BurbleChaz

We've nailed it. You start the fire two hours before you want to eat. You add just the right amount of fuel. 15 minutes before cooking, you rake the embers out. A corncob is a great tool for testing when the fire is ready for cooking. It gives visual and audible feedback on the temperature above the coals.

While the fire is starting, you can marinate the meat in gorgeous glazes. By the time the fire is ready, the subtle flavours will have been deeply absorbed, adding interesting new dimensions.

Start with the vegetables. They can cook gently as you munch the sweetcorn. When you're ready for the meat, close all the windows.

For the first time in three months, there's no wind. The smoke from the marinade is still hanging inside the flat.

Damn good sausages, though.