The Background Of The Bonfire

As winter vibes approach, so does the feeling of getting together with a bunch of friends around a big fire, making smores, telling fun tales, having some good laughs, and making irreplaceable memories.

However, is this always what people define a bonfire as? Here, you shall be given a background on what having a bonfire signified to people and what it symbolizes now.

What Is A Bonfire?

A bonfire is a huge, well-managed outdoor fire that is used for either informal disposal of garbage or as part of a special event.

Although bonfires are commonly linked with festivals, backyard burnings, and roasting marshmallows, the bon in a bonfire is unrelated to the French word for "good." Bonfire, on the other hand, comes from the Middle English word bonefire, which simply translates to a fire of bones.

There are a few significant arguments in favor of the etymology of bone fire. To begin with, the construct proposed by early lexicographers would be a strange hybrid - it's difficult to explain why a French word would be combined with an English one.

Second, given the word's origins in the 15th century, we could anticipate it to have evolved into boonfire, as boon is the English equivalent of the French bon.

Third, the word's earliest usage uses the spelling banefyre, and bane is a spelling of bone that has long been popular in Scotland.

What Is A Bonfire For?

Eventually, the term bonfire was used for other huge fires, such as those used to burn yard waste or undesirable belongings.

Bonfires are used to try and get rid of unwanted plant material that cannot be composted on farms, large gardens, and allotments. Woody material, noxious weeds, sick material, and material treated with persistent insecticides and herbicides are all examples of this.

Such bonfires can be relatively modest, but they are frequently built to burn slowly for several days in order to reduce wet and green material to ash by turning the unburnt stuff into the center on a regular basis.

Turf and other earthy materials can also be burned in these bonfires.

The ash from backyard bonfires is a good source of potassium and may help improve the soil structure in some soils, but such flames must be controlled carefully.

Garden and farm bonfires are usually smokey, and if badly managed or lit in inclement weather, they can cause local annoyance.

Bonfires were also lit in honor of saints, giving rise to the term's general definition of an open-air fire where people gathered to celebrate. This type of bonfire is still used to remember events in modern times.

Obviously, when Fall approaches, bonfires and chilly picnics are in order.

Where Should You Hold A Celebratory Bonfire?

A bonfire normally necessitates a large amount of open area in order to handle its huge flames—and people properly.

Choose a location for your bonfire birthday party that allows for plenty of safe sitting (both near and far from the fire), as well as space for guests to mix, mingle, and enjoy any additional activities such as lawn games.

If your backyard isn't big enough, consider hosting at a local beach, open field, or park—ask about rental prices and regulations ahead of time, and make sure you have the necessary licenses.

If you're looking for a fun activity to do with your friends and family during a bonfire, then we have the perfect thing for you. Smoking a high-quality cigar with your loved ones sounds almost as heavenly as the crackling flames of the bonfire.

Tabanero Cigars featured in "History Snapshot: Why Ybor City is known as the “Cigar Capital of The World”

We were recently mentioned in a Florida Insider article highlighting why our beloved Ybor City is known as the "Cigar Capital of the world.

Tabanero are highlighted first on the list for giving "tourists and locals alike their fix of fresh hand-rolled cigars."

Check out the FULL article here. 

Roger Peele just released a new article about the Cigar Apparel world featuring Tabanero Cigars

Check out this awesome article on SELECTING A CIGAR FOR BEGINNERS!

Tabanero Maceda Toro Connecticut Cigar featured on the Cigar Dave Show Podcast!

Study Suggests Cigars Can Prevent COVID-19

French researchers to test nicotine patches on coronavirus patients - Study – which stresses serious health risks of smoking – suggest substance in tobacco may lower risk of getting coronavirus.

The Tobacco Tales

Stories, some true some not, shape who are as individuals and who are as a culture. Think about the bedtime stories you heard as a child. You loved the story and its moral molded your character.  We at Tabanero love a good story too. So we thought we would share some tall tales involving tobacco.

Ancient Myths of Tobacco

The first is an ancient native myth that tells the take tale of how tobacco became a part of people's lives. It begins in a time long ago when there was only one tribe in all the Americas. They lived together following the buffalo wherever they roamed (‘Oh give me a home…’).  To a couple was born a girl who grew up to be beautiful, just beautiful, she was the most beautiful. The original language says the she was ‘powerful beautiful.’ We can only speculate what they meant, but one doesn't have to imagine too deeply to understand the power that beauty can wield.

This child in time had children of her, twin boys to be precise.  One boy had a light complexion with a head full gold hair. The other boy had a ruddy hue and dark brown hair. Everything was perfect, well except no one knew the identity of the father, including our powerfully beauty lady. Right now you're thinking…- but, no. The legend seems to dismiss that whole train of thought. Instead it tells us that two fathers stepped forward - and again you're thinking…but, no. One pronounced himself to himself to be the father of ruddy boy and the other to be the father of the fair boy.

