Smoke is seductive. It's why I love bacon, Lapsang Souchong tea, bonito flakes and smoked paprika, the dusky taste of campfires on my plate and in my cup. It's also why I asked for a stovetop smoker for Christmas this year.

The Cameron stovetop smoker is a compact rectangular pan with a lid that comes with four different types of wood chips and fairly straightforward instructions. My mind started racing soon after it arrived, visions of smoked salmon and smoked sea salt and smoked fennel began filling my head. Basically I wanted to smoke everything in my kitchen, just to see.

And with that, let's take a break to discuss how owning a smoker can lead to grave misunderstandings. For example, when you are in the car with your parents over the holidays and you turn to your sister and say, "I can't wait to get back to LA so I can smoke something," she will look at you like you are insane and you will remind yourself to specify what you are smoking so people won't suspect you of being a delinquent. Except that when you turn to a coworker a few weeks later and say, "I'm excited about smoking mushrooms on Saturday," he will look at you like you are insane and ask if that's even possible.

So be careful. And for the record, this is the only way I know how to smoke mushrooms.

I used shiitake, oyster and king oyster mushrooms, purchased at a Korean market for a ridiculously affordable price. The mushrooms soaked up the smoke like little sponges, softening and becoming intensely earthy. Were I a vegetarian or vegan trying to add a bacon-like note to a dish, I'd much prefer these to a strip of fake striped meat.

After bringing them to a friend's birthday BBQ, I froze the leftovers by laying them out individually on a sheet pan in the freezer until solid, then threw them into a freezer bag. (I'm addicted to doing this as a way to save ingredients. I blame my thrifty Presbyterian missionary background.) With kale, chopped yellow onion and a big handful of Pecorino Romano, they made a wonderful cold-weather pasta dish -- inspired by my friend Lydia -- and would undoubtedly be a great addition to risotto.

If you love mushrooms as much as I do, you'll also want to check out Machine Project's FungiFest 2010 starting this weekend. Mushroom gelato from Scoops! Need I say more?

Smoked Mushrooms

1 pound mushrooms of your choice
Olive oil
Salt
Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Clean the mushrooms by either giving them a quick rinse or just brushing them free of debris. Snap off and discard the tough stems (if using varieties like shiitake, cremini and portabella) and place mushrooms in a large bowl. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and toss to distribute.

Smoke in a stovetop smoker according to manufacturer's instructions for 20 minutes, using the wood chips of your choice. (I did one batch with cherry and one batch with alder, and preferred the alder.) After smoking the mushrooms should be soft and slightly browned. If eating the mushrooms on their own, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve warm or at room temperature.