CREATE THEPERFECT PLAYLISTREAD MORE
Music for all seasons
After some in-depth research around the Zip™ offices and factory, we have created our very own top 10 seasonal and fireside music tracks that help us get into the fire lighting mood. What are some of your favorites? We at Zip™ would love to hear your suggestions. Share on our Facebook wall, tweet or email us to see your favorite fireside songs added to our playlist!
Fire Songs
Spring Tracks
Summer Tracks
- The Stone Roses – She Bangs the Drums
- Kid Rock – All Summer Long
- Beach Boys – Fun Fun Fun
- Bryan Adams – Summer of 69
- Kings of Leon – Sex is on Fire
- Jimi Hendrix – Fire
- Rolling Stone – Play with Fire
- Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing
- B Witched – C’est La Vie
- Bob Marley – Could you be Loved
- Chris Malinchak – I U Got It (Mark Knight Remix)
Autumn Tracks
- Fleetwood Mac – Dreams
- The Libertines – Don’t Look Back into the Sun
- Eagles – Hotel California
- Guns N’ Roses – November Rain
- Earth, Wind and Fire – September
- Jake Bugg – Country Song
- Greenday – Wake me up when September ends
- John Coltrane – Autumn Serenade
- Eva Cassidy – Autumn Leaves
- Johnny Cash – I see a Darkness
Winter Tracks
- Sigur Rós - Hoppípolla
- The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin
- The Beatles – Don’t Let Me Down
- Mumford and Sons – Winter Winds
- Fleetwood Mac – Landslide
- The White Stripes – In The Cold, Cold, Night
- Hozier – Take me to Church
- Paul McCartney, Rihanna and Kanye West – FourFive Seconds
- Radiohead – Idioteque
- Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
Fire SongsSpring TracksSummer TracksAutumn TracksWinter Tracks
FLUFFY HISTORYREAD MORE
A fluffy history of the beloved marshmallow
With cozy fire season around the corner, now is a great time to enjoy the fun of roasting marshmallows!
What better childhood memory is there than warming up by the fire and indulging in the sheer joy of sticky, gooey roasted marshmallows! Most of us know and love s'mores, that irresistible snack of roasted marshmallows sandwiched between two graham crackers and a hunk of chocolate. Did you know we even have a National S’mores Day on August 10th? And while it's easy to toast marshmallows over a crackling fire, have you ever wondered just how and where marshmallows came to be?
Marshmallow candy originated in ancient Egypt, where it was used as a medicinal product. It was a honey candy, flavored and thickened with sap from the marshmallow plant. This plant grew on salt marshes and near large bodies of water. According to Viable Herbal Solutions, “Nineteenth century doctors extracted juice from the roots of the marshmallow plant, cooked it with egg whites and sugar, whipped it into a foamy meringue, left it to cool and harden, and used it to soothe children’s sore throats.”
This method was used until the mid-1800's, when the French invented its more modern form of a marshmallow confection – a cross between a medicinal lozenge and a bonbon. Unfortunately, once the healing properties of the gooey marshmallow root juice were no longer needed, its use as an ingredient was lost to history.
At the same time, confectioners wanted to find a new, faster way to make marshmallows. The marshmallow root was replaced by more stable gelatin. Today’s marshmallows are now a sweet confection and are a mixture of corn syrup or sugar, gelatin, gum arabic, and flavorings.
Marshmallows gained in popularity, and by the 1920's they inspired edible novelties such as Moon Pies – as well as other products to satisfy the sweet tooth, namely the incredible, spreadable Marshmallow Fluff. Some marshmallow companies even created whimsical countertop toasters to give their powder-white sweets that beautiful golden brown hue.
In 1948, marshmallow manufacturer Alex Doumak began experimenting with different methods of making marshmallows and revolutionized marshmallow production with the “extrusion process”. Using this process, marshmallows were made by piping the fluffy mixture through long tubes and cutting its tubular shape into equal pieces.
Today we enjoy these delicious confections as white and pink puffs of deliciousness, all thanks to the ancient Egyptians and some ingenious inventions along the way.
If this makes you crave something sweet, why not make a cozy warm fire this evening and satisfy your inner kid's sweet tooth with some toasted marshmallows?
Elevate the humble marshmallow by making S’mores. It's easy! Just:
- Roasting a marshmallow over an open fire
- Place a piece of chocolate on a graham cracker.
