Saturday, December 6, 2014

“A subtle taste of innovation-Bacon Jam”

I am proud to share a beautiful write up by one of my students ( Food Writing Workshop at IHM - Aurangabad) after a tasting of the Bacon Jam ( courtesy Holy Smoke Restaurant, Cyber Hub- Gurgaon)
PIC COURTESY- ANKIT VYAS
BY ADITYA NEOGY
As long as we have known about food ,chefs have been altering and creating it to the likes of the masses. Today the food scene is not only limited to an artistic approach of inventing new dishes and presenting them artistically, but realization of the importance of pre-packed goods has dawned upon people. Canned, bottled, packed and ready-to-eat is what is growing and proving to be a tough competition for chefs around the globe. So what to do when you have to counter this problem? The answer is pretty simple. You innovate. The Bacon Jam is one such approach. I must say that the creator of this product must be a true culinary genius. I must appreciate the boldness of the maker of bacon jam because taking a long cherished and sought after food item i.e. bacon and putting all your time and efforts in creating such wonderful relish because it is one thing to have a vision but to succeed is a totally different thing altogether.
I have to acknowledge here Mrs. Rupali Dean, a renowned food writer, for introducing me to this bottled goodness. She was able to bring a bottle of Bacon Jam from the Holy Smoke restaurant situated in Cyber hub, Gurgaon to the awesome Food Writing Workshop she conducted at my Institute i.e. Institute of Hotel Management-Aurangabad. Being a Culinary profession aspirant this was one of the best exposures to the food world for all of us participating.
Talking about the Jam now, the packing of the Holy Smoke restaurant was old school since it was in a glass bottle with a tin screw-on lid. You open the lid and the smoky aroma will instantly get through to you. Looks wise it looks quite dense and settled. As soon as you put it in your mouth the diverse flavors settle on your taste buds and take you back to your home and the memories on early morning Sunday breakfast with family. The sweet salty flavor of real bacon presents itself first with a contrast of slight tanginess and ends leaving a sweet savory note on the tongue. Not only that but it has mini chunks of real bacon in it which adds on to the texture quotient. Imagine a glass freshly squeezed orange and hot crisp toasted bread with Bacon Jam on top of it. This is the ultimate paradise for a foodie since it cuts back on two things in particular, cooking and cleaning. The Bacon Jam experience was quite a riot in my mind since I’m not sure when I will get to taste it again. None the less it’s worth every last scoop (I say this because all of  us finished a bottle within minutes)
Holy Smoke, the newest restaurant at Cyber Hub Gurgaon, pays homage to the Texas style barbecue with their time-burnished, rich tradition of cooking meat slowly over a wood fire comes alive at Holy Smoke, an 60-seater restaurant with a bar, by promoter Rohan Jaina. 
FOR THIS WRITE UP ADITYA NEOGY WON A MEAL FOR TWO VOUCHER FOR EEST AT THE WESTIN CHENNAI