Black delicacies: spaghetti ‘carbon’ara and charcoal bread

Charcoal can be used to colour food black. Swiss chef Stefan Wiesner from Entlebuch presents several recipes for dark dishes in his new book – and explains why he uses charcoal as an ingredient. “Charcoal is healthy; it binds toxins,” says Wiesner. At the same time, he warns that too much of it can also bind nutrients. Wiesner is one of Switzerland’s best-known chefs, recognised internationally for his holistic approach to food. He has been using charcoal in his cooking for decades – for example, in mustard and bread. Black food – a trend from Japan Black-coloured food has been a familiar sight in Japan for years: charcoal ice cream, black bread and even charcoal latte macchiatos. Foods containing charcoal are believed to have cleansing properties, and it is not uncommon for water to be purified by adding a piece of charcoal. In Japan, Binchotan charcoal is used for this purpose. It is harder than standard charcoal and made from oak – whole branches are often charred in a single piece.