- Finally, place your toasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate and top with another cracker – it's the perfect treat for the whole family around the campfire!
Now you can enjoy this traditional treat anytime – campfire or no campfire! Click here to find out more
WEATHER
Planning a camping trip or grill out? Stay prepared!
RECIPESWINTER WARMERS AND GRILLING FAVORITESREAD MORE
Perfect pumpkin soup
Get all warm and cosy when the nights are drawing in with this hearty pumpkin soup.
Ingredients
50g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 onions, cut into wedges
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large potato, sliced
1 litre water
2 or 3 cubes chicken stock, crumbled
250ml double cream
1 1/4 tablespoons ground nutmeg, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 220 C / Gas 7.
- Place pumpkin, carrots and onions in a baking dish or roasting tin. Drizzle with vegetable oil.
- Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes, until soft but not blackened.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring water and crumbled stock cubes to the boil. Cook potato in simmering water until soft, about 20 minutes.
- Combine potato and water with roasted vegetables and puree in a liquidiser or food processor until smooth. Return to pan over low heat and stir in cream, nutmeg, pepper and salt. Heat gently; serve.
Carolina Shredded Chicken
A summer sandwich spectacular!
Ingredients
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 pounds)
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2/3 cup vinegar
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 6 sandwich buns
Method
For the chicken
- #FireItUp and wait until coals are medium-hot
- Sprinkle with salt & paprika
- Cook for approx. 20 mins
- Remove & allow to cook slightly
- Use two forks to shred it up!
For the sauce
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar and mustard.
- Bring to the boil, reduce heat & simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and heat through
Sausages with Grilled-Onion Chowchow
A delicious sweet and sour take on the traditional grilled sausage
Ingredients
- 2 sweet onions
- 2 jalapeños
- extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup Grainy mustard
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. caraway seeds
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
- 1tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2tsp. water
- 3lb of sausage
Method
- #FireItUp and grill the sausage over a medium-high fire
- Skewer each onion slice with a toothpick and thread jalapenos on a skewer
- Brush onion and jalapenos with olive oil and grill until slightly crispy
For the sauce
- In a saucepan, combine cider vinegar with brown sugar, mustards, seeds and turmeric & bring to simmer
- Add onions and jalapenos and cook, stirring frequently for about 12 mins
- Season with salt and pepper
The Ultimate Burger
There’s nothing like a juicy, delicious burger to make your Grill.
Here’s our favorite recipe for the ultimate one!
Ingredients
For the hamburger
- 1kg freshly minced beef,
- Sea salt and black pepper,
- 300g mature cheddar cut into 50g slices,
- 12 rashers streaky dry cure bacon, grilled until crispy,
- 6 soft white baps, split in two,
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil,
- Half a red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Ripe beef tomatoes, sliced,
- Handful of fresh, crisp lettuce
For the burger sauce
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise,
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup,
- 1 tsp chopped capers,
- 1 tsp chopped gherkins, splash of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper
Method
- Press the mince into 180g patties. Heat a skillet or, if the weather’s good, your barbecue. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Cook the underside for about three minutes, flip the patties, season again, top with a slice of cheese and cook for another three minutes.
- Remove the burgers from the barbecue and leave them to rest. Brush the baps with vegetable oil and place on the barbecue, cut-side down, for 30 seconds.
- Fill each bap with a hamburger, two rashers of bacon, onion, a slice of tomato, lettuce and burger sauce.
- No need for cutlery, grab and enjoy!
The perfect S’more
Making s’mores is a longstanding past time enjoyed all over the Country, here is our guide to making this delicious campfire treat!
For a simple and convenient way to enjoy s’mores anytime click here to view our S’morezy Roasting Log.
Ingredients
Method
Over the Campfire
- Roast one large Marshmallow slowly over a fire.
- Place half a good quality Chocolate Bar (our favorite is Hershey’s) on a Honey Graham cracker and then put the roasted marshmallow in the middle. Top with the other graham half.
- Squeeze together and enjoy!
Grill
- Preheat grill to medium-hot.
- Build S’more by placing half a Milk Chocolate Bar and 1 large Marshmallow between two Graham Crackers.
- Lightly wrap S’more in aluminum foil, then place on grill.
- Grill 4 to 5 minutes or until marshmallow is melted
- Enjoy…. but be careful it’s hot!
