. Can you tell I’m a fan of outdoor cooking?
I love open-fire cooking in cast iron. I love gathering wood for the fire. I love teaching my grandchildren how to start a fire with skills instead of matches. I love watching the flames dance and the smell of the wood as it’s burning. And I get downright ecstatic when it’s time to surround the dutch oven with coals or hang it from a tripod.
One of the happiest places on earth to me is sitting around a campfire, talking to my family, watching the flames and waiting for the meal to be done so we can eat. It’s so calming and peaceful and gives us time to focus on us. Later, when the sun sets and the stars begin to shine, well, it’s just the perfect ending to any day of the week.
It’s important to me that we get to spend this time together just watching the fire and waiting for the wonderful tasting meal that will come out of that cast iron. It’s good quality time that I feel is very much needed in families. Its time spent together outside, without electronics, that will create memories for my kids and grandkids. It’s time spent learning valuable skills that can be passed on to future generations. It’s knowing that no matter what went wrong during the day, it will all work out somehow as long as we tackle it together. It’s therapeutic and a complete 180 from the everyday rat race called life.
How do you do it? What is your go-to activity for spending time with your family?