THE SCIENCE OF SPHERIFICATION
FLAVOURING WITH SMOKE
Whether it’s a steakhouse or a cocktail bar, smoke is readily used to impart unique flavours into different foods and beverages. When wood burns, it undergoes pyrolysis, a chemical reaction which breaks it down into its fundamental components, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin and volatiles. Cellulose and hemicellulose are made up of chains of sugar molecules which break down into sweet volatiles that can infuse into exposed foods. Lignin breaks down into aromatic compounds called phenolics, which can permeate food and transfer a pungent flavour. These are especially useful when adding flavour through a quick burst of smoke, such as when serving up a fragrant cocktail that has been hit with a smoke gun. Nitric oxide is also released during pyrolysis, which doesn’t impart flavour but reacts with the iron content of different meats and can produce a pink ‘smoke ring’.