I have a feeling we will soon be able to buy packets of ash powder or ash paste at our local supermarkets. Well, that’s if the trend of adding ash to food lasts longer than a winter forecast…

Years ago ash was added to food for its nutritional value as well as preservation properties. Native American tribes added it to their corn as it helped the skins to come away and gave a stronger flavour.

In France the ash was taken from the cold fires and layered between cheese to help preserve it. It’s been quite a thing lately, as some local goat’s cheeses have this black powder coating which make the black and white look quite dramatic on a cheese board.

As our country will soon be in the midst of braai day, I thought the ash trend is quite timely. Smoking has been mastered by many chefs and home cooks – you don’t even need to burn anything if you have a smoking gun or even a brush of liquid smoke essence.

But I’m more interested in the ash part. I recently tried it out by burning some spring onions on a cast iron flat top. I cooled them, crushed the embers and sieved them. I researched in René Redzepi’s cookbook, Noma, that you can use leeks and hay too. I added some olive oil to the ash to create a jet black paste, which I painted over a gorgeous sirloin (from Oude Bank Bakkerij’s new addition in Stellenbosch, Schoon de Companje) after it was char-grilled.

The taste was slightly bitter (but in a good way), earthy and complex; and it looked very striking. I could imagine it would work well with fish, too – and maybe a new sprinkle for corn soup!

I haven’t seen chefs experiment with it in SA, except for chef Tanja Kruger at Makaron, who has been very inspired by her recent Northern trip to Sweden and surrounds. She’s making an ash potato dish with smoky baby potatoes and a potato espuma with trout spawn.

Butter balls rolled in ash, anyone?

Abigail