THE CHIMINEA
Aussie Heatwave Fireplaces
41 John Street, Oakleigh, Melbourne
(03) 95691003

This has to be one of the best heat and food cooking inventions ever made. They started in Mexico. There, they were made from clay. They look like a giant clay pumpkin with a wide mouth and a three foot chimney.

 

And I bought one. Stuck it on the apartment balcony, fired it up, and loved it. The neighbours didn’t! The local council argued that it wasn’t a barbecue and threatened to fine me $500. I pointed out that if they banned all apartment balcony barbecues then I, as a law-abiding citizen, would get rid of mine. Never heard from them again. I had actually read all the fine print about apartment balconies and what was banned – like bikes, dog kennels, washing, etc. There was no mention of barbecues at all!

 

Melbourne’s Andrew Fenton imported Chimineas from Mexico and started a good business. But then he thought laterally. If Mexican clay could make a good Chiminea then what if you made one from Aussie cast iron?  In one piece?  Imagine the heat? Imagine the longevity?

 

 And that’s what they did. And now I have bought one of them. They have a twenty year guarantee. For good reason. They are virtually indestructible.

 

And they’ve improved on the original Mexican version. The cast iron one I now have (stuff the neighbours) has a wrought iron stand for the wood, is seasoned with a 15-kilo bag of river sand, has a barbecue grill to sit on top and a metal cover if you want to roast a smoked chicken. Which I now often do on Saturday nights. In fact I am roasting a marinated one as I write this.

 

The Chiminea throws amazing winter heat. And gives you a great smokey charcoal taste for pizzas and steaks and lamb chops -- and roast chickens basted in soy sauce and stock and  hoisin and honey.

 

It’s even tasty to order a takeaway pizza and then toss it on the Chiminea for a few minutes to improve the taste and the crispiness.

 

The company’s sales blurb calls it “the finest outdoor fireplace in the world”. And I can’t argue with that.

 

They say the “Aussie heat wave”  is now being bought by people who have enjoyed the concept of Mexican Chimineas and have worn them out.  I certainly wore mine out over the years with shards of clay finally breaking away.

 

Now, with the cast iron Aussie version, made in one piece, I have a balcony Chiminea which is virtually indestructible. Foolproof. Burn what you like in it.  Cook what you like on it.

 

You can check them out on www.chiminea.com.au  or www.aussieheatwave.com.au

 

They would be great for your balcony or backyard. And I paid for mine.