DiningBuzz! - Dessert recipes with tobacco?!

A few weeks ago, I was over at an acquaintance's house. It wasn't someone I knew well.

She brought a dessert out for the guests; it looked like normal chocolate mousse, but this stuff almost made me throw up. It burned my throat and had a terrible taste that I couldn't describe.

Trying my best to be polite, I asked, "This is interesting! Is there some special ingredient?" She explained that she had infused the dessert with some kind of tobacco. I was seriously ready to hurl.

Does anyone here do this? And if so, are your culinary creations well received? How in the world do you infuse a recipe with tobacco?

Molecular gastronomy, I expect. Not something I would try, but a quick Google turns up this:
http://www.molecularrecipes.com/flavor-pairing/chocolate-mousse-infused-pipe-tobacco/

Tony Bourdain was famously served a nicotine-infused dessert at the French Laundry back when Chef Thomas Keller was still manning the kitchen.

They have been playing around with this for a few years. Personally, I find it vile and would be pretty pissed if someone served me tobacco without first warning me. And if they did warn, I would politely decline. Much like horse spunk, there are things that I just dont need to eat.

I've had such desserts and did not care for them at all. I haven't seen it on a menu in/around SF for a few years now, so hopefully it came and went, and now the rest of the country can choke on it for awhile, thinking they're eating something special. ;)

Well, there should not be Nicotine in it, should there.

Don`t know about the recipe quoted, looks like they didn`t try to us a rotary evaporator to just extract the flavours. Which is quite an adventure, but usually the results pay off.

It's nice to hear that some chefs are exploring the flavor profile that tobacco can contribute. I have always considered tobacco to be a member of the gastronomic "family", not a drug or a stand-alone recreational activity. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of tobacco users are unconcerned with the taste experience and are merely seeking a nicotine fix. If we can separate oenophilia from alcoholism, why is it so hard to legitimize gustatory tobaccophilia from chronic nicotinism?

I don't know about pudding, but I have seen meats wrapped in a whole tobacco leaf (same idea of slightly steaming, like when you cook in a banana leaf I guess) but haven't tried it, as I don't eat meat. That was quite some years ago, so I don't think cooking with tobacco is a new fad.

Once I experienced the Blackberry and Tobacco cream from a bakery nearby. It is meant to be a bridge between a savory entree course and a dessert. That was an interesting "one bite" dish, nobody could really put their finger on that extra taste till I told them it was the tobacco infused cream.

I had tobacco infused wine a couple weeks ago, it was nasty.

Ugh. I am getting sick all over again reading this thread.

Tobacco-infused wine? I'm pretty sure I'd prefer a hemlock-infused drink.

They have been playing around with this for a few years. Personally, I find it vile and would be pretty pissed if someone served me tobacco without first warning me. And if they did warn, I would politely decline. Much like horse spunk, there are things that I just dont need to eat.

Agreed. I don't think it's appropriate to spring such a dish on friends (or enemies).

I had tobacco infused wine a couple weeks ago, it was nasty.

Aren't there plenty of wines that have a tobacco-like flavor without actually requiring tobacco infusion? I'm not sure I get the point, but have to imagine that your assessment is spot on.

Aren't there plenty of wines that have a tobacco-like flavor without actually requiring tobacco infusion? I'm not sure I get the point, but have to imagine that your assessment is spot on.

Something like what is flavor without the real hit. But anyway, it was horrible, I don't smoke, chew etc, but the flavor and reflex, I learned what that wine spitting cup was used for quickly!

Something like what is flavor without the real hit. But anyway, it was horrible, I don't smoke, chew etc, but the flavor and reflex, I learned what that wine spitting cup was used for quickly!

I can imagine! ^

Maybe it's suppose to be tobasco.

Had a tobacco marzipan/chocolate from the Chocolate Line in Bruges. Not my favorite.

Maybe it's suppose to be tobasco.

Six of one, half dozen of the other....