NOW that charcoal comes in ignitable bags, barbecues cost less than ten quid and picnic sets can be bought at the supermarket, outdoor dining is no longer the preserve of dads with special tools.

But cooking in the open air is still a skill. Gillian Carter, editor of Good Food magazine, says leaving the safety of your kitchen can be complicated.

“It’s not just a case of thinking about the food. You’ve got to think about dishing it up to people when they’re sitting cross-legged around the camp fire.

“And think about utensils, because obviously you don’t want to take anything that’s breakable.

You need things that can be reused and re-used.”

One easy way to avoid making life complicated is to take preprepared food with you.

Carter said: “One of my colleagues often takes frittata.

She’ll make it in the morning, sauteing onions, potatoes and eggs, then covers the pan with foil and takes it camping with her. It’s solid, so it can be warmed up, cut into slices and eaten with the fingers.”

Outdoor chefs need to think about how their food will be eaten.

Without a full kitchen, handy dishwasher and dining room table, the menu must reflect more than gastronomic whimsy.

Carter said: “Think how you’re going to eat the stuff. Balancing a plate on your knees and wielding cutlery is a recipe for disaster.

“I like any food that can be wrapped up in a tortilla, like roasted vegetables and chicken.

“By all means take salad and cherry tomatoes as garnish, but do not attempt too much. If you try and create a proper dinner, you’ll soon discover that all people want to do is run around with a bun in their hand.”

Campers also need to make the most of their cooking options.

They can bake potatoes in the embers of a fire. Or take robust food like savoury pie and fruit cake, which can be served in wedges.

Carter said: “People get really hungry when they’re outside, so they want sustaining, chunky food.

And above all, take your rubbish home with you.”

Recipe: Sticky sausage wraps

Ingredients

2tbsp mustard
2tbsp tomato ketchup
8tbsp light muscovado sugar
12 good quality sausages
1 packet wheat flour tortillas
4 baby gem lettuces
Sweetcorn relish, to serve

Method

Combine the mustard, ketchup and sugar. Preheat the barbecue or stoke up the camp fire.

Toss the sausages on to the grill and sizzle for about 15 minutes, or until they are crispy, but not quite cooked through. Brush the sticky sauce all over the sausages and cook them for another five minutes, basting regularly.

Heat the tortillas on the barbecue for 30 seconds each side. Roll the sticky sausages in the wraps, along with some baby gem leaves. Finish with a dollop of corn relish.

Camping check list

Before you get into the car you need to consider what you might need in the camping kitchen otherwise you might end up doing a fry-up in the same pan you use for heating up soup. What you need are versatile utensils and food products, including: ● A good knife. ● Salt and pepper. ● Herbs in little plastic bags. ● A pair of kitchen scissors. ● A sturdy, all-purpose, small to medium-sized frying pan. ● A vegetable peeler or a medium-sized knife. ● A smaller grater. ● A chopping board. ● Foil. Camp fire chefs should avoid taking anything which needs to be kept cool. Gillian Carter of Good Food magazine said: “Don’t pack anything that could start to smell without being chilled. And if there’s any doubt that you can’t keep something cold, don’t take it. Things like eggs, veg and bacon are going to be a bit more lasting than chicken. “Take things like noodles, so that you can just pour on boiling water, cous cous which takes minutes to cook and even UHT milk. It might not taste the same as real milk but it would be worse if it went off.”