TRENDWATCH
The Final Frontier: Molecular Gastronomy

by Jeff Steen

Blue Lagoon

Shake 2 ounces Reyka Vodka with ice in a mixer. Pour into a chilled martini glass with a lump of dry ice.

Hendrick’s Gin Tea Jellies from Hendrick’s
makes approximately 40 cubes

Ingredients:

1 tsp confectioner’s sugar plus extra for sprinkling
1 lemon
4 oz Hendrick’s gin
1/2 oz powdered Knox gelatin
3 oz rose-infused green tea, cold
1 tsp citric acid
1 tsp baking soda

Method:
For lemon chip: Preheat oven to 100 degrees. Cut off the ends of a small, thin-skinned lemon and place in freezer. When the lemon is frozen solid, slice into round, thin cross-sections (maintain full slices of lemon). Place slices on non-stick mat and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Bake for 25 minutes or until crisp.

For jelly: Pour 4 ounces gin into a medium-sized pot and heat until just warm. Bloom gelatin in warm water until soft. When soft, add to warm gin and stir to dissolve.

Pour gin/gelatin mixture into 2 6-inch-by-4-inch containers with rounded edges lined with plastic cling wrap (hang over edges). Add rose-infused green tea and place in refrigerator to set for approximately 3 hours.

When the gelatin is firm to the touch, lift the edges of the plastic wrap to remove the gelatine from the container and carefully place, wrap-side up, on a cutting board. Slowly remove the wrap and the rounded edges, cutting the remaining block into approximately 3/4-inch cubes.

For fizz powder: Combine citric acid, baking soda and 2 teaspoons confectioner’s sugar. Mix well.

To assemble: Place each gelatine cube on a lemon chip and top with a pinch of fizz powder. Eat in one bite.

[The Science of (In)fusion]
Pumpkin Infusion

Ingredients:

1 pumpkin
vegetable oil for brushing
melted butter for brushing
brown sugar for coating
30 allspice berries
30 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
2 vanilla beans
6 1-inch pieces of ginger, peeled
approximately 750mL Level vodka

Method :
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Seed pumpkin, leaving skin on. Cut into large chunks. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush skin side with oil and flesh with butter, then cover with brown sugar. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until sugar has caramelized. Let cool to room temperature and peel pumpkin.

Place the peeled and cut pumpkin inside a large sealable 750mL jar. Interspersed among pumpkin pieces, add allspice, cloves, cinnamon sticks, vanilla beans, and ginger. Cover entirely with Level vodka. Store infusion in a cool, dark place and allow to macerate for 2-3 days. Taste test at this point to determine if the flavors are coming through. If any of the spices are beginning to overwhelm the flavor, remove them with a small strainer.

When infusion has reached the desired flavor, strain liquid. Pour infused vodka in a clean bottle. Strain the pumpkin from the spices and place in a blender. Blend until smooth and place in a squeeze bottle for use in cocktails.
 
Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz pumpkin-infused Level vodka
1/2 oz Starbucks Cream Liqueur or Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur
1/4 oz DeKuyper Buttershots
2 oz half-and-half
1 oz pumpkin purée
graham cracker crumbs
whipped cream
freshly-grated nutmeg for garnish

Method :
Shake all ingredients except graham crackers and whipped cream vigorously with ice in a mixer. Strain into a graham cracker-rimmed cocktail glass. Top with a dollop of whipped cream floating in center and dust with fresh grated nutmeg.

Kumfusion

Stir the juice of 7 fresh kumquats, 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 ounce fresh lime juice, 2 ounce NAVAN, and a splash each of cranberry and grapefruit juice in a highball glass. Add ice and top with Moët White Star. Stir again gently.