I was a science geek at school and loved learning about why things happened. The as I got older I became more of an artist – I studied a first degree and chemistry and then went on the study fine art. Although both could be considered opposites and I know plenty of artists that look down their noses at artists and vica-versa I look at them as being completely complimentary. So molecular drinks fuses the two limbs of my life together!
The new rash of molecular chefs just back up this story. If you’ve ever seen Heston Blumenthal on the box you’ll kniow that science and art are perfectly balanced in his work. Molecular mixology is much the same – a balance of art and science. Whilst I am certainly no expert on the subject I certainly enjoy learning and I hope to share what I learn with you on this website.
Learn Molecular Mixology and Become Your Own Bartender At Home
It should not be hard for you learn about molecular mixology. There is so much information about this on the internet and therefore you will find it very easy to learn about it. Mixology is not a turf for the bartenders only, but even you can become your own bartender and mix your own drinks at home. You need to know a few things about it though because you do not want to jump into this blindly. There are a few tips shown here that you can follow to mix wonderful cocktails at home. Any time, you can give your guests a goodtime anytime by surprising them with great cocktails. The idea that a cocktail needs to be a liquid can be turned on its head as soon as you use cream chargers to make foams and espumas …
This is all about having fun and experimenting – what can possibly go wrong?
1. Information about molecular mixology is the key. The more that you know about this, the better able you will be to make the right decisions. Research is the key and therefore you should first look online because that is where all the information is. You can also join some online forums and take part in the discussions taking place so that you share cocktail mixing experiences with the other people.
2. Get the right recipe from the download. While there is no one recipe for mixing molecular cocktails that you can say is perfect, you can start by trying out what others have tried before. The advantage of joining the online forums, even on social media is that everyone will have different recipes and ideas that others can try out. For example, in India, they are experimenting with fruits to infuse flavors to their cocktails. Use modern bits of kit such as nitrous oxide (cream chargers) to allow you to do something really new!
3. Make sure that you have the right equipment at home. For example, you need a blender, a cream whipper, and a funnel. These are just a few of the basic equipment that you will need. If you are e experimenting at home, you do not have to open a chemistry lab in the kitchen. Keep it simple and you will whip up something great for the tongue.
4. If you do not know how to start, just look for the videos online. Many people have taken the pains to post molecular mixology videos on the internet just so that they can assist other people. You should make use of such videos.
5. Be experimental. Mixing cocktails need not take much money. You can try as many ingredients as possible, but always remember that the basic principle is that they have to be compatible (ideally) with the alcohol.
6. Try cocktails that you can eat and drink, that is, the ones made with floating bits and pieces of food and fruits.
Cream Chargers
Possible the most important piece of kit for any budding barman is a whipped cream dispenser with nitrous chargers – in their simplest form they are purely for making whipped cream but what they actually are is a pressurised vessel then can inject Nitrous Oxide into any liquuid – I’ll cover their use in more detail later – but for now you just need to get hold of one. I’d suggest shopping at www.creamchargers.org.uk for the simple reason they are the cheapest – but there are plenty of other places to get them from.
Other essential pieces of kit include…
Conical flask – they are really just the same as using a regualr glass but add a bit more class the the proceedings, I get them from a lab supplier becase they are cheaper than kitchen shops try www.camlab.co.uk
A good ingredient supplier – most of the stuff you need is over-the-counter sort of ingredients but you might need a specialist so try www.molecularrecipes.com or www.molecularmixology.co.uk
I have also found a few useful pdf’s for you help here and here
Deconstructed cocktails with cream chargers
Firstly what exactly is a deconstructed cocktail? Secondly hat does this have to do with cream chargers? Well by separatig the cmpoents of the cocktail and then getting a bit molecular with it then you can mix together different sates and phsaes of the components. So there will be liquids, gels and foams (which is where the cream chargers come into it!)
To see how and expert does it then take a look at zetabar for some inspiration. Moleculardrinks.info will be adding some great ideas to the recipe section – but just to get you going, how about this…
See what I mean – the cream dispenser really is the icing upon the cake!