Warm Winter Soup recipe
We have perfected this warming soup recipe over the years, and there is simply no better place to enjoy this wholesome healthy meal then in front of your cozy open fire on a cold winter day. Comfort food at its best - we hope you enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 small to medium sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)
- 1.1 lbs chopped pumpkin or butternut squash
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 garlic clove
- 3.5 oz chopped spinach
- 1 tsp light cream cheese per person (optional)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- Heat the oil in a pan. Chop/dice the onion, tomato, and garlic, while the oil is heating up.
- Lightly fry the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent, then add the tomato, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
- When the tomato is somewhat cooked, add the sweet potato and butternut squash and stir. Let cook for five minutes.
- Fill the pot halfway with hot water. Add the chopped celery, salt, and spinach. Let cook for 30 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.
- Add a teaspoon of light cream cheese to each serving.
- Serve soup and enjoy!
Serves 2 big bowls.
Spiced Hot Bourbon
There is nothing like a warm fire and a whisky in the wintertime to thaw those frozen hands and feet. This quick recipe is for adults only… both young and old. Sit back in front of the fire with a glass of this spiced whiskey and let it warm you inside and out!
Ingredients
- Bourbon (or other whiskey)
- Lemon
- Cloves
- Honey
Method
- Boil some water and pour some bourbon into a cup.
- Take a slice of lemon and insert cloves all over it.
- Put the slice of lemon with cloves into the cup with some honey.
- Pour in the hot water and enjoy.
Grilled Bananas with Rum Honey Recipe
This works great under the broiler, but if you prefer trying this on your grill, just wrap the bananas individually in aluminum foil before placing on the grill for a yummy desert.
Ingredients
- 4 medium to firm unpeeled bananas
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Vanilla ice cream
Method
- Combine the rum, honey, and cinnamon into a small bowl and set it aside.
- Cut the bananas in half lengthwise, leaving the peel on.
- Place the bananas cut side down on the grill, cover and grill on a medium heat for 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, turn and brush with the rum and honey mixture.
- Cover and grill 5-6 minutes longer or until tender.
- Peel bananas and serve immediately with ice cream.
Pork, Chorizo and Cannellini Bean Stew
The perfect hearty treat to warm you up on those chilly winter nights. A delicious meal to enjoy on a Sunday in front of the roaring fire.
Ingredients
- 87 lbs pork shoulder steaks or pork shoulder
- 1 14 oz can cannellini beans
- 1/2 lb chorizo (cut into pieces)
- 2 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 large red onions (roughly chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
Method
- First, slice the pork into strips, season and sauté in a heavy bottomed pan until brown all over. Remove from the pan and drain off any excess oil.
- Add the cut up chorizo to the pan and cook for two minutes until brown. Add the chopped onions, 4 teaspoons of paprika, 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, and garlic. Fry for another 2 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Once the onions are soft, return the pork to the pan along with ½ pint of water and the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1 hour on low heat (add more water if it begins to look dry). After 1 hour, remove the lid and add the cannellini beans. Simmer for 30 more minutes.
- Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!
Ginger and Honey Chicken Wings
Tender marinated chicken to make your grill feast a real show stopper!
Ingredients
- 25 chicken wings
- Ginger and honey marinade
- 5 scallions, finely sliced
- 5 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 red chili pepper, sliced
- 1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
- 4-5 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
Method
Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk to make a sticky sauce.
Place the chicken wings in a single layer in a wide, shallow, non-reactive dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover with plastic cling wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for 24 hours.
Heat your grill or griddle pan until hot. Cook the wings for 15–20 minutes, turning often, until dark and the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a skewer. If cooking on a griddle, finish the wings in the oven at 350 F for 10 – 15 minutes to ensure they’re cooked through.
Fudgy Chocolate Pudding
After a long winter’s day, warm up in front of your fire with this decadent chocolate fudge treat!
Ingredients
Serves: 16
- 4 oz plain flour
- 5 oz superfine sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup low fat milk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups hot water
Method
Prep: 20min › Cook:40min › Ready in:1hr
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, superfine sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Spread in ungreased 9 inch square baking pan.
- Combine brown sugar and 4 tablespoons cocoa; sprinkle over batter in the pan. Pour hot water over all; do not stir.
- Bake at 356 F 35 to 40 minutes.
- Serve warm, sit back, relax and enjoy!
Chocolate and Banana Bread and Butter Pudding
Comforting and indulgent, a delicious sweet treat for those days when you need warming up!
