Backyard Blaze: The Outdoor-Fireplace Lifestyle

From the stone age to the new age, humans love to gather around a fire. But there have been updates since the golden age of the 1950s. The big brick backyard fireplace and grill of the atomic era has been replaced by clay chinimeas from garden centers and steel fireplaces that fit snugly into the new subcompact backyards. This little lifestyle manual covers all the basics of the backyard blaze. Part Boy Scout Handbook, part Martha Stewart Cooks with Sticks, this colorful and entertaining book teases out the inner pyromaniac. Here are expert fire-building techniques, tips for flavoring the fire with aromas like apple wood, and evocations of campfire culture complete with ghost stories and sing-alongs. Pie-Iron cookery, Peach Smores, Gypsy Popcorn, even haute treats such as gourmet hot dogs and Pan-Latin Creations using Pie Irons are among the dishes on display in this lively guide to the reassuringly retro outdoor fireplace scene.