My campfire fiesta won't exactly have decor. After all, hanging streamers and piñatas from the trees is a guaranteed way to get heckled by adjacent campers. But I will be needing provisions and gear — everything from aluminum foil for cooking the marshmallow cream puffs to a cute tablecloth to cover the picnic table. I've chosen floral oilcloth that's both easy to clean and in keeping with Read more

After a long day of pitching tents, cooking food, and preparing dessert, the gang at your campfire fiesta definitely deserves a drink. No camping trip is complete without beer, so fill a cooler with plenty of ice and ask guests to bring their own brews. I'll also pick up a few bottles of red and white wine. As the host of this fireside fete, you can also offer a fun addition to the bar menu. Read more

This week I'm celebrating the waning days of Summer with a Mexican-inspired menu for my campfire fiesta. But I know that if I don't serve s'mores, there may be a wilderness mutiny. So I'm bringing along milk chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers to make the traditional fireside treat. But I also want something special to kick the s'mores concept up a notch, so I'll use the same Read more

When my friends and I go camping, the food planning comes first. Once we've figured out who's making every appetizer, cocktail, main dish, and dessert, we focus on other details like who's bringing bug spray and how to get where we're going. So for this week's campfire fiesta, I'm forgoing invitations in favor of a flurry of emails to work out the logistics. September is prime camping time: It's Read more