Ingredients
Serves: 8
- 4 eggs
- 1 pint milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 15 oz French bread, cut into cubes
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 6 oz chocolate chips
Method
Prep:20min › Cook:1hr › Ready in:1hr 20min
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in bread, bananas, and chocolate chips, and let rest 5 minutes for bread to soak. Pour into greased pan.
- Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place loaf pan on towel inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with water to reach halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy!
THE LIFE OF A CHIMNEY SWEEP
The chimney sweep has been around for hundreds of years, and is still an important and crucial profession. The early Romans first made the switch from a single fire in the center of a room to an isolated fireplace to heat buildings and cook indoors, but it was not until 16th century England that the trend of fireplaces and chimneys really caught on.
READ MORE
Do you ever sit in front of your fire and wonder how did those little boys ever got up and down the chimneys to clean them?
In Victorian times, it was the Master Sweep’s responsibility for cleaning the chimneys. He took on orphans, parish boys, sometimes parish girls to be apprentices and trained them to climb and clean the chimneys. On rare occasions when times were extremely tough some children were sold into the trade by their families.
The conditions for these children were harsh and often cruel. They would sleep in cellars on bags of soot and seldom bathed. Casualties were frequent: years of accumulated soot and grime produced cancers and lung problems, choking or suffocating to death through dust inhalation, or getting stuck in the chimneys while attempting to clean them.
One incident in particular led to a change in UK law. In February 1875, 12-year-old George Brewster was sent up Fulbourn Hospital chimney by his master. He got stuck and the entire wall had to be pulled down to get him out. Although he was still alive when rescued, he sadly died shortly after. Lord Shaftesbury seized on the incident to raise awareness of the living and working conditions of these small child sweeps, and in 1875 drove through a new act to protect them in the Houses of Parliament. The new Act required chimney sweeps to be authorized by the police to carry out their business. This Act provided the legal means to enforce previous legislation that was often ignored.
The history of chimney sweeping in the USA is not so different from the United Kingdom. The American homeowner would often sweep their own chimney; however, climbing boys were used for longer flues, and as in the UK, coercion and persuasion were used by burning straw and sticking pins in the feet and buttocks.
The nature of housing was very different from England. Early settler houses were built closer together and constructed of wood, meaning that when one caught fire, the devastation quickly spread between buildings. As a result of this problem, the authorities regulated the design of flues and fire marshals and inspectors were appointed early on.
HOUSEKEEPERS TOP FIREPLACE TIPSREAD MORE
Over the years we have collected lots of tips, either from our own personal experience or sent in by our loyal Zip™ customers. Here are a few that we thought would be especially helpful to you.
Good job for sliced white bread
Winter fires or candles on the mantelpiece tend to leave a black or brown sooty residue on the walls.
We find that modern cleaning products sometimes stain or bleach walls or wallpaper. Our top tip is to clean this soot away with soft, fresh sliced white bread. Just gently dab the soot. Do not wipe, as this will cause smearing and leave bread crumbs everywhere. Don’t forget that Zip™ has a great Soot Reducer product to avoid this problem in the first place!
Breathe easy
For those with respiratory problems such as asthma or bronchitis, an indoor fire can dry out the air, causing or triggering breathing difficulties. Keep a bowl of water in the room when the fire is lit to humidify the air and help ease breathing. This tip also applies to central heating.
Citrus Zing
To enjoy a fresh fragrance in your room, put some orange peels on top of your wood burning stove or mantelpiece. The peels give off a delicious citrus fragrance as they dry. You can pitch those modern chemical air fresheners!
Keep out animals from your chimney
Animals, insects, and birds often get stuck in chimneys. This can cause the animal a great deal of distress. If the animal dies while stuck in your chimney, it will block the chimney, reducing efficiency, and will also cause smoke, ash, and debris to spread into your home. Not to mention the terrible smell...
A flue cap on top of your chimney should keep animals and birds from getting in, and it also helps protect your chimney from inclement weather.
Don’t just trash your ash
Some ash can be used as a lawn and garden fertilizer to provide soil nutrients and reduce acidity. It can be used on compost piles to maintain neutral acidity levels. Some people use ash to provide traction on icy driveways and sidewalks. Excess wood ash can also be taken to public disposal sites.
Make your grill non-stick
There’s nothing worse than turning your meat and finding that your delicious steak sticks to the grill. A top tip for making your grill non-stick is to cut an onion in half and rub across the grill for a quick and easy solution to a mess-free barbeque!
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