Dirty burgers, black and blue steaks, posh kebabs 鈥� the trend for all things meaty and grilled has been around a while now, with smoke from barbecues, grills and wood burners adding a unique depth and flavour to dishes.
But chefs (and mixologists) have started getting more adventurous when it comes to adding a smoky element to their creations.
We visited Birmingham鈥檚 Harborne Kitchen to find out how they鈥檝e been thinking beyond the barbecue to add complexity and bring a dose of theatre to the table.
In the kitchen
Jamie Desogus, the restaurant鈥檚 founder and chef, says, 鈥淟ow and slow cooking, grilling and smoking has been all the rage these last four to five years, but we鈥檝e started being a little bit more innovative with our use of smoke.鈥� One of the restaurant鈥檚 most popular sides is a smoked mash made from cold-smoked fresh cream and salt-dried potatoes, which consistently delights guests. 鈥淓very day I get asked how it鈥檚 made,鈥� he says.
Harborne Kitchen is famous for its constantly evolving tasting menu, which allows the kitchen and bar to work closely together to match flavours. One recent dish, a smoked lamb hogget tartare, posed a special challenge to Drinks Designer Samuel Boulton. 鈥淢atching drinks with dishes is always difficult, there are a lot of factors to consider,鈥� he explains. 鈥淵ou need to take the flavour of the dish as a whole, which you can either complement, or alternatively, create something bold to contrast with it,鈥� he says.
At the bar
After much experimenting he settled on the 鈥楽moked Rosemary Laphroaig鈥�, which combines smoked vodka, peated Laphroaig Scotch, limoncello for sweetness and a sprig of rosemary, which was lit at the table. 鈥淭he drink was designed to complement the smoky lamb. The toasted rosemary was the final addition, which made it all pop,鈥� Sam says, 鈥渁nd adds a theatrical element at the table鈥�.
Smoking top tip
When asked if there were any other ways to bring a smoky element to drinks, Sam recommended smoking the glass itself. 鈥淭ake a blow torch to a piece of untreated wood 鈥� we like to use an old stave from a Scotch barrel (Macallan) 鈥� then when it starts to glow, cover it with your glass,鈥� he explains. 鈥淎llow the glass to fill with smoke, then turn it over. This method helps to avoid over-smoking which you can get from using a smoking gun.鈥�
The smoked glass can then be filled with a cocktail to add light smokiness, or is great for something like an Old Fashioned or a smoked Bloody Mary. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really simple but very effective way of adding complexity to a drink,鈥� Sam says.
For more ideas on how to wow your guests with interesting serves, take a look at our cocktail videos.
Sophia Godyn
From her uni wine 'tasting' society to studying for her WSET, Sophia has long had a fondness for all things vinous. So after a few years developing her marketing skills in the financial services industry, she decided to mix business with pleasure by moving into the wine trade. Now she writes, instagrams and podcasts about 黑料网’s portfolio of wines and the fascinating people who make them.