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Making Latakia at Home

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deluxestogie

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It's easy to resist. If you've ever tasted real Latakia, home-fired will be disappointing regardless. I'm expecting that. My goal is for it to be "better than my last attempt." That's a pretty low standard. So I'm giving it every opportunity to reach it.

Bob
 

deluxestogie

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As a reminder to those few folks actually planning to submit home-fired Latakia for the taste tests next June, write down a list now of the firing materials (woods, herbs, etc.) that you used, along with some notion of the amount of each--while you can still remember them. Once your sample Latakia is submitted with your list (and how you would like your name to appear on your wall certificate), this information will remain with @Jitterbugdude until after the distribution to all participants, and tasting reports have been returned to him. Then all the tasting impressions, along with the lists of firing materials will be compiled for everyone to see, and certificates will be created and sent.

Bob
 

Jitterbugdude

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If anyone plans to send more than one sample do yourself a favor (and everyone else) and invest in some mylar bags.The Latakia smell (and the faux Latakias) will permeate anything they get close to.
 

deluxestogie

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These are hard to find in a reasonably small quantity, without the absorbent packets. I believe these will easily heat-seal with a household clothes iron.

Poly-nylon bags will work, but only if they are heat sealed.

Bob
 

Jvergen

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Picture of the bags I also have one smaller they can be heat sealed as well as they have a closure like zip lock.
 

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GreenDragon

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This got me thinking that the judges need to provide instruction on a few basic details about participant's submittals.
1) What is the minimum quantity of Latakia that should be submitted (weight).
2) What form should be leaf be in? Whole or cut? If cut, what approximate size/shape should it be?

I'm sure there are others but these just came to mind.
Steve
 

parabolic

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I'd suggest everyone send me their "Latakia" as whole leaf. I will then shred it to 1.6mm. If everyone has the same size shred it cuts down on one of the many variables.
Just wondering if that would make everyones taste the same by using the same shredder? that intense smoky character that is very unique to each sample is bound to put flavour and aroma on the cutters/rollers.
 

deluxestogie

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If JBD doesn't shred each of the entries, each participant will have to shred each of the entries. I seriously doubt that the shredding will contribute significantly to the aroma. If anybody even comes close to approximating the aroma of Cyprian Latakia, I think it will be apparent.

I have two different crop year shipments of Cyprus Latakia from WLT. I can readily tell them apart. The wood scrap available in each year was likely different. On the other hand, once they are blended into a pipe blend, I can hardly tell the difference.

Bob
 

parabolic

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I didn't suggest JBD should not shred them. I'm just pointing out that if JBD shreds them one after the other, the resin/smoke residue flavours from everyones 'unique mix of wood/herb flavours' which is what you all set out to judge 'which smokey flavour' is best will potentially mingle together and possibly mix the result making It hard to pin point who's batch got it. JBD obviously knows what I'm on about and I agree with him, either a plain tobacco leaf run to clean the roller/cutters after a batch or a paper kitchen towel run through. Would it be possible for JBD to take a pic of his shedder cutters to see if there is any resin on them after doing one batch?

Lee
 
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