You are probably thinking that the story is going to become one of those paternity fights, but once again, no. The twin boys legitimately had two different fathers.  Umm, just roll with it. The father of the dark haired boy was Earth and he named his son Earth Boy.  The father of the golden haired boy was the Night and he named his son Star Boy (you have The Weekend to think about that one).

Over time the boys grew up, of course they did. When they became older they began behaving differently than the others.  Earth-Boy stopped going out with the buffalo parties and instead stayed among the reeds and flowers.  Star-Boy also stopped following the buffalo.  He would sleep during the day and go wandering at night. One night he discovered a mountain no one had ever found before.  He climbed it and kept climbing until he almost reached the sky. Then he grew faint and fell down.  A silver man appeared to him. It was his Star-Father.

He said, “Son why did you climb up this mountain?”

Star-boy said, “I was trying to reach you.”

The father replied, “My life is spent walking far beyond here and I will not return to this mountain in your lifetime.  As sign of my love I’m giving you a great gift that contains the strength and colors of the sunset.  Keep this plant with you wherever you go and in the springtime plant it wherever you are.  Give great care to this sacred plant and when the stalks are tall harvest them.”

He then plunged his hand into his silver body.  White light burst from his chest and he pulled out a tobacco plant.

“Son this plant is sacred. It will make your people strong and free, but in order to partake they must take them in as family.”  He handed the tobacco plant to Star-Boy and then he was gone.

Star-Boy returned home where he found Earth-Boy.  He told him the story and offered to take him in as family (yeah, we wondered that too – aren’t they already twin brothers?)  

Earth-Boy said, “I didn't need to go to the top of a mountain.  While you were gone my father came to me also.  He taught the secrets ways of the earth and told me to tend all plants save the special star plant. My people will rise with sun and farm the land.  Your people will be wanders after the sunset, but we are brothers.”

To seal their bond Earth-Boy made a pipe from rock and wood and Star-Boy prepared the tobacco plant.  They smoked the medicine pipe together and pledged their love and declared the peace between them.

We are All Family

Here at Tabanero Cigars we affirm the moral of that story: we may have differences but we are family and there should be love and peace between us.  Come on down to Ybor and let’s celebrate what we have in common.

The Vision of Beauty

It was an unexpected gift of beauty. It evoked the old adage: ‘take time to smell the flowers.’ How often do I? Am I aware of the beauty around me? Or do I allow the busyness of each day to hold captivate my attention and keep my focus so inside my own thoughts and concerns that I don't see the beauty around me? 

Beauty Reminders

Tabanero and The NFL Draft

We have many and varied interests at Tabanero Cigars.

Our attention this week was focused upon the draft of players into the National Football League. As I was watching the first round of the draft, while enjoying a Taba Big Daddy (it just seemed appropriate for the occasion) something occurred to me. Most of the world was watching the draft along with me, but at that same moment, the NBA was in middle of their playoffs. How discouraging it must be for them. If all American sports were a family, then Major League Baseball would be the older brother who rebelled a long time ago but now is quietly getting the right thing done, the National League Football would be the baby of the family who is always in trouble but gets all the attention, and the National Basketball Association would be the middle child who as harder as he tries just can't get the attention...Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.

Surprises of the Draft

Anyway, the opening round was a surprise as the Bears trader only one spot to ensure that they got their man Mitchell Trubisky. Two other teams, the Chiefs, and the Texans traded up as well to garner their signal caller of the future. Were those mistakes? Add a comment and let us know your thoughts. Mistake or mad genius those unlikely picks caused several players to fall down the board.

We here in Tampa were thrilled as O.J. Howard became of those players. We were able to snatch him with the 19th pick. It was completely unexpected that the Alabama standout would be available that far into the draft. The scouts believe that he will a perennial Pro Bowler because he is accomplished not only as a receiver but also as a blocker. He gives Winston a big target as an option that will keep defenders honest in covering Mike Evans and newly acquired DeSean Jackson.

We are excited about the future of our young and talented new Buccaneers!

Welcome to Tampa gentlemen: Howard, Evans, Godwin, Beckwith, McNichols, and Tuikolavatu. Come down to Tabanero and enjoy the finest hand made cigars! You find a community of people sharing life as they share a cigar.

Our Visit To J.C. Newman

We were fortune enough today to be invited by Eric Newman and Bob Newman to a lunch in at the JC Newman factory with people in the Cigar industry that are having the same pain no matter the size of their operation with new Regulation from FDA.

The FDA Concerns

Senator Bill Nelson Litsen to our concerns of deadlines approaching on the different regulations and we haven't had any success changing how drastic the regulations are.

Our Discussion

They allowed me 60 seconds to share how these regulations will affect a small industry that I represent in Ybor. Senator Bill Nelson even spoke Spanish with me to show his symphony for our cause. Please in any way you can share our pain with the president of the United States do so.  We have to rescue the novel industry of Cigars.

This cigar was given to me at the meeting by Jeff Borysiewicz owner of Corona Cigars