Makes about 8 oz (240 ml)
2 cups (105 g) hickory wood chips
8 oz (240 ml) vanilla syrup
Place wood chips in a cast-iron skillet and, using a brulee blowtorch pr an oven’s broiler, char chips until glowing and beginning to smoke. Once evenly charred, extinguish the flames.
Pour vanilla syrup into an etched rock glass or glass measuring container and place on top of embers. Cover glass and skillet with tight-fitting steel or heat-resistant glass lid (you can also use foil as long as smoke is well contained). Keep covered until smoke dissipates, about 5 minutes, and set aside to cool to the room temperature. Transfer the syrup to airtight container. The syrup will last up to 5 days, refrigerated.
Note: It is best to stay away from smoke detectors when preparing this syrup.