Fall

A cast iron Dutch oven cornbread with a golden, crackling crust — the camp bread I make for chili nights, wherever the fire happens to be.

Whole vegetables buried straight in the embers, skin on. Which ones work, how long they take, and how to char peppers properly along the way.

Here’s the truth: how to build a fire is the one skill that decides whether your night by the coals goes well, or ends with you fanning damp smoke into your own eyes for twenty minutes. It isn’t complicated, but it isn’t intuitive either — most people stack too much wood too soon and smother …

Did you know there’s a real best wood for cooking, and worst ones too? Over a fire you want hardwood, not that soft campsite bundle sold in a mesh bag at the gas station. Depending on the species you burn, you get a different heat, a different burn time, and a different taste on your …