Cooking Issues

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Entries Tagged as 'rotovap'

Gonna Build Me a Rotovap Update

July 1st, 2009 · 15 Comments · rotovap

posted by Dave Arnold
As readers of this blog might know, I’m building my own rotovap. I think I can improve on the laboratory rotovap (I know I can). For the reasons to make a new one, see here. If you don’t know rotovaps, see here.
Here is the condenser section of the new rotovap. [...]

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We have the capability to build a custom rotovap: better, faster, stronger…

June 23rd, 2009 · 8 Comments · rotovap

Posted by Mindy Lvoff
Remember what I said before about Dave custom-building solutions to the problems he perceives in almost every standard piece of equipment?  Well, as he posted last week in Gonna Build Me a Rotovap, he’s focused his problem-solving tinkering on his favorite toy.

Goodbye fragile (expensive) glass bulb and water bath, hello custom-welded steel [...]

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Spin Gel Clarification

June 9th, 2009 · 10 Comments · Agar

Posted by Dave Arnold
Purpose: Clarify difficult-to-clarify lime juice
Techniques Used: Gel clarification, centrifuging
The holy grail of clarification is lime juice.  Lime juice doesn’t last long enough to gel clarify, can’t be heated enough for traditional clarification, doesn’t filter well, and takes 48,000 g’s to spin in a centrifuge. In short, it’s a clarification guru’s nightmare.
We like [...]

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Corny Corn McCorn. The Corn Syrup King.

June 8th, 2009 · 5 Comments · Corn, centrifuge

Posted by Dave Arnold
Tomorrow the school is hosting a premiere party for the movie Food, Inc. The movie rightly comes out against the factory food system here in the U.S. Our dependence on monoculture corn is called out in particular. I thought it would be hilarious to serve some fancy-dan corn syrup at the party. [...]

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Vitamin G: Get your dosage from Dave Arnold

May 23rd, 2009 · No Comments · cocktails

Posted by Mindy Lvoff
If you missed Dave and the tech team Thursday night at ISI’s Sugar and Whips event, then you’re in serious need of a “Vitamin G” infusion: house-carbonated, celery-infused Tanqueray gin mixed with fresh-squeezed sour orange juice (I dare you to challenge Dave to a citrus-juicing contest), Dolin’s Blanc Vermouth, and a touch [...]

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Experimental Cuisine Collective Anniversary Symposium

May 21st, 2009 · 5 Comments · Tech Demo

Posted by Mindy Nguyen
On Monday, Nils participated in the Experimental Cuisine Collective’s symposium, “From Science to Sensation,” discussing how and where science and food intersect. If you’re following us here on the blog or have had the pleasure to dine on a dish that Nils has prepared, then you no doubt have an appreciation [...]

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"Food for Thought" – Nils & Dave host the Philoctetes Organization at The French Culinary Institute

May 15th, 2009 · 1 Comment · Tech Demo

Posted by Mindy Lvoff
The Philoctetes Center is an organization that strives to bring together thinkers from various scientific and artistic backgrounds to discuss the processes and factors that influence a final outcome, whether that be technological innovation and artistic expression, or negative outcomes such as violence and genocide. Thought leaders from academic, clinical, and [...]

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FCI Student Demo (April 30, 2009)

May 13th, 2009 · No Comments · Tech Demo

Posted by Sophie Brickman
Purpose: Demonstrate how to use technology to improve and expand your dishes
Techniques: Vacuum-infusion, Distillation, Carbonation, Hydrocolloids, Low-Temperature Cooking, Liquid Nitrogen
Menu
Deep-fried scrapple w/ maple-infused cabbage, sauerkraut, and 62°C poached quail egg

Mokume-gane fish with liquid-nitrogen-powdered dill crème fraîche, pressure-cooked mustard seed, pumpernickel toast, Aleppo oil-infused apple and cabbage salad topped with flash-pickled red onion
Sliders [...]

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FCI Student Demo (February 3, 2009)

May 6th, 2009 · 7 Comments · Uncategorized

Posted by Mindy Lvoff
Purpose: Demonstration of how to use technology to improve and expand your dishes
Techniques: Vacuum-infusion, Distillation (rotovap), Carbonation, Hydrocolloids, Hot Pokerage…
For the February Nils & Dave demo for student and alumni at The FCI, we decided that the theme should be: delicious food… and drink… using technology. Any demo that Nils and Dave [...]

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The Three Brandy Cheese Course

April 30th, 2009 · 3 Comments · cocktails

Posted by Mindy Lvoff
Purpose: Find a use for the heavy solids left behind after vacuum-distillation
Techniques Used: Rotary Evaporation (rotovap), Vacuum Infusion, Pressure Cooking

Add the following to your “must do before I die” list: Try Nils & Dave’s Three Brandy Cheese Course. No, I’m not exaggerating. Just writing about it is evoking a Pavlov’s dog reaction [...]

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