The Magic of Fire: A Book Review

By Brenda Hyde

If you were to judge a book by it's cover, you'd think The Magic of Fire, was perhaps an in-depth reference book and historical volume. You'd be half right. What the cover doesn't show you though is the warmth of William Rubel's writing and the passion he has for cooking over an open hearth. I love cooking over an open fire, but didn't have much experience with the hearth. After reading The Magic of Fire, I am adding a fireplace to my list of "must haves" for our next home. How can I resist with comments such as:

"On the open hearth everything can be made to taste better; stronger, deeper, richer, more striking."

The books photographs and illustrations are rich and informative. They take you into the world of the open hearth as you read each page, and learn about Dutch ovens, tripods of varying sizes, cranes, griddles and all of the wonderful methods you can use in cooking over an open fire. There are 100 recipes that can be used on the hearth or over any open fire. You will enjoy reading of the author's experiences with this lost art. I, like all moms, love cooking hot dogs over the campfire for my kids, but after reading Magic of Fire my sights are upon much bigger and better things! I now know how to roast garlic, onions, eggplant, whole chickens, stews and beans over the open fire. I felt like I was a rather adventurous camp cook-tackling shrimp, chicken breasts, pork chops and steak on our Chiminea and over our fires as we camped, but this book opened a new world to me. A world where afternoon tea is held in front of the hearth, and meals bring visions of simpler times.

Magic of Fire IS a complete reference book for those wanting to learn about cooking over an open fire, but it's a reference book with heart, that you will turn to over and over throughout the years.

Order Information

The Magic of Fire is available from Barnes and Noble. Click Here for order information