The Kit
Up in Smoke
Where there’s smoke, there’s flavour. Adding some to your
dishes with this smoking gun could be habit-forming.
Sage By Heston Blumenthal Smoking Gun
Harts Price: £79.95
S E E +
S H O P
We have a full range of Sage
by Heston Blumenthal
products. See them at
www.hartsofstur.com
T
he days of smoke in
restaurants coming
from the inconsiderate
table opposite with
a pack of Benson &
Hedges are long gone,
thankfully. Smoky flavours are
instead being infused by chefs in
everything from joints of meat to
cocktails. But where an American
barbecue specialist will think nothing
of slow smoking their ribs or beef
brisket for 20 hours before serving,
the average cook needs a quicker
method, which preferably won’t set
off the smoke alarm too many times
in the process.
Enter Heston Blumenthal with
his Smoking Gun. This handheld
gadget lets you get some smoke into
your food and drink in a matter of
minutes. It’s simple to use. You put
a couple of pinches of the supplied
wood chips in the removable burn
chamber. Light it and then direct
the resulting smoke billowing from
the silicon tube onto the food to be
smoked. There are two settings for
We hope it’s chips
gentle or intense smoking.
You need to enclose the smoke, to
get the full flavour. Manufacturer
Sage recommend several ways. You
can smoke condiments or sauces
in a bowl covered by cling film
or meat and cheese in a sealable
container. Insert the smoking tube
and let the food sit with the smoke
for five minutes before serving. This
also works brilliantly for bowls of
popcorn. You will get good results by
introducing smoke into your cocktail
shaker or blender and shaking/
blending to mix. For a real ‘Heston’
experience, you can smoke at the
table. Fill a glass serving cloche with
smoke and place over a plate of
food. Allow it to infuse for several
minutes before theatrically lifting off
the covering in front of guests. That
Michelin star is as good as yours.
This would be great gift for
anyone who, like Heston, wants to
experiment with new flavours and
wow their friends and families with
the results. You could certainly create
an atmosphere at any dinner party.
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www.hartsofstur.com
You get two different flavours of wood
chips with your Smoking Gun.
Applewood
Slightly sweet, fruity flavour
for delicate meats. Pairs well
with whipped butter
and cocktails.
Hickory
Strong and earthy flavours for
richer foods like beef, pork
and vegetables.