Alan Murtagh

We’ve been cooking with wood ever since we discovered fire and how to harness its power.

Why did we do it..? Well it helped to make our food easier to eat; it also killed harmful bacteria and made it taste amazing, today those things are just as true.

1.8 million years ago however, there were other factors to consider, firewood kept our ancestors together, safe and warm as an essential fuel for life.

Warmth, safety and incredible-tasting food... It’s no surprise that cooking with firewood became so popular.

Cooking with firewood today, awakens those same feelings inside us, its elemental, incredibly social, even a little primal and the taste, well it’s better than ever.

A resurgence in popularity

Cooking with firewood is generating a great deal of interest in the UK these days. Some of the nation’s finest restaurants are embracing firewood cooking to deliver a different experience and taste their diners.

Our gardens

It’s the middle of summer, we are thinking about logs for the pizza oven, charcoal for our Garden barbecues and, if we are buying kiln dried firewood then it’s probably for those relaxing memorable evenings with family and friends around the garden bonfire or firepit.

Why on earth would we think about the winter season when we are all so busy enjoying the summer months..?

The challenges ahead

It’s a good question and this year especially; a really important question because it is a year when several unique challenges have combined to cause real problems for our own and many other industries which rely on wood and timber.

Prior to the UK’s exit from the European Union, a significant stockpile of timber and a healthy supply chain meant we could take the supply of firewood for granted. However issues began during the Brexit transition period when our

It’s a good question and one which we face many times when offering help, advice and support to the people who trust our service.

The good news is; it’s a question that never gets old because the answer is usually unique to the person asking and their own firewood needs. 

Those conversations are in-fact just as interesting for us, as they give us a deeper insight into what happens to the kiln dried logs, smoking wood and pizza oven logs we ship, after they are safely delivered to our client’s door on the day of their choosing...

So let’s have a closer look at those needs and the firewood that might suit them best.

Gardens & Fire pits

As so many of us look to our gardens as places of sanctuary and spaces to enjoy lately, the sales in fire pits has risen massively and of course; the need for firewood to fuel them, but which type of firewood is best?

Anyone looking to light fires safely in

Sustainability and ethical business models are challenging but vital issues for any business to address but when your product itself is an integral part of the environment, then it’s a challenge you need to address openly and devote time and resources to overcome.

The people who use our kiln dried logs, our charcoal and our pizza oven logs need the reassurance and peace of mind that the environmental impact of our service and their own activities are offset and minimised as much as they can possibly be.

The companies we supply need those same reassurances, for the sustainability of their own businesses, their brands and their image.

As a family run business we share these concerns, they are the reasons why we are leading the UK industry in embracing and investing in innovation and some different ways of doing things.

Removing plastic

On the 1^st of May 2021, the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs took an important and carefully planned step towards improving the environment we all share and the air we breathe.

Wet wood and household coal, two of the most harmful fuels are now being phased out across England in a move designed to encourage householders and businesses to choose cleaner alternatives and to be more aware of the health implications of the harmful smoke that is released by burning them in stoves, wood fired ovens and open fires.

The smoke that is released from burning these wet woods contains high amounts of damaging fine particulate matter; tiny particles that can damage lungs and other organs and have a real impact on the health of those who are exposed to them.

In addition to these obvious health and environmental concerns, there is the added problem caused by burning wet wood, of built up tar deposits which can damage expensive appliances and create a

With spring now well under way and the summer months firmly in sight many firewood merchants and retailers might be forgiven for putting thoughts of winter on the back burner for a while.

The changing face of retail and all-round uncertainty regarding lockdown restrictions have also played a part in many retailer’s delays putting firm plans in place, after all there has been a lot to handle in very challenging times.

But certainly where kiln dried logs are concerned, failing to plan for the next heating season might just be planning to fail, for a number of very good and, as far as autumn and winter 2021 are concerned; very unique reasons.

The DEFRA factor

There has been a notable change in the wood fuel sector this year, undoubtedly it is a change for the better, but it’s also one that might catch many seasonal retailers out should they fail to prepare in advance.

In May of 2021, DEFRA began its plan to phase out wet woods

The Rising Trend for Wood Fired Pizzas

 

We all love food that goes the extra mile, artisan versions of the things we might otherwise take for granted... They are special, they’re a treat and in recent times, treats have been in very short supply.

Take the pizza for example, we’ve all bought them off the supermarket shelf, some of us might even have had one or two delivered to our doors. But a real pizza, it isn’t just thrown together or taken out of its humble supermarket packaging for a quick blast in the oven.

A well crafted pizza cooked in an oven fuelled by the best firewood... That is a different thing altogether.

A rising trend

As more people discover the sheer wealth of flavours, colours and textures of traditional wood fired pizzas; more and more restaurants are opening their doors and offering their creations to the eager masses.

With incredibly diverse, rich menus, the best chefs

When it comes to choosing a firewood its clear that the performance of kiln dried woodsure ready to burn is far superior in every way over season dried firewood. Especially with new regulations arriving soon, it simply sets the standard for burning firewood.

Here we talk about how to look after your woodburning stove and some handy tips to ensure it lasts a lifetime.

We take a look back at the clean air strategy from 2019 ahead of the new legislation coming into effect in 2021.