Smoked

Juan Manuel Benayas returns with a new book on cooking with smoke, the latest gastronomic trend.

The discovery of fire was a primary step in the evolution of human beings. It changed the life of primitive humans in all aspects as groups began to gather by the heat of the fire: man began to socialize.

The incomplete combustion of fire generates smoke, a smoke that in all probability reached the large game that prehistoric man placed next to the fire, where the flames and smoke served not only for cooking purposes but also to scare other animals from trying to take their food. Fire, its heat, smoke and ash with all its properties, led man to evolve.

For centuries smoke has been used to preserve food, but today, and depending on each culture, it has a culinary function and serves as an invisible and almost secret ingredient that few know about. Until now.

Three countries admired for their brilliant culinary use of smoke are Romania, Norway and the United States, with such delectable dishes as Romanian mich, Norwegian salmon and the much sought after American brisket.