How to.. Cook on the Beach with Ease + Simplicity
Hello Lovely People, we love to cook on the beach and in this post I’ll give you top tips on what to do…
Warmer months on the Beach
In Scotland there is such a contrast from Summer to Winter. Yes, the seasonal weather is an obvious difference, however the major difference in Scotland and living 56 degrees north of the Equator is that every six month are is a major difference in light. In the winter there is extreme darkness and in the summer there is the polar opposite with extreme light.
The summer solstice on the 21st June every year the sunsets at around 2210 and it isn’t properly dark until 2330 and even then it’s not pure blackness as the light starts to return from 0300 onwards.
Personally I love the months of May, June, July and August, when the days are long and the light is never-ending. I feel my energy is really high during these months and I seem to complete major goals during this time of year with ease. While on the flip side, the darkness of November, December, January and February can be a struggle to get tasks complete and move life or work forward.
Do you listen to your body and follow your own energy and work with the rhythm of the earth and the seasons? Yes we all need to get things done whether that’s January or June however it is important to listen to your energy, draw on what energy you have, take time out (without guilt) and recharge when needed.
To slow down and enjoy the light of the summer months, my Family and I head outdoors and cook on the beach on the sand. A kitchen with a view! It’s such a fantastic way to spend some time together, chat, soak up the calm of the beach and unplug from the world of the internet.
How to make the perfect Camp Fire BBQ on the Beach
Our cook up’s on the beach are generally quite impromptu. Always the oportunists, if the weather is good we unload a few items from the fridge into a bag and head down to the beach. The key here is simplicity. I never want the hassle of taking everything and the kicthen sink down to the beach, as it takes the fun out of going, so there is no major preparation that takes place.
So here are some top tips on what to take for easy and simple dinner on the beach.
You will need;
- 3-5 dry logs
- fire lighters
- BBQ grill
- matches
- food to cook on the grill
- cooking tongs
- drinks
- picnic blanket/s
- marshmallows (an essential we NEVER go to the beach and light a fire without them).
We dig a little hole in the sand and using dry wood and fire lighters, light a fire using 3 logs. While I’m organising the fire I tend to send the girls off to fetch some big rocks to make a circle around our fire. We usually find 2 or 3 large rocks to set the grill on. Shown above I have used 2 logs from a tree I had cut down in my garden however if we walk to the beach then carrying these logs isn’t an option or stones are the next best thing.
Get the fire going and put the grill over it to kill any germs or dirt on it. Leave the fire for around an hour to burn down to embers as this is the best heat for cooking on.
We always cook sausages on our grill. There is always a pack of saussies lurking in the fridge or freezer and I tend to buy butchers sausages rather than supermarket brands. We don’t eat much meat however when we do it’s the best quality I can get hold of.
The taste of food cooked over an open flame is truly the best. Continally turn the saussies to fully cook through.
Plain and simple rolls and sauce is always thrown into a rucksack for our beach dinners. If anyone doesn’t want a roll they go and find a stick to eat their sausage on!
Never far away in our house and on our wild dinner are a pack of blueberries. A super food and fun for sharing they are our fav’s!
Next up after the saussie are the veggies. I usually chop a few before we head down to the beach and put them in an old ice cream tub. Drizzle in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and cook on the open grill. Eat by hand or in a roll.
Never is a cook up on the beach complete without roasting Marshmallows. The kids all have fun finding the perfect stick and often see how many they can fit on one stick at a time.
Now there is an art ot roasting a marshamallow you know! Cook over the embers and slowly turn over the heat to a brown outer colour with gooey inners.
Life is always good on the beach. It’s our happy place, where we relax barefooted and care free and are truly connected.
Photography | Helen Pugh for Laura Thomas Co.
Have a great long bank holiday weekend, Love Laura xx