Don’t let a little snow stop you eating outside. Top chefs explain how to cook, serve and stay warm, whatever the weather. Plus, mouth-watering food and drink recipes
In Siberia, barbecue season never stops, even in sub-zero temperatures. “We’d go out into the woods, clear the snow and have a party. It’s an amazing, elemental experience, being in nature around a fire,” recalls Alissa Timoshkina, a cookery writer raised in Omsk. “The key is to dress as you would when skiing: padded, layers, waterproofs.”
Partying in the woods is, of course, strictly forbidden during lockdown, but that sort of experience illustrates how – even if restricted to the back garden – Britain could embrace the winter barbecue. With restaurants closed, and even park picnics outlawed, a barbecue is one of the few ways to turn a household meal into a special occasion. And we’ve been buying the kit. Last year, thanks to lockdowns and social distancing, outdoor-heater sales were up 1,625% at John Lewis. The barbecue manufacturer Kamado Joe estimates its trade doubled around Black Friday, while Lakeland saw sales of its Cobb barbecue rise 240% in November, year on year.
