Yesterday Hubby Tony and I went on a day-long bus tour sponsored by the community college. The tour was called Taste of the Neighborhoods, and made stops at a Mexican bakery, a Greek restaurant, an Italian grocery store, and an ice cream shop with a unique method of making their product. They used liquid nitrogen!
The process was new to me. Here's a video from our local Higher Education Channel that explains it:
Basically, the nitrogen is so cold (-321 degrees Fahrenheit) that the ice cream base flash freezes. They have to use a blow torch to soften it enough to scoop.
The shop usually makes each batch to order, but with the size of our group they did it in bulk. We had a choice of one of four basic flavors. First, an associate poured base into a deep metal bowl and added flavorings. He set the bowl on a stand mixer, turned it on, then picked up a nitrogen canister and hit the liquid with a blast. Immediately steam poured around and on top of the bowl. The associate let the mixer run for a short while, then picked up the bowl and hit the bottom with a short blast from a blow torch. Someone else took the bowl over to the end of the counter, scooped it into containers, and served it up.
Because the freezing was so fast, the ice cram was smoother and silkier, with very small ice crystals. I thought it was a lot like frozen custard. It didn't take me long to make the scoop disappear.
Five years ago today: Aves Aperture (Part 2)
"very small ice crystals"
ReplyDeleteI think I've heard of that before. What's a half gallon cost?
I don't think they sold the liquid nitrogen ice cream except as a single serving.
DeleteLovely to have seen your comment and to find my way here . . . funny how time slips by!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it?
DeleteFun day and interesting ice cream, I may have tasted that once.
ReplyDeleteI've see so many sorts of nitro this and nitro that. Thanks for the lesson.
ReplyDeleteNitrogen is an important element.
DeleteThat's a lot of effort! That's the same thing, directed as a tiny stream, that a dermatologist uses to freeze warts. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI've had pre-cancerous things burned off. Thank goodness that procedure doesn't have the extra steam.
DeleteWell that's interesting.
ReplyDeleteI learnt something new.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
That ice cream sounds amazing. You do some interesting outings. WE went to Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory years ago with a nother couple and shared a bowl of ice cream...with a variety of 16 scoops.
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have seen that bowl piled high with so many flavors!
DeleteI've seen the process on TV, but never in person. It does make me laugh, having to use a blow torch to less freeze what they just froze.
ReplyDeleteI agree that using fire on something frozen sounds counterproductive.
DeleteI've never seen that process, but I love ice cream in any form so I'm sure I would love it!
ReplyDeleteI've never met an ice cream I didn't like either :-)
DeleteWhat a great idea for a tour - especially with an ice cream shop included!
ReplyDeleteIt was great to finish the day with a sweet treat.
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