I bought a nice, plump chicken for dinner and decided not to use my usual roasting recipe by Thomas Keller. I wanted to challenge myself and warm up the kitchen at the same time. So, I decided to roast the chicken in the fireplace. Our fireplace obviously used to be the cooking fireplace as it comes with an iron hook that swings out over the fire. A while ago I had bought a piece of chain thinking I could make a cage in which to hang food from the hook.
Here is the trussed chicken before cooking. 
I got the fire going well and suspended the chicken.
The advantage is that the fire kept me warm and cozy too! It was at this point I realized I had a design flaw. Uh oh. I could see the bird was only cooking on the bottom nearest the fire. Not good. So I carefully removed it and undid the chain, turning it so that it was hanging the other direction. Then I re-suspended it. Next time I need to come up with a detachable part with hooks or something so I can flip it more easily. After that all went fine.
Nearly finished. I used an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature from time to time.
An finally…ta da! the finished product. It came out smokey and crispy. 
I served it with egg noodles and roasted cauliflower. Just a way to have fun on a winters day with the added bonus of a meal at the end!
I’m sure there is something out there. I just need to keep my eyes open for it. 👀
I think there could be a way to thread a steel bar between two ends of the length of chain in an inverted vee suspended from the hook so that you could rotate a chicken or roast. Of course, that makes me think that a steel triangle might work, too. Interesting. I’ll bet there’s an Italian contraption somewhere that would serve this purpose perfectly–Italians have been quite crafty throughout history!
It was good and a nice diversion and I got to use the hook! And best yet, I made a smokey broth from the carcass which became a great zuppa di ceci.
Haha Carlo, my aim was to use that iron hook in there to cook it, and the only way I could think of was the “basket”. I’m sure there’s a better way but necessity is the mother of invention!
You left my mouth watering for that chicken! What a great story and winter cooking adventure!
Nancy, you need a rotating spit and stand, and not the saliva kind, the open pit barbecuing kind! —CARLO