I did a bit of experimenting with molecular gastronomy after visiting a restaurant in Atlanta that offered milkshakes cooled with an injection of liquid nitrogen. Here's my favorite result:
A spin on caprese salads!
The balsamic vinegar "caviar" was made with a jar of cold olive oil, a pipette, balsamic vinegar, and agar-agar. Agar-agar is a gelatin-like substance made from algae (derived from agarose). It functions as a gelling agent (and also as a solid substrate for microbiological cultures). I boiled balsamic vinegar with some agar-agar and used the syringe to drop it into the jar of olive oil. The olive oil kept the vinegar together in a little ball, and by the time each droplet hit the bottom, it had cooled and gelified.
The basil spaghetti started with a bit of water blended with fresh basil. I took the liquefied basil and boiled it with a packet of agar-agar. Then, I attached small flexible tubes to a syringe, and pushed the basil mixture inside. Tubes were submerged in cold water to cool, and the basil spaghetti was then pushed out with an air-filled syringe.
Overall, the result was a little bizarre (texture/mouthfeel). Flavor-wise, the basil spaghetti could have used a bit less water - it seemed too diluted. The balsamic vinegar "caviar" was fantastic though! I would love to use these in salads for a burst of balsamic.
