When chimneys disappeared from Spanish homes, cooking on an open fire became a practice that was also threatened with extinction. But it looks as if the old tradition of cooking 'a la brasa' is gradually being revived.

THE AUTUMN day when we light the first fire of the season used to be particularly significant for the Spanish. In some cases, it happened on a set date – November 1, for example. Sometimes, everyone shivers with cold until they are able to convince the most tight-fisted family member that it is time to light the fire.

In rural Spain, those dark days carried on until very recently. The open fire was the only heating in the house until gas stoves, electric or paraffin heaters were invented.

Later, the installation of central heating in some homes meant fireplaces became merely decorative and usually sit there unnoticed. Here though, I am not going to argue with the efficiency of central heating, or even electric or paraffin heaters, compared with an open fire.

However, in addition to warming up the house, the fireplace had another, practical function. From the open fire came delicious food cooked 'a la brasa' – woodgrilled or coal-baked which has gradually disappeared from Spanish homes.

For those die-hard fans of cooking 'a la brasa', the barbecue tried its hardest to be a substitute. But you can only light those outside, which restricts when it can be used.

There is, in fact, another major difference. The barbecue is only used when you actually need to cook something, whereas an open fire is normally lit every day and you just take advantage of the fact it is there to cook on.

Without doubt, cooking 'a la brasa' is one of the most basic, and yet healthy, methods – and also gives some of the tastiest and most mouthwatering results.

It would be a sin to fry or grill lamb chops – if you can cook them on an open wood fire. The fat reduces to the bare minimum, meaning you can eat the delicious, crunchy result without worrying about your cholesterol.

Not only that, but a simple chicken leg roasted for anything up to four hours on an open fire becomes quite a sensational dish – especially when we consider chicken as one of the most tasteless of meats.

But cooking 'a la brasa' improves any kind of meat. The same occurs with rabbit, with or without mustard (as it is traditionally eaten) – it is delicious if cooked slowly on an open flame.

Leaving aside meat and turning to fish, I’ve never – and I mean never – eaten a red mullet or sea bass that is so healthy and exquisite as those cooked slowly 'a la brasa'. The only necessary condiment is a dash of good virgin olive oil.

Perhaps this passion for cooking on an open fire has a certain primitive attraction. Although what matters most is the heavenly taste – a result of the flame and the wood flavour continuously lapping over the food.

With mushrooms, for example, the same thing happens as with lamb chops – it seems a sin to fry or grill them when you can roast them on an open fire.

The flavour of peppers and aubergines – particularly when used to make an escalivada, typical of Cataluña, or an espencat, traditionally eaten in Valencia – is much fuller when roasted on firewood than when fried on the hob or baked in the oven.

Whole potatoes and onions, perhaps wrapped in foil, seem to be something else entirely after cooking on the fire.

Artichokes, which are coming into season, are exquisite when cooked 'a la brasa', especially if we slice open the middle and add a few drops of olive oil and a bit of paprika.

Even an egg, when cooked in the flames of a household fireplace, acquires an excellent taste.

In summary, it is difficult to find any foodstuff for an evening meal that does not taste better after being roasted in this way.

Despite that, this method of cooking requires time. Although, in truth, it is not the same as any other method that takes ages – it doesn’t absorb our complete attention in the same way that the preparation of conventional food does.

Cooking at the fireplace means you can stay nearby but you don’t have to be constantly attentive to what’s cooking. While dinner is on the go you can read, talk to one another, watch the telly or do whatever you feel like.

Or, you can just watch the flames, transfixed, fascinated in the same way as when watching water flow; even though, however much we analyse it, we’ll never quite work out why this is the case.

Mouth-watering results of fine produce and good wood
Cooking 'a la brasa' is demanding. It requires top-quality produce, and you cannot just use any old wood. Cooking on an open fire is, shall we say, a ‘sincere’ form of food-preparation – it has no hidden tricks and is eminently simple. You need a highly resistant type of wood that will stand up to the flames for a long period of time, such as olive or carob tree wood. And then you have to give it time to thoroughly enjoy this most ancient, ancestral form of bringing food to your plate.

A selection of fine carveries:

Alicante
La Vaqueria
Ctra. Benimagrell, 52
965 940 323

Asador del Mar
Puerto de Alicante, s/n
965 145 419

El Asador del Puerto
Plaza del Raset, 10
Dénia
966 423 482

Almería
Malibú Western
Gil Vicente,4
Tel. 950 245 590

La Gruta
Plaza Estación,3
Tel. 950 276 853

Bilbao
Kate Zaharra
Zabaldie, 221
Tel. 944 461 347

Palma de Mallorca
Asador Tierra Aranda
Concepción, 4
Tel. 971 714 256

Málaga
El Rincón de Ramón
Juan Ramón Jiménez, S/N
Rincón de la Victoria
Tel. 952 402 350

Las Rejas
Estrella,8
Antequera
Tel. 952 706 445

Madrid
Asador de Aranda
Preciados, 44
Tel. 915 472 156

Botín
Cuchilleros, 17
Tel. 913 664 217

Toledo
La Lumbre
Real del Arrabal,5
Tel. 925 285 307

El Asador de Aranda
Pau Claris, 70
Tel. 933 425 577

Irati
Cardenal Casanyes, 17
Tel. 933 023 084

Valencia
Araguaney
Rubert y Villo, 12
Burjassot
Tel. 963 902 578

Asador del Carmen
Pl. del Carmen, 6
Tel. 963 922 448

Askua
Felip María Garín,4
Tel 963 375 536