chillardbee
Well-Known Member
When I was smoking my leaf to make latakia, I had already started with cured leaf. This is obviously not a firecure leaf at this point in that the leaf was not fresh when the proccess started. Through other observations of other things I've done, I think I have a theory which I'd like to present and ask the members to make note of the next time you firecure fresh leaf and I will be testing this next year too.
1st observation: When I was attemping a fluecure at one point, I had the humidity rather high. Without a fan to circulate the air, the condensation built up on the still living tissue of the leaf.
2nd observation: when smoking anything, I (as any of you who've smoked food) will of noticed that a build up of smoked condensate on cold metal racks.
This is where the difference between a fresh leaf and an already cured leaf comes in. I believe that slow fires as used in firecuring will deposit a condesated smoke on the fresh leaf faster and more effectively and that of an already cured leaf. I think there are 2 reasons for this, temperature and surface absorbtion.
Temperature of a fresh leaf can still be cooler through transpiration than the surrounding enviroment. While the leaf tissue is still alive, whether firm or wilted, allows a surface for moisture and particulate to condensate on to. Through time, a built up on the surface of the leaf should be noticable and as it dries should turn rather glossy in appearance.
The question is what happens as the leaf dries/cure? either the smoke will stay as a film over the surface of the leaf with a little absorbtion into the tissues, or, if the leaf was brought in to a high case, I think it's possible that a great deal of absorbtion could take place but yet might still leave a glossy finished looked to the leaf.
In making latakia, if the initial proccess is started by the firecuring proccess, then I think that those first 2 weeks are the most crucial to fix the leaf for the subsequent treatments of smoke through the following months. Since the leaf has already aquired a surface sheen, more particulate can easily be deposited on to it.
We know latakia was a proccess out of disperation to keep a farmers crop from spoiling over moist winters by lighting fires whenever the leaf got into too high of case. Apart from the fact that smoke is already a good preservative, the fires would eventually dry the leaf again. But if we think of what the action of smoke has on a high moisture, relativly cold, glossy leaf, I think we can reasonably assume that a great deal more smoke will deposit onto the leaf even though the tissue has long been cured and dead.
So, I put forth to any of you who are willing, as I will next year, to keep notes on observations if your going to firecure and also if you'll continue the proccess through the winter to make latakia (or a version of it).
In light of this way of thinking, I would suggest, as I will try as well, that when starting with an already cured leaf (air, sun, or flue) that before smoking/fireing it, that the leaf be brought up into an extremly high (sopping wet) for the first 2-5 treatments. Using wood with a bit of a moisture level in it might also be beneficial too.
Look forward to posting and reading the results. Thank you.
Will.
1st observation: When I was attemping a fluecure at one point, I had the humidity rather high. Without a fan to circulate the air, the condensation built up on the still living tissue of the leaf.
2nd observation: when smoking anything, I (as any of you who've smoked food) will of noticed that a build up of smoked condensate on cold metal racks.
This is where the difference between a fresh leaf and an already cured leaf comes in. I believe that slow fires as used in firecuring will deposit a condesated smoke on the fresh leaf faster and more effectively and that of an already cured leaf. I think there are 2 reasons for this, temperature and surface absorbtion.
Temperature of a fresh leaf can still be cooler through transpiration than the surrounding enviroment. While the leaf tissue is still alive, whether firm or wilted, allows a surface for moisture and particulate to condensate on to. Through time, a built up on the surface of the leaf should be noticable and as it dries should turn rather glossy in appearance.
The question is what happens as the leaf dries/cure? either the smoke will stay as a film over the surface of the leaf with a little absorbtion into the tissues, or, if the leaf was brought in to a high case, I think it's possible that a great deal of absorbtion could take place but yet might still leave a glossy finished looked to the leaf.
In making latakia, if the initial proccess is started by the firecuring proccess, then I think that those first 2 weeks are the most crucial to fix the leaf for the subsequent treatments of smoke through the following months. Since the leaf has already aquired a surface sheen, more particulate can easily be deposited on to it.
We know latakia was a proccess out of disperation to keep a farmers crop from spoiling over moist winters by lighting fires whenever the leaf got into too high of case. Apart from the fact that smoke is already a good preservative, the fires would eventually dry the leaf again. But if we think of what the action of smoke has on a high moisture, relativly cold, glossy leaf, I think we can reasonably assume that a great deal more smoke will deposit onto the leaf even though the tissue has long been cured and dead.
So, I put forth to any of you who are willing, as I will next year, to keep notes on observations if your going to firecure and also if you'll continue the proccess through the winter to make latakia (or a version of it).
In light of this way of thinking, I would suggest, as I will try as well, that when starting with an already cured leaf (air, sun, or flue) that before smoking/fireing it, that the leaf be brought up into an extremly high (sopping wet) for the first 2-5 treatments. Using wood with a bit of a moisture level in it might also be beneficial too.
Look forward to posting and reading the results. Thank you.
Will.