Al Fresco

Remember those warm summer nights, children sitting around the campfire, strumming and singing while enjoying roast marshmallows? Well, sadly our summer seasons are often rather short and wet, but I still think it's a good idea to have a few favourite recipes for outdoor cooking and barbeques at your fingertips. Be equipped for one of those rare moments when the sun is shining and the good weather has at last arrived.

Whatever you are up to with the kids during the summer months, why not lay on a special outdoor cooking event? Everyone enjoys being outdoors and eating in the fresh air, and a special event like a campfire or barbeque can be very exciting for children and grown-ups alike.

As always you will need to be careful and aware of the potential hazards of a campfire, but as long as the children know and understand the rules the event should be a success. Remember that washing hands and keeping the food as clean as possible will prevent any health and safety problems. You will also need oven gloves to move the food and pots around. One particular advice I would give is to try to keep the smoke to a minimum as this can spoil the flavour of the food. Best to use dry wood and certainly avoid burning plastic.

Cooking on a proper barbeque, however, is very different to a campfire, something worth remembering when you plan your cooking activity and menu.

You can buy pre-packed self-lighting barbeque sets on aluminium trays that are easy to use and disposable. These are quick and efficient. The coal must be allowed to get really hot and glow red and then white so that all the food cooks evenly.

Ideas for an open fire:

Baked jacket potatoes: Wrap the potatoes in tin foil and place in the centre of the fire. To help the potatoes cook quicker and more evenly, it's a good idea to put a metal skewer right through the whole potato before wrapping it up in the foil and burying it in the middle of the fire. Serve the baked potato with butter, cottage cheese or grated cheese and snipped chives.

Billycan beans and bangers: For this you need lots of baked beans and some Frankfurter sausages and a billycan or pot that can survive the intense heat of the fire. If you have some children who don't eat meat then you could make two separate types. You will need at least one or two billycans, stirring spoons and some oven gloves. To spice up the beans you could add a dash of Tabasco or Worcestershire sauce.

Dressed-up salad: Take lots of lettuce leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, red and yellow peppers and anything else that the children like and make a big mixed salad. The salad can be served with mayonnaise or with a simple French dressing, made with olive oil and white wine vinegar.

Marshmallows and fresh fruit dipped in melted chocolate: For this you will need lots of marshmallows and long satay sticks.

Strawberries and peaches are great for this recipe, too. Take some chocolate, break it up into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl or clean billycan. Allow the chocolate to melt, but don't allow the chocolate to get too hot. Take a satay stick and place a marshmallow or piece of fruit on the end. Dip it into the chocolate and allow it to set or eat it while it is runny - but be careful as it will still be very hot.

Barbeque ideas

Sausages: There are so many different varieties of sausages on the market, including vegetarian ones, that it is difficult to advise you what to buy.

Why not be adventurous, buy a selection and try them out?

Meat and vegetable kebabs: You will need a selection of meats - beef, chicken, lamb or pork - and vegetables - peppers, tomatoes, red onions, mushrooms and courgettes. The meat needs to be cut into small cubes and the vegetables into even-sized pieces and then threaded on to satay sticks.

Accompaniments: French bread, buns and pitta breads all make great additions to a barbeque, as do sauces and salads with dressings.

Baked bananas with 'hundreds and thousands': These are delicious and easy to make. You will need some aluminium foil, small bananas, honey and hundreds and thousands. Place the bananas in the centre of the foil, spoon over 1 tablespoon of pure runny honey and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands. Wrap the banana well, and place on the barbeque while you are eating your main course.

Fiona Hamilton-Fairley is founder of the Kids' Cookery School in west London.