Smoked water may be the next craze when it comes to unusual libations , replacing liquid nitrogen as number one in strange products used to make alcoholic drinks.
Smoked water is just like it sounds — water that has been smoked for four days in an oak smokery, reports International Business Times .
English chef Heston Blumenthal is a pioneer in molecular gastronomy, applying a scientific approach to cooking. His restaurant, The Fat Duck, is considered one of the UK’s best restaurants, receiving near-universal critical acclaim.
So, when Blumenthal decided he wanted to experiment with smoked water, people paid attention. Blumenthal approached the Anglesey Sea Salt company about using smoked water at his restaurant.
The company recently unveiled the new concoction at the Abergavenny Food Festival, which is a multi-day food festival in Wales that features tastings, panels, and classes.
David Lea-Wilson, the director of the company, stated that the smoked water became an instant craze at the festival, causing the company to be overwhelmed with orders. Yahoo! News notes that Lea-Wilson added:
“This was tried as a curiosity but has really caught on. We have been very busy with orders and it has even seen us take an extra part-time staff member on to meet the demand.”
The pale yellow liquid sells for $2.50 per small pouch on halenmon.com. Lea-Wilson explained the process of making the water by saying that it spends four days in the company’s oak smokery where it absorbs the scent. He added, however, “We can’t give exact details on the process or others will be doing it.”
Lea-Wilson added that, when the concoction is mixed into a cocktail or in cooking, the smoke flavor infuses the food or drink. Food manufacturers are considering using smoked water instead of liquid smoke because the latter can include added chemicals and it is also often artificially flavored.
Would you consider ordering a drink that has smoked water in it?
