Though a gratin is actually a type of cooking vessel, we call a lot of different dishes "gratins" as well. Usually they are combinations of vegetables and creamy or cheesy sauces. These are dishes that emerge from the oven all bubbly and delicious, but a lot of cooks and chefs are challenged to make their gratins visually appealing. This is because the steam from the vegetables and sauce tends to prevent any toppings from browning nicely. If they leave the dish in the oven long enough for the topping to brown, however, the lovely texture of the vegetables and sauce tends to be ruined. Thus, the use of torch lighters is becoming commonplace in the preparation of gratins.

How can torch lighters cook a gratin? They don't; instead they put that highly desirable "finishing touch" to the surface of the dish. Here's how it works: let's say you made a cauliflower gratin that became incredibly "fluid" as it cooked. The pan may have even spilled over to the oven floor or to the baking sheet you were clever enough to use. This means that the cheese and crumb topping required in the recipe may have a gooey or uncooked look and texture. This also means the topping won't taste so great either. So, you pull the dish from the oven when it is done cooking and you consider the option
s. That's when you reach for the torch.

Remember, however, that your adjustable cigar lighters are also going to cook the foods as well. This means that you might use them for color, but they will melt, braise, blister or bubble the food too. This is why they are an ideal device to use when making a gratin. Here's what we mean: the average gratin involves the base food such as a potato or vegetable. This is then mixed with the sauce that includes dairy and cheeses that will melt and bubble during the cooking process. Most gratin recipes call for crumbs of some kind to ensure that the top is crispy and brown.

Just consider that you can pull a gratin from the oven and let it cool a bit, then take one of the high quality butane lighters available and use it as a tool to give the top of the gratin that desirable color. You might also wait to put the topping of cheese and crumbs on the dish until you remove it from the oven and then use the lighter to cause the cheese to melt, bubble, and brown as well.

Yes, you can also put torch lighters to work when a meringue, piece of meat, or dessert needs a bit of color or final cooking (such as the caramelization process of sugar) but cannot remain completely immersed in heat any longer. Now you may understand how they are becoming a preferred kitchen tool as well as something used to light top quality cigars!