Smoked Water Is The Latest Culinary Craze From Heston Blumenthal

Move over, liquid nitrogen, the latest culinary sensation is smoked water. That’s right; water that’s been smoked for four days in an oak smokery may be the next big thing in libations.

English chef Heston Blumenthal wanted to experiment with smoked water in his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck. Blumenthal is a pioneer of molecular gastronomy and applies a scientific approach to cooking. The Fat Duck, in Bray, Berkshire, is considered one of the UK’s best restaurants and receives near-universal critical acclaim.

When Blumenthal tests out smoked water, therefore, people pay attention. According to the Daily Post North Wales, Blumenthal approached the Anglesey Sea Salt company to use smoked water in The Fat Duck. Anglesey Sea Salt had recently unveiled smoked water at the Abergavenny Food Festival, a multi-day food event in Wales that features panels, classes and tastings.

The smoked water was an instant sensation at the festival and the demand has been overwhelming for Anglesey Sea Salt's product. According to David Lea-Wilson, the director at the company, “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,” reports Daily Post North Wales.

According to Lea-Wilson, the smoked water begins as just humble water but soon absorbs plenty of smoky flavor after spending four or more days inside a nearby oak smokery.

How can you use smoked water? Well, pretty much anywhere and on anything you want. At The Fat Duck, Blumenthal is using it to create a smoky taste to potatoes and seafood, notes the Daily Post. It could also be used for marinating.

Smoked water may cross over to the world of cocktails as well. Freezing the smoked water and turning it into ice cubes can create a unusual drink or enhance smoky flavors present in drinks such as whiskey.

If you are curious about smoked water, you don’t need to travel to The Fat Duck to try it. In fact, you can purchase your own pouch from Halen Môn.