light ‘em up!

I was approached by Jo Chef Culinary Tools offering me their Superior RX Blow Torch – umm let me count the ways I could use this baby. Before I could even agree, ideas were already bouncing around in my head – that’s when you know you’re damn-sure excited about a product!

I did a little research & saw a few of my foodie friends also taking part in this adventure – it was so neat to see everyone’s take on what a blowtorch should be used for. It truly showcases how flexible this utensil is and it is a must-have in every kitchen!

I saw people melting a big glob of provolone cheese over French Onion Soup with the BlowTorch, I saw people giving a hard sear on the outside of a thick steak, I saw the classic torching of raw sugar for crème brulee…..but I never once saw a Smoked Old Fashioned. I had found my niche.

the devil is in the details

Clearly this blog entry is about MOI and our gadgets, ingredients & attempts to make this drink come to life for you – plus that was like, 5 years ago so I don’t have any pictures.

Buffalo Trace, Makers Mark & Woodford Reserve Double Oaked are our absolute favorite bourbons to make a Smoked Old Fashioned with….and just to quietly sip on, ya heard? Ayyyye.

Evan Williams Bourbon Cherries, Collins Orange Rind Twists & Simple Syrup are key ingredients to making this Smoked Old Fashioned so delicious. They are both relatively inexpensive ingredients & easy to find – Amazon is your friend. Yea, Yea, YEA. I know I’m asking you to go out & obtain these random ingredients, but they truly are delicious and once you’re hooked on Smoked Old Fashioneds, you’d better damn well thank me anyway.

Bitters are their own kind of beast. Earthy, Floral, Herby, Robust, Woody, Smoky & Full Flavors are all kinds of profiles you’ll find in Bitters. Angostura Bitters brand are primo. They come in a wiiiiiiide variety of flavors – many of which can be found on Amazon or your local ABC store, Package Store, Liquor Store & even some specialty grocers. Choose the bitter that speaks most to you. Classic Orange Bitters are a great avenue to try for beginners – you can leave out the Collins Orange Rind Twists if you’d like an opt for a fresh peel of an orange rind so you don’t go overboard on the orange flavor. Or I’ll shut the hell up & let you go completely orange-crazy if that’s what you want – it’s your palate & your drink!

Woodford Reserve also has a great “sampler” pack of bitters in smaller sizes so you aren’t married to any 1 kind of bitter you pick — just in case you come across a flavor that you really don’t like.

Instructions

Pour your bourbon of choice into a lowball glass.

Add the *dashes* of bitters, drop in the cherry, swirl the orange peel around the rim & also drop in.

Pour in the Simple Syrup.

Swirl the glass gently to combine.

((If you have chosen to take the route of the Smoked Old Fashioned, then just know that I write this with glistening tears in my eyes – well done, thou good & faithful reader))

((If you are choosing NOT to take the path of the Smoked Old Fashioned then just know you are dead to me, but at least I’m convincing more people to drink bourbon in this world))

If you are doing an Old Fashioned (i.e. NOT smoked) then your journey ends here – drop in your ice cube(s), swirl to coat, take a long whiff, ponder your life, take a sip & thank me.

If you are doing the Smoked Old Fashioned, then now is the time for the fireworks. The shit you’ve all been waiting for!

Fill your FogHat with the 1 TBS of Oak Wood Chips – it should be a very fine consistency, like shit you’d be sure to get a splinter with.

Place your FogHat bottom piece directly overtop the rim of the glass – it should fit just right.

Using your BlowTorch, gently alight the wood chips for a count of 3 – you should immediately see smoke start to fill your glass directly underneath! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

If you just want a smidge of smoke, I won’t judge you. Once the initial flame has died down from the torching, directly cover the bottom piece of the FogHat with the top coaster-looking piece of the FogHat.

This will ensure that the fire is “put out” and the smoke will continue to descend down into your glass. It’s a beautiful sight. It should smell pretty damn good too!

If you aren’t seeing enough smoke to tickle your fancy, then torch that sucker again! Always in counts of 3 as to not allow the woodchips to light on fire & whisk themselves out of the FogHat – safety first my friends.

Wait about 30 seconds or so, if your smoke has all-but died down, remove the lid for the TA-DA moment! This is the part where the remaining smoke WHIFFS itself out of the glass, giving the show I was talking about earlier that we fell in love with when we first visited Gershwins.

Drop in your large, round ice cube – please for the love of God if you managed to spend the money on the FogHat, then the least you could do was humor me & get the silicone ball molds to make large ice balls – they’re like $5!

ANYWAY.

The smoke aroma should be present, if not delicate. The bourbon should be sharp & sweet, but not overtaken by the simple syrup or the fruits. The bitters should lend an edge that no one will be able to put their finger on – hence all the flavor profiles I listed above!

The Kitchen BlowTorch was a courtesy of Culinary Jo. I love this particular BlowTorch because the settings are easy to use & see, the flame is more direct, and it even comes with a butane cartridge for easy refills! This drink deserved a high-class utensil & Culinary Jo definitely delivered! Check out their Instagram @culinaryjochef for more ideas, pictures & ordering your very own!