These Culinary Thymes

Trends may come, and trends may go…but sometimes those self same trends become reality as we know it.  Do you recall the 1960’s show “the Twighlight Zone?”  Every episode opened with this fairly monotone guy in a black suit, and he would pose us all with an interesting question. That question challenged the very fabric of what we know as reality.  The man was Rod Serling, and he was the creator of that show.  Men like Serling, Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek) and other such as Orson Wells were visionaries…far beyond their time.  They were the dreamers that helped spark some of the great inventions that we have today.  What?…don’t think so?  Really…what about that Razor phone you have?  It doesn’t oddly resemble Captain Kirks communicator…not even a little??  Sure it does.  What about on Star Trek when they were hungry.  All they had to do was push a button and “whoosh” out comes a Cheese Burger.  Quite simple right?  All things that someone thought up and viewed as “science fiction.”  Well, this science fiction as it is so notably called is quickly becoming science “fact.”

Take if you will some of the things going on at a certain few restaurants in Chicago.  One of the owners there is quite the science whiz.  Homaro Cantu is the executive chef at Moto which is located in the meat packing district.  Between cooking things with a Class IV laser (an infrared CO2 powered one at that) and using quite a bit of liquid nitrogen they are trying to help change the way things are done.  The term they are using is “transmogrification” and aiming it towards the stars.  Now, when I say “the stars” I don’t mean actors, I mean the ones up in the sky.  Not unlike on Star Trek, Homaro is working on a 3 Dimensional food printer…far more advanced than the one he uses to make edible menus.  He has pretty much been successful at inventing so far, so I have no doubt that he will become the Einstein of Gastronomy.

What is in store for us at this very moment.  Taking a little bit of a break from the use of chemicals to alter how we eat food…let’s look at the way we make food.  I am really a big fan of food, science and how things work so let’s touch base on some really cool inventions shall we?  First up is something that I am very keen on…speed cooking.  There are so very many ways that we can speed up meal time.  It all depends just how much money you have in the bank.  At the top, there is Turbo Chef oven weighing in at around $8,000.  A very cool piece of equipment that will cook your food about 8x faster than conventional ovens.  The big downfall is…the oven cavity isn’t very large.  If that doesn’t really appeal to you, try one of the GE Advantium or Trivection ovens.  Price a bit lower (a 30 inch Trivection electric range is about $3,400) it pretty much is the same size as what you may be replacing.  The process is simple using a double electric element, a multi directional convection fan that blows more like a blow dryer, a huge broiler and microwave technology.  A computer will convert your recipe if needed, will actually tell you the better way to do it…and cooks in about half the time.  The Advantium actually uses microwaves and high powered halogen lights to do the job just right.  If both of those are too steep for you, or just looking to supplement your culinary needs I recommend the Black & Decker Infra-Wave oven.  Yes, it does look a lot like a toaster oven, but is far more I promise you.  It works through infrared radiation.  Now, before you start to panic, light is radiation…even the light from your bedroom or living room lamp.  Infrared is a wave length of light that is just longer than we can see, but shorter than a microwave.  What does this mean to us?  This means that the light will penetrate the food (you can cook food from a frozen state) and cook it faster with a better finished product.  Your Lamb chops will be crispier and more succulent and people will flock to your house for dinner.  Typically these ovens use far less power than a conventional oven, so I guess that this is “green” cooking too.  There are several brands out there, so pick the one you like best.

Remember the Microwave?  When it was first introduced it was called the “radar range” and a lot of people turned their noses up at it, scoffing that it would never catch on.  Well…in light of everything else that is catching on and called “trendy” now a days I will just say this.  As far as the technology thing goes…all of these new ways will be a part of our everyday life.  Give it time.  As far as the Molecular thing goes…I have four words that will make sense.  Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  It has been in almost every American home since it was created.  Before you turn your nose up at these things just remember that Jell-O, and all of these “convenience foods” have stood the test of time.  Like everything else in this world…you cannot stop progress.  You might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.  As you look out that window take notice of what is going on in the world around you…just remember to watch for the sign post up ahead.  It just may read “welcome to the future, take off your coat and stay a while.”

Well, that’s all that I have this time.  Join us next episode as we turn the page on These Culinary Thyme’s.  Bye.