Field notes

The smoke journal.

Techniques, ingredients and experiments for the bar and the kitchen. A notebook from Giamaio on how wood smoke changes flavour.

An amber cocktail served over ice at the Giamaio bar.

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Peated whisky, where the smoke in your glass begins

Follow peat smoke back to the malt kiln, then use two small whisky cocktails to decide whether adding wood smoke at service improves the drink.

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More field notes

12 articles
A green cocktail with a citrus garnish at a Giamaio bar service.

04.11.2026

Orange peel and orange wood play different roles in a cocktail

Taste the difference between citrus oils and orange-wood smoke in the same cocktail. Three small samples help you choose how and when to add the garnish.

A hand adding wood chips to the smoking chamber of a Fumus smoker.

04.11.2026

Which smoking wood should you use? Try three bites

Olive, oak and orange wood play different parts in the Giamaio menu. To find your preference, keep the food constant and change only the wood.

A dish under a cloche during a Giamaio kitchen demonstration.

04.11.2026

Finishing with smoked salt, a three-bite potato tasting

Try smoked salt flakes at different moments. Three pieces of cooked potato make it easier to compare wood aroma, saltiness and crunch before serving a full dish.

Spaghetti coated in smoked Pecorino from the Affumicando recipe book.

04.11.2026

Smoked cacio e pepe starts with the Pecorino

Smoke grated Pecorino before making the sauce. Follow the sequence for smoked cacio e pepe and learn how to adjust a single serving before dressing the pasta.

A hand raises the cloche above a cocktail at the bar.

04.11.2026

How to size a smoking cloche for your cocktail glass

Check the usable height, base and garnish before choosing a smoking cloche. A dry run shows whether you can uncover and serve the finished drink comfortably.

A cocktail is poured into a glass containing ice.

03.11.2026

Ice and smoked cocktails, what changes while you wait for the cloche?

A smoked cocktail can taste weak as its ice continues to melt. Compare two serving moments and organise the glass, cloche and garnish before you pour.

Golden scallops plated with pea purée and pistachio brittle.

03.11.2026

Smoked scallops, from cloche to golden crust

Smoke scallops before searing, dry them at the right moment and keep the pea purée and pistachio brittle separate. A practical sequence from Affumicando.

Slices of butter flecked with crisp guanciale, surrounded by a wisp of smoke.

03.11.2026

Smoked butter under a cloche, from toast to pasta

Split the butter first. The unsmoked half gives you a reference and an easy way to adjust the finish.

A glass dome lifts from an amber cocktail with a citrus peel as smoke escapes to the side.

03.11.2026

Should you smoke the glass or the cocktail?

One drink, two glasses and a way to choose which part of the sip should carry the smoke.

alt="Roll vegani affumicati a freddo con verdure colorate su tagliere"

21.04.2023

Smoking vegetables: how to enhance their flavour

Affumicare le verdure è facile, sano e gourmet. Scopri i migliori legni, le tecniche più sicure e prova 5 ricette semplici per valorizzare ogni piatto con un tocco affumicato unico. Una guida...

Salame stagionato affumicato a freddo con legno di faggio su griglia in vetro

13.03.2023

Smoking for cured meats and cheeses: techniques and recipes

Scopri come affumicare a freddo salumi e formaggi in casa con tecniche semplici e strumenti pratici. Dal formaggio al prosciutto, 5 ricette facili per dare un tocco gourmet alle tue creazioni.