"continueNews">"Smoking has become a very big

thing now. It is something that was born out of practicality

when people needed to preserve their meat, fish and vegetables,

but has now become an art. Today it is about adding a delicate

flavour to food, rather than preserving it," he said.

Angus has his own smoker at the back of the kitchen, and there

is much more to the process than chucking on a few bits of duck

and pressing the on button. There are many different elements

of smoking which can affect the taste, texture and consistency

of the food. Angus has perfected this process and developed his

own recipes.

"We predominantly use oak, cherry, maple and apple woods for

smoking, but you can also use rosemary and gorse, anything

provided it is not soft wood, which can create a bitter flavour

because of high sap content," he said.

"I came up with the recipes through experimentation and using

the culinary knowledge I already have. I took the spices I

would use for normal cooking and applied them to smoking.

"For instance, when I think of chicken, I think cardamom and

green pepper corns, so I would use those spices in the smoking

process and go from there.

"You can make lots of different flavours, and because we grind

our own spices and make unique blends, we have many varieties.

Ginger, garlic and lemongrass will, for example, bring out a

Thai flavour, just as seasonings such as star anise, juniper

and thyme will complement certain meats with their aromas. I

suppose like a painter finds it easy with a palette to mix

colours, it's easy for me to mix flavours."

Having his own smoker, and being able to control every aspect

of the process, means that Angus can achieve what commercial

smokers are not always able to.

"I can flip the meat and make sure it cooks evenly," he said.

"The problem with commercial smokers is that they don't always

do that, so the food often ends up deep tan on one side and

pale on the other."

And rather than smoking everything in one session, Angus smokes

the food for short periods and lets it rest in between

sessions.

"When I do cold smoked salmon, for example, I give it two to

three hours in the smoker, then let it rest, and then another

few hours," he said.

"The slower process means that the moisture is drawn out, it

doesn't get too dry, and the flavour is locked in.

"I believe in gently giving delicate flavour to food and

balancing the sweet with the savoury."

One day, Angus hopes to build his own smoker to incorporate his

own ideas into the design. But at the moment, he is focusing on

marketing and selling his product, and hopes to eventually

supply farm shops and attend local farmers' markets.

"People can ring us and order smoked goods. It's perfect for a

party, or just something different to have for supper," he

said.

"I can advise people as to what is the best flavour for the

occasion or they will be able to choose from our menu. We are

hoping to go online to sell directly to the public in early

August."

Angus' scrumptious selection of smoked dishes includes hot and

cold smoked duck, hot smoked chicken, hot and cold smoked

salmon, cold smoked bacon, smoked olive oils and Cornish sea

salt and smoked cheeses, and other types of meat, fish,

poultry, and shellfish.

On top of this, he is also trying to reduce the salt content by

using alternative types of sugar, such as muscovado, unrefined

and palm sugar.

"These sugars are not as sweet and have a certain saltiness to

them, which allows me to use less salt, and also create a more

rounded sweetness," he said.

Always on the lookout for new ideas, Angus is testing new

recipes and planning for the future.

"I'm an experimentalist. I want to try new things," he said. "I

am currently experimenting with smoked goats' and soft

cheeses.

"I want people to realise how easy smoking is and I would like

to bring this kind of cooking back into the house. The magic is

making it on your own or with your family and then eating

it.

"One day we hope to be able to teach people how to smoke and

cure and give customers the products and tools to take home

with them."

Before I leave The Holt, Angus presents me with a dish of

smoked meats and prawns. I take a piece of duck and place it on

a hot, crispy slice of baguette sprinkled with olive oil. One

bite is bliss. The subtle yet rich flavour sends my taste buds

wild and the tender meat just melts on the tongue. It is a

slice of heaven. This stuff is smokin' hot.

The Holt Bar & Restaurant, 178 High Street, Honiton, Devon,

EX14 1LA. Telephone: 01404 47707. Summer promotion: half pint

or bottle of wine with a bowl of smoked prawns.