Chewing on Cosmopolitan candy or flossing your mouth with whipped whiskey cream might not be a great idea for an evening over drinks, but that could change very quickly. Molecular Mixology, trend that took shape about two years ago is quickly gaining form in the metros of the country. An offshoot of molecular gastronomy, this clever use of chemistry in cocktail making allows one to make semi-solid, foamy drinks, bound to turn your knees to jelly.
Using complicated apparatus as sphincters, nitrogen pumps, crazer guns, bars and their bartenders are wooing patrons with exquisite delicacies such as caviar mojito, peach liqueur pearls and Jell-o shots, the latter being a popular form aboard. Chef Aditya Jamini, the executive sous chef at The Park says, “It manipulates states of matter to create new flavours, feels, textures and visuals that enhance the drink and make the drinker’s experience more interesting. We have implemented this technique in Aqua, Delhi to great success where we serve deconstructed Pina Colada with a Bacardi sheet and coconut foam and deconstructed Bloody Mary with tomato foam.” Though the Indian bar goer has climbed the cocktail ladder much further, their acceptance of this non-traditional cocktail is still limited. While the procedure remains long drawn and complicated, the lack of discretion and perfection in the end result could be a downer for the onlooker. Kamal Malik, Beverage Manager of The Taj Mahal Hotel, Delhi calls it a modern phenomenon, which is, open to creativity and trend setting. “The acceptance for molecular mixology among guests is constantly increasing and more guests are asking for it each day. However, it will take time to get into the subconscious of many bar goers and finally it will get integrated into classic cocktails,” he says. Manjit Gole, F&B Manager at The Lalit agrees. “Since it is a new concept we need to educate customers as well as promote it in a creative manner,” he tells us.