Bonfire Night
Community Voices - dispatches from Chef Lola growing up with her mates in the UK
One Potato’s very own Chef Lola contributes a piece about food memories to our Community Voices this week - our segment of authentic stories relating to families and food, especially highlighting and sharing the diversity in our world - how we can all come together over those shared values, memories, and experiences.
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These are the opening lines to an English Folk Verse that commemorates Bonfire Night, a.k.a. Guy Fawkes Night, celebrated annually on November 5th in Great Britain. These celebrations mark the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605 - the plot aimed to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I, in protest of his Protestant rule. Guy Fawkes, one of the conspirators, was caught guarding explosives beneath the parliament. The failure of the plot was widely celebrated, and since then, people have marked the occasion with bonfires and fireworks (and occasionally the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes, though this is less common since the 1950s). You can read more about Bonfire Night at English-Heritage.org.uk
In Great Britain, Bonfire Night is the last celebration of autumn before the holidays - especially since they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving! Chef Lola wants us all to imagine being a teenager or pre-teen again, and the smell of walking around a bonfire with friends, and special festival food only available at that moment…
Bonfire Night
By Chef Lola Garand
Guys, let me tell you about Bonfire Night. It was the event of the fall – the last big gathering before we all retreated indoors for winter. And trust me, if you’ve never experienced Bonfire Night in England, you’re seriously missing out. It wasn’t just about the fireworks (though they were awesome). It was the food, the smells, the sounds – all mixed together into one big, unforgettable memory.
I still remember being 13, finally old enough to go with my friends. No parents, just us and the excitement of being out in the crisp fall air. There was always this organized bonfire display – flames shooting high into the sky, warming everyone as we stood around, bundled up but still shivering a little.
And, of course, we couldn’t wait to get our hands on the jacket potatoes from the van man. Those foil-wrapped beauties, pulled straight out of a special oven, practically burning your hands as you tried to peel them open. My friends would get all fancy with their toppings – cheese, maybe even some baked beans. But me? I liked mine with just butter. Simple, classic, and oh-so-delicious. The butter would melt into the potato, and you’d have to juggle it in your hands because it was so hot, but man, was it worth it.
Now, the food situation at Bonfire Night was something else. It wasn’t like we had burgers the way we do today. Oh no. We had these tinned hotdogs and burgers that were warmed up in hot water. Yeah, you read that right. Hot water! They’d float around with onions, and you’d get a burger that was all floppy and soggy, slapped on a bread roll with some watery ketchup that barely had any flavor. And yet, I loved it. I swear, my mom would never let that stuff into the house, but at the bonfire? It was a special treat. It didn’t even matter that the ketchup tasted more like watered-down vinegar than tomatoes.
The smells, though – that’s what really sticks with me. It was this crazy mix of everything: the bonfire smoke swirling in the air, the sharp scent of gunpowder from the fireworks, and the food. You had the buttery, smoky smell of those jacket potatoes, the faint meaty water scent of the tinned burgers and hotdogs, and the onions simmering away. It all combined into this weirdly comforting fall aroma. Every time I catch a whiff of gunpowder or a bonfire, I’m right back there, holding a warm can of pop and waiting for the fireworks to start.
Speaking of fireworks, the show was always epic. We’d huddle up, our breath fogging up the cold air, waiting for that first crackle. Then, boom, the sky would light up in reds, blues, and greens. And every single time, the crowd would let out these synchronized “oohs” and “ahhs.” It was like we’d never seen fireworks before, even though it was the same every year. But that’s the magic of it, right?
And let’s not forget the toffee apples. Oh, man. My teeth hurt just thinking about it! Sticky, crunchy, and impossible to eat without making a mess. You’d bite into that hard candy shell, and your face would get covered in toffee, but it didn’t even matter. It was all part of the experience. Sticky hands, sticky faces, but we were happy.
Honestly, Bonfire Night was more than just a celebration – it was this massive sensory overload that screamed “fall” in the best way possible. The chill in the air, the sound of crackling wood and distant fireworks, and the taste of those classic British “delicacies” (I’m looking at you, soggy tinned burgers).
We didn’t have fancy gourmet burgers or craft sodas. Nope, we had soggy bread rolls, warm cans of pop, and a whole lot of memories.
I’m not sure if it was the sulfur smell from the fireworks, the buttery jacket potatoes, or just being there with my mates, but I can still picture it perfectly. And I can smell it, too. The food, the fireworks, the feeling of being 13 and finally old enough to wander around with just your friends – it’s one of those memories that sticks with you, no matter how many years go by.
Bonfire Night Smash Burgers and Jacket Potatoes
“Soggy beef burgers might bring back memories, but as a chef, I’ve recreated those memories with some yummy flavors. To save time (we want to get outside and watch those fireworks!) I sneakily microwave the jacket potatoes in this recipe.”
Yield: 4 Servings
PREP TIME: 10 min. COOK TIME: 45 to 60 min.
Note: there is a lot of inactive baking time, depending on the level of crispness you would like to your potatoes
From your pantry: ketchup, malt vinegar, salted butter, salt, black pepper, vegetable oil, parchment paper
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (80/20 ground chuck)
4 sourdough rolls (sliced 3/4 through halfway)
4 russet potatoes
baked beans (optional)
shredded cheese (optional)
Directions:
Bake Your Potatoes:
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Wash thoroughly and then use a fork to poke tiny holes in your potatoes (not too deep!).
Place 2 potatoes at a time, spaced evenly on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for approximately 10-14 minutes, until mostly cooked, turning halfway through. Once finished, cook the remaining 2 potatoes in the microwave. (Note: One potato will take approximately 6-10 minutes to cook in the microwave depending on size and microwave power.)
After you’ve pre-cooked your potatoes in the microwave, rub them all over with olive oil and place on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake until the skin has reached your desired level of crispness, from 10 to 20 minutes.
Make Your Smash Burgers:
While the potatoes are baking, grill up your smash burgers. Divide your ground beef into 4 equal balls and season with salt and pepper. Heat a lightly oiled, large skillet or heavy frying pan over high heat (general rule of thumb for smash burgers is to use a standard skillet for a better flavor, do not use non-stick). When pan is hot, add one meat ball to the pan. Quickly, place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the meat ball, and using a burger press or a smaller, second pan, press down hard for about 10 seconds, you’ll hear delightful sizzling. Allow to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. (Don’t worry, you can use a spatula if you want, it will work!)
Remove the parchment paper, season light with more salt and pepper (as desired) and flip to cook for another minute. Slide into the sourdough roll and transfer to a baking sheet, placing in the oven to keep warm while you make the other burgers.
Serve:
When you remove your jacket potatoes from the oven, slice them open and add your toppings. I like to keep it simple with a thick slice of butter, but you can add shredded cheese, or a combo of baked beans and cheese.
Serve with your smash burger patties on sourdough rolls with ketchup and malt vinegar. Yum!!
About:
Chef Lola is a chef, caterer, professional gardener & landscaper. Born in the Midlands, UK, she built her professional kitchen skills while traveling to seven countries before thriving in New York City’s food scene, where she led events for celebrities and charities. Her talent earned her two appearances on the celebrity cooking show Chopped in 2010. Later, Lola managed an iconic BBQ chain in Richmond, VA, before moving to New Zealand, where she developed a love for gardening. Now back in Maine, she combines her love for gardening, deep experience and expertise in cooking and catering, with joining the One Potato community and spending time with her daughter and grandkids.
Thanks very much for this post. I spent a great deal of time in Scotland and Ireland and when you mention those smells, it also took me right back.