and fish, by exposing the foods to the smoky vapors emitted by burning wood Makers of wine and spirits store them in wood barrels whose interiors have been charred; the volatiles are trapped in and just below the barrels’ inner surface, and are slowly extracted by the liquid (p 721) The flavor that wood smoke imparts to food is determined by several factors Above all there’s the wood Oak, hickory, and the fruit-tree woods (cherry, apple, pear) produce characteristic and pleasing flavors thanks to their moderate, balanced quantities of the wood components A second important factor is the combustion temperature, which is partly determined by the wood and its moisture content Maximum flavor production takes place at relatively low, smoldering temperatures, between 570 and 750ºF/300– 400ºC; at higher temperatures, the flavor molecules are themselves broken down into simpler harsh or flavorless molecules High- lignin woods burn too hot unless their combustion is slowed by restricted airflow or a high moisture content When smoking is done by throwing wood chips onto glowing charcoal, the wood chips should be pre-soaked in water so that they’ll cool the coals Because it’s largely pure carbon, charcoal burns mostly smokelessly at temperatures approaching 1,800ºF/1,000ºC Though smoke helps stabilize the flavors of meats and fish, smoke flavor itself is unstable The desirable phenolic compounds are especially reactive, and largely dissipate in a few weeks or months The Toxins in Wood Smoke: Preservatives and Carcinogens In the beginning, smoking was not just a way of giving foods an interesting flavor: it was a way of delaying their spoilage Wood smoke contains many chemicals that slow the growth of microbes Among them are formaldehyde, and acetic ... just a way of giving foods an interesting flavor: it was a way of delaying their spoilage Wood smoke contains many chemicals that slow the growth of microbes Among them are formaldehyde, and acetic... in water so that they’ll cool the coals Because it’s largely pure carbon, charcoal burns mostly smokelessly at temperatures approaching 1,800ºF/1,000ºC Though smoke helps stabilize the flavors of meats and fish, smoke flavor itself is... of meats and fish, smoke flavor itself is unstable The desirable phenolic compounds are especially reactive, and largely dissipate in a few weeks or months The Toxins in Wood Smoke: Preservatives and Carcinogens In the beginning,