Molecular Mixology

Art of Drinks

Molecular mixology is the long-established bartending practice of layering ingredients in cocktails at the earliest time. This experimentation with the density and viscosity of fluids uses the principles of scientific investigation that are fundamental in creation of greater intensities and varieties of flavour combinations and different ways of presenting drinks, for example using gels, powders, foams, atomised sprays where the scientific equipment and techniques of molecular gastronomy were used. Today it's popular and consider as 'The Art of Drink' belong to the cutting edge bar lover's worldwide, 

Lately cocktails have been in a renaissance. There has also been an increased interest in making them a culinary equal. Molecular mixology is one of those trends that is being mirrored from the molecular gastronomy is the food equivalent. The basic idea, about both of these techniques, is to apply scientific analysis and techniques to cooking and mixing and mostly working with foams and gels to create unique drink textures and flavours. For example the Fat Duck, a Michelin three star restaurant, combines oysters and passion-fruit jelly as one dish, where as another dish combines spice bread ice cream and crab syrup. Odd combination's, but supposedly they taste very good together.

Molecular mixology, so far, is just being developed and the principals are a little more basic. The first example of molecular mixology would go back many, many years and would be the layering of drinks (density and viscosity), so the pousse cafe was probably the first example of the principal. Currently, it looks like molecular mixology is mostly working with physical properties of drink. This is done by making foams, gels and mists, looking at vapour concentrations and using an appropriate glass, determining cooling properties with ice and also applying heat to caramelize sugars. Some of these creations border between food and drink, much like a Bose-Einstein condensate, which is a unique state of matter. 

Here's an example; if you extract the albumen protein from an egg white, and then dehydrate that protein to store it for an extended period, does that make it synthetic or unnatural? Does it only become unnatural when it is rehydrated and added to a Ramos Gin Fizz? From the stand point of molecular mixology, this is a perfect solution to getting the chemical compound needed to create a good stable foam. From a culinary standpoint, you would be missing all of those "extra" compounds that add flavour and texture. When I read about molecular mixology, I see a chemistry or physicists approach, which, in the lab, means working with pure components or specific physical conditions to create a new and unique compound or solution. It's not unnatural, just very precise in what we work with.

There is some dubious hoodo-voodo going on with some of the molecular mixology stuff, or at least from my perspective as a chemist. Foods and drinks contain thousands and thousands of unique compounds, and even if they contain similar compounds, there might be compounds that react to form other less desirable combination's when combined. For a lot of this, it will go back to trial and error with flavours. Also, everyone has different tastes so a lot of this will be subjective. But out of a thousand failed experiments, there will always be one or two significant discoveries. This is exactly what science is, trial and error.

The true area where molecular gastronomy and mixology will shine is in applied techniques and methods. Using science to perfect cooking is a sound idea. For the most part, I like the principal of science and food, I think it makes a lot of sense. In the future I will see what I can do to combine my chemistry and bartending experience.

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Red Berry Caviar

Been thinking how to have a delicious caviar without killing Beluga or Salmon fish, today you may enjoy your sustainable caviar with any fruit flavour, herbs even spicies.

These how we do it

ingredients

Textura Algin 1 g 

Red Berries juice 200 ml

mix all ingredients using baloon whisk, you may also change the juice with any flavoured liqueur, herbs even spicies

Textura Calcic 3,25 g 

Water    200 ml

mix all ingredients using baloon whisk

Method

Step 1 

place the first two mixed ingredient into bottle squeeze

Step 2

place the second two mixed ingredient into a bowl as #1

Step 3

start to squeeze the mixed juice carefully to create a single caviar in every drop  into a bowl #1 and let it soak for about one minutes (note; more longer the liquid soaked in the bowl, more solid you'll get the result)

Step 4

in another container/bowl, pour fresh water to rinse the caviars for about two minutes and strain

Now the caviar is ready to enjoy

Cheers,

By D'agisna Ramdhani

barlordz