If Nat King Cole’s crooning doesn’t inspire you to roast chestnuts this time of year, then the scent of Manhattan street carts, or the latest Francis Mallmann cookbook, should do it. However you get there, you’ll need the proper fireside tools to cook them right. As it turns out, there’s a whole world of forged iron and steel tools, and they aren’t just for roasting chestnuts, but also for cooking breads, popcorn, meat, eggs, marshmallows, and even waffles or Italian sandwiches over an open fire. Here are our 10 favorites to put your fireplace to work this winter.
Above: Earlier this year, Permanent Collection came out with Alice’s Egg Spoon, a version of chef Alice Waters’ hand-forged iron spoon for cooking the perfect egg over an open fire. It’s made by Shawn Lovell in Alameda, California and is $250 at Permanent Collection. For more see Object of Desire: Alice Waters’s Egg Spoon from Permanent Collection.
Above: The Esschert Design Fireplace Popcorn Popper (FF157) is made from cast iron for $31.34 at Amazon.
Above: Snow Peak’s Tramezzino Sandwich Maker is meant for cooking toasted sandwiches over an open fire; $99.95 at Snow Peak.
Above: The simple Chestnut Roaster made from black-finished iron is £15 at Cast in Style.
Above: The Rome Industries Set of 4 Marshmallow Skewers is designed for cooking over a campfire or in a fireplace for $24 at Food52.
Above: The Spit Jack Tuscan Fireplace Chestnut Roasting Pan is made of food-grade stainless steel and, as opposed to the first chestnut roaster we listed above, has a cage that keeps all chestnuts in place—making it easy to rotate while roasting; $55 at Spit Jack.
Above: The Swiss Grill Forks are meant for cooking meat, vegetables, and bread on an open fire. A pair is made in Switzerland from a single piece of stainless steel; $24 at Schoolhouse.
Above: Another tool from Cast in Style, the Toasting Fork made from black-finished iron is £10.
Above: The Snow Peak BBQ Rod is meant for roasting marshmallows, hot dogs, fish, and vegetables over an open fire; $34.95 at Snow Peak.
Above: The Kadai Chapati Pan is made for toasting Indian chapati and other breads over a fire pit or BBQ; £12 at Cast in Style.
Above: The Rome Industries Cast Iron Waffle Iron is made for cooking waffles over a fireplace or stove; $30 for the model with an extra long handle at Food52.
For more fireplace tools and fireside accessories see our posts: