Travis Vocino Experiments in Art, Science & Technology.

I wrote this short article for Dine Magazine’s new blog that will be launching soon.

I’m a man of science but admittedly not a man of supremely accurate wine tasting skills (we leave that to Patrick). So when I read about the trendy Molecular Mixology, my interest was sparked. Apparently, the chemical styles of molecular gastronomy are starting to be applied to the world of booze and breeding a new heard of cool scientists-meet-bartenders.

If bacon cocktails didn’t answer your prayers, perhaps whiskey marshmallows will finally satisfy you.

A Cocktail Class in Molecular Mixology

There’s an interesting article in TIME, A Cocktail Class in Molecular Mixology. “It’s about changing the texture, density or viscosity, the molecular structure of a liquid,” says award-winning mixologist Charlotte Voisey.

• Foam In Moet’s cocktail, foam adds texture and fruity flavor to Champagne without altering the effervescence
• Solids At Providence in L.A., Adrian Vasquez make mojito spheres with sodium hexametaphosphate
• Cotton Candy At Seattle’s Vessel, Jaime Boudreau combines orange-infused candy floss and spirits for a new twist on the old-fashioned
• Burning For a Lafitte’s Cloud, Boudreau tops rum with a coconut foam bruleed with a mixture of rum and Angostura bitters
• Caviar Eben Freeman’s Cape Codder, created for wd-50 in New York City, turns vodka and cranberry juice into edible pearls

Cocktail Equations, I mean Recipes

Jamie Boudreau has some interesting cocktail recipes to employ on the molecular mixology front.

Martini Sorbet

1. 8 oz vermouth
2. 1 tsp agar
3. 8 oz gin
4. ? teaspoon xantham gum
5. place vermouth and agar in a pot on high heat
6. stir until all of the agar has dissolved
7. take off of heat
8. add gin and xantham gum and stir until completely dissolved
9. place in freezer until frozen with the texture of a sorbet

You might also be interested in Bacardi’s reinvention of the mojito (video). Molecular Mixologist Eben Freeman devised a shot in which tiny orbs of mint seem to defy gravity.

Mmmmm, science.