Why is it that food and drink tastes so much nicer eaten outdoors? It doesn’t even have to be anything lavish, no fully blown bbq or gourmet feast is required. Just a simple cuppa, boiled up in the open air and polished off on a picnic blanket by the seaside or in the back garden with a slice of homemade cake on the side is enough to turn an ordinary, everyday ritual into something special. If you’re not a die hard camper, and don’t have a handy stove stashed away, a Kelly Kettle is a brilliant buy. There’s no fuel or bulky canisters needed for one of these, just a handful of dry twigs, leaves or grass and a twist of paper, and you’re away.
What to do
A Kelly Kettle is a light, aluminium can which boils water in about three to five minutes. It’s like a double walled chimney with water contained in the chimney wall. First, fill the kettle, then light a small fire in the base using kindling that you’ve gathered, then set the kettle on the base. It’s best to place it on a hard surface, as it may scorch the grass. Drop fuel down the chimney, feeding the little fire. It is amazing how quickly the water boils. Just a note of caution though, if you have children around, the kettle is very hot, and it can splash droplets of boiling water around, so be really careful.
It may get a bit smoky for a few minutes, but that soon passes. When it’s ready, hold the can at an angle using the handle and make your mug of tea. Over the Bank Holiday weekend, we used our Kelly Kettle in the back garden and at a beach picnic, and it was perfect every time. It’s light and portable, so you can easily carry it down to the shore or on a short walk, although you should carry your water in a separate bottle and fill it when you’re ready to brew as it’s not designed to be watertight while walking.
We found the perfect spot in the dunes on the Lincolnshire coast.
My beautiful backpack basket is by http://www.folksglove.com)
We set out a blanket, and then brewed up using some dried reeds and tiny pieces of driftwood as fuel.
Just add flapjack. And get down to the serious business of beach combing.
