How-To

The Perfectly Timed Winter Night

The holidays are all about soaking in some relaxation around a fire with food, family and friends. We’ve planned out the perfect winter night hour by hour, from lighting the kindling to licking the last bit of marshmallow off your fingers. 

Read on to start planning your next winter gathering with enough warm treats and eats to create great memories on cold nights.

Here’s what you’ll be making:

Hot Caramel Apple Cider

  • Half-gallon of apple cider
  • Spray whipped cream
  • Caramel sauce

Fire-Roasted Pepper Queso

  • Canned queso dip
  • 3-4 bell or dulce mediterraneo peppers
  • Tortilla chips

Peppermint and Dark Chocolate Crunch S’mores

  • Graham crackers (or Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies)
  • Dark chocolate bar with crushed peppermint candies added
  • Marshmallows

Here’s the Solo Stove Gear you’ll use:

  • Bonfire fire pit
  • Bonfire Lid
  • Bonfire Shield (optional)
  • Roasting Sticks
  • Fire Pit Tools
  • Tripod
  • Pot 1800
  • Starters
  • Juniper or Oak Firewood

Here’s some other supplies you’ll need throughout the evening:

  • String lights
  • Mugs for apple cider
  • Plates
  • Serving bowl
  • Napkins
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Fork
  • Heat-resistant gloves
  • Flame color changing packets (optional)
  • Lighter

The Guide

5:30 p.m.
While there is still light outside, string festive lights around your gathering spot to set the ambience.

5:45 p.m.
Prep your Solo Stove fire pit to light later at 6:20 p.m. Cut kindling splits of Juniper Firewood. You’ll need ten to twelve splits.

Stack kindling splits on the base of the fire pit (Check out our blog on lighting your Solo Stove fire pit to see how we recommend stacking the firewood). Place one Starter in the middle of the stack. Gather larger Juniper logs and stack them near your fire pit. You’ll need at least five to eight logs to fuel the fire throughout the evening.

Place Lid back on your fire pit.

6:00 p.m.
The guests arrive! Invite them to pull up a chair and hand them a blanket or two so they can start getting nice and cozy.

6:20 pm.
It’s time to light your Solo Stove! Remove the Lid and light the Starter. Since your kindling is already stacked and ready to go, you’ll start to impress your guests with your fire starting skills.

After five to ten minutes, your kindling should be fully caught and a nice ember bed will start to form. Add one to two firewood logs using your Fire Pit Tools. Make sure each log catches fire before adding the next. You don’t want your fire roaring just yet; you’ll be placing your Tripod over your fire pit in the next step.

6:30 p.m.
Get ready to make Hot Caramel Apple Cider! Assemble Tripod and place it carefully over your fire pit using heat-resistant gloves. Adjust your hang chain so that it is close enough to your flame to achieve a simmer but not too close to achieve a boil.

Pour apple cider into your Pot 1800. If you are serving for four, pour around 40 ml of cider into your pot. Place Pot 1800 filled with apple cider onto Tripod’s hang chain using heat-resistant gloves.

Stir apple cider until hot and pour into mugs using Pot 1800’s fold-out handles. Top each mug with as much whipped cream and caramel as your guests like!

6:40 p.m.
Let’s amp up that fire; add another log of Juniper Firewood to your fire using your Fire Pit Tools.

7:00 p.m.
It’s time to make the Fire-Roasted Pepper Queso! Place a pepper (we used dulce mediterraneo peppers) on the end of your Roasting Sticks and pass one to each of your guests. Start roasting the peppers over your fire pit and rotate them to allow them to roast evenly. Once the peppers develop a nice char, remove the peppers from the fire and roasting sticks and allow them to cool on a cutting board.

To make the queso cheese, take canned queso you warmed in the kitchen and place in your serving bowl (PRO TIP: you can warm the queso over your fire using the same method for warming your apple cider earlier.) Chop the peppers once they are cool add them to your warm queso dip. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

7:30 p.m.
Add another log to the fire using your Fire Pit Tools!

7:40 p.m.
Relax and enjoy some time around the fire! Take turns sharing good moments you’ve all enjoyed this year.

8:00 p.m.
Add another log to the fire! This will be your last log of the evening.

8:10 p.m.
Let’s make Peppermint & Dark Chocolate S’mores for dessert! Pass around your Roasting Sticks and marshmallows. Roast the marshmallows however you like: golden brown, toasted, or burnt! (PRO TIP: Use Milano Cookies instead of graham crackers for extra sweetness!) 

8:30 p.m.
Get even more in the winter spirit by telling some campfire stories! (PRO TIP: throw in some flame color-changing packets into your fire pit to take your storytelling up a notch!)

8:45 p.m.
Enjoy the rest of your evening as the fire starts to die down, soaking in the good moments you spent together.

9:30 p.m.
Once the embers have died down and your fire pit is cool, place Lid on top of your fire pit. Pat yourself on the back for being the ultimate host and creating moments and memories around your Solo Stove your guests will never forget.