BLOW TORCH

Cooking is not just a trade: It is a science with precise measures, experiments, trial and errors, and arts too with its grand scope open to creativity, imagination, and improvisation.

Several months ago, on TV channels I came across with commercials about a culinary art programme in an Institute. The commercials were somewhat different in the way that they promote the art and the science component of cooking that are subtly embedded in.

Cooking is not just a trade: It is a science with precise measures, experiments, trial and errors, and arts too with its grand scope open to creativity, imagination, improvisation and give the best result if it comes from the soul.

This, of course, brings many hats into scene; hats that chefs should wear simultaneously. Chefs are not just very experienced cooks but also chemists, architects, managers, artists, stylist, inventors, and last but not least very successful researchers. Above all, it is necessary for a chef to be a well equipped with handyman skills in order to handle the unexpected brake-downs or incidents in the kitchen. That is why it is not surprising to find screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers etc. in the kitchen.

However, blowtorch is not one of these extraordinary tools. They are the hidden treasures of kitchens; not for maintenance or repair purposes but for culinary ideas, creativity, and applications. One short period of high heat flame can create many differences in the presentation and the texture of your meals.

What can you make with a blowtorch?

The answer is not that straightforward. You can do lots, or you can do just a little. It depends more on your diet and your willingness to explore the limits.

The easiest answer would be crème brûlée of course. Unfortunately, this symbiosis like coupling of the desert and the torch sometimes make it harder to imagine alternative uses of the gadget.

The possibilities of the culinary use of the blow torch in fact lies in the features of it. Blow torch by its nature, creates incredible high heat, which will burn the surface almost immediately. If the surface of the item is covered with sugar, it will caramelize immediately creating a candy coating on the surface without cooking the item itself. If you want to come up with alternative decorating ideas for your dessert plates, then you can easily use blowtorch to create candy-covered berries, cherries or to caramelize citrus wedges.

You can go one-step further with decorating your desserts: You can toast marshmallows, marshmallow frosting, brown your Italian or Swiss meringues with it to give an extra dimension to their appearances.

If you apply high heat to proteins like fish, meat, or poultry, the flame will create almost the same effect on the surface of the protein and the surface will brown while you still end up with raw meat, chicken or fish. This is, in fact, the caramelization of non-sugar food with the effect of the heat. What is the logic of having a raw protein with brown and slightly cooked exterior? In case that you would like to have some seared tuna this is the best way of having it: Slightly seared surface with a juicy and buttery interior. What a scrumptious fish!


You cannot eat poultry raw and I would expect that you definitely pay attention to the doneness of your meat! With a good cooking technique, you may not need the blowtorch to finish the plate. However, it may be so handy if you want to brown the skin of the chicken or give a further color to your steak to achieve “food magazine photo” like appearance. That is no wonder that the blowtorch is one of the major tools of food stylists.

Apart from the fancy usage of the gadget, you can also apply the high heat to blacken the skin of peppers, or your oven-roasted eggplants for easy peeling purposes.

What kind of blowtorch is suitable for the kitchen?

The type of blowtorches suitable for culinary purposes varies in features, appearances, and sizes. You can buy a fancy kitchen torch from a kitchen store or opt for a type that you can get from hardware stores. I would have loved to say that the type of the blowtorch does not matter, but it does.

Although, kitchen torches are slightly smaller, adorable and user-friendly, the energy that they generate is quite low. Still extremely hot for human body though. This feature may lead to a slightly different result: In order to get a desirable  crust or color you might end up using the kitchen torch longer which might eventually lead to the (over) cooking of the interior of the food. This is something that you would not want for your seared tuna or crème brûlée, or for candy-covered fruits.

On the other hand, the hardware store bought models are bigger and would require more attention and caution to use. However, the result will satisfy your expectations.

With several pros and cons of each variety, the conclusion is this: The best kitchen tool is the one that you would feel comfortable with; especially with a toy like this.

So try to test to the gadget: Borrow one from your friend, evaluate several options at the hardware/kitchen store, and talk to the representatives. When you buy one, try it on several alternative dishes. Eventually you will either end up loving the one that you have or keep the blowtorch out of your kitchen. ◊

If you want to use a blowtorch please keep the following points in mind!

Read carefully the instructions of the appliance before using.

Prepare yourself,

·         Make sure your sleeves are rolled up,

·         Secure your hair: Tying it back is the best solution.

·         Keep the children away, at least at a secure distance.

·         Keep the pets away to avoid distraction

Prepare the food that you will apply blowtorch,

·         The food must be placed on a heatproof plate or baking dish.

·         Never apply blowtorch to a food a glass plate or platter.

·         Place the plate or baking dish on a heatproof surface.

Time to turn on the flame:

·         Light the flame and adjust it to obtain a pointed, glowing, red-yellow cone of heat in the center of the lavender blue flame.

·         Hold it 2 to 3 inches above the surface of the food, moving it back and forth to ensure even browning.

Remember that the food will continue to cook for a few more seconds after you move the flame away. Stop the torch before you achieve the desired degree of doneness.