This is the fireplace at my house in Santa Cruz, California. I have been cooking on my fireplace for more than thirty years. I am the author of book on hearth cooking, The Magic of Fire. Unfortunately, the book has recently gone out of print and is now quite expensive on the secon-hand book market. The next best thing by way of reference is the hearth cooking section I wrote for the current edition of the Joy of Cooking. You can order the new Joy from Amazon.com: Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition.

 

Hearth cooking combines cooking with the poerty of fire. The hearth of the living room fireplace can be thought of as the campfire brought indoors and built into a wall under a chimney. Historically, this is prettymuch what it was. At its most basic, hearh cooking requires no tools. In the illustration, above, thy bean pot sits up near the fire. It is heated by radiant heat falling the side nearest the flames. Additionally, embers can be shoved agains the bottom of the pot. I show here a pot made of clay, but any cooking pot will work as well. If your pot has a plastic handle, then be sure to keep it pointed into the room so it will not be damanged. A stock pot placed in front of the fire will gently simmer on the side nearest the flames. One can also cook beside the fire in the hot ash. Potatoes baked in embers acquire a uniquely attractive taste.

 

Mot heart cooking takes place on the hearth extension in front of the firebox. The frittata cooking in the ffrying pan is heated by embers shoveled underneath. Always keep embers close to the firebox. As long as there is a strong fire in the fireplace fumes will be drawn up the chimney.