These Culinary Thymes

There is that commercial where they say that the iced coffee is the “new hot.”  That may hold true for some fast food ad campagne, but in the culinary world…the colder it is…the cooler it is.  As you read through my blog’s you will note that I continually go back to the molecular science of food.  That is because I truly believe that is where we are heading.  Now, I haven’t worked as hard as I have (hell…no one has actually) to just throw away everything I know about the foundations…the classical cuisine for some test tubes and a centrafuge.  I would love to have a class IV laser in my kitchen, but since Mr. Spock isn’t my sous chef…I will have no luck there.  Chef Cantu, if you are reading this, along with other greats like Chef Achatz I bow down to thee like a humble servant.  I think there will always be a place for “cooking.”  Anywho…on with my point.  One specific area of “molecular gastronomy” will be the use of super cooling agents like liquid nitrogen.  The coldest substance on earth, a whopping -364 degrees below zero (-168c.) this can be used in many ways.  Either by using it to make fragile  and hollow spheres of say beet juice or whatever you like…it is a tool none the less.  Dry ice, which isn’t nearly as cold can be used to make ice cream.  As you turn your base in a stand mixer you can toss in small fragments of dry ice and when it comes down to the right temp and texture, you transfer it to a bane marie and freeze it the rest of the way in the cooler.  Neat trick huh?  Faran Adria at El Bulli uses liquid nitrogen to make what he calls a Teppan Nitro grill to instantly freeze stuff, pretty much the same way that the “Anti-griddle” by Poly Science does.  As a matter of fact, I’m sure you have seen a “Dippin Dots” vending machine at least once.  I’m not exactly sure how they do it, but I’m sure it has something to do with using Nitro.  However they do it…it is cool.

In saying all of that, I will conclude by admitting my envy of all the greats, from Thomas Keller down to Homaru Cantu.  All are men driven by passion, curiosity and the sheer joy of cooking.  With hard work, and my nose to the grindstone, I too may be placed upon the same wall as they.

This time around I am going to give you a few hints, but not the secret.  I mentioned earlier about “Dippin Dots.”  Being Diabetic I haven’t had the pleasure of tasting them myself, so I am going to give you my own idea how how to make them for yourself.  This will require some imagination, and the payoff I hope will please you in the end.  If you can get your hands on some liquid nitrogen that will make this easier.  Take some of your favorite creme anglaise and place it in a squeeze bottle.  Make tiny little drops into the L.N. and as soon as they freeze (should happen on comtact) fish them out with a spider.  Place them onto a plastic pan, and move them to a freezer.  When you have enough, place them into a cup and enjoy.  Please please please practice all safety measure when dealing with L.N. provided you can get some.

Well, that’s it for now.  See you guys soon…bye