Alcademics

Tag: Campari

  • How NOT to Dehydrate Campari

    SolidLiquidsProjectSquareLogoI figure, why not try the method that looks easiest first, even if it seems doomed to fail? 

    That's what I decided to do as an experiment in dehydrating liqueurs down to sugar: to see what happens when you cook Campari the fastest way possible to get all the liquid out. 

     

    Microwave fail dehydrated campari5_tn

    I put two ounces of Campari in a silicone cupcake cup and tossed it in the microwave. After 30 seconds it boiled over. First it came to a rapid boil, then turned to a real frothy boil. 

    Microwave fail dehydrated campari1_tn

    After the liquid evaporated more, the boil turned more gentle; around three and a half minutes in. But soon enough, at four minutes, came the smell of caramelizing/burning sugar. 

    At five minutes most of the liquid was gone, and then the sugar started blackening. The Campari turned black, puffed up, and started smoking. I had to open all the windows in my apartment to keep the fire alarm from going off. 

    A black crust formed where the red sugar was. After removing it from the microwave, it cooled quickly then I tried it. Surprisingly, it tastes just like a burnt marshmallow; just a little more molasses-y. There was no Campari taste to it at all. 

    In conclusion: That Didn't Work. 

    Microwave fail dehydrated campari4_tn

     

    The Solid Liquids Project index is at this link. 

     

  • Solid Liquids: Dehydrated Liqueurs on Cocktail Menus

    SolidLiquidsProjectSquareLogoI've spent some time researching powdered/dehydrated liqueurs online to see where and how they've been used. Turns out: all around the world. Below are the few I found. 

    It seems that for the most part these dehydrated liqueurs are used as a powdered rims on cocktail glasses, as garnishes sprinkled on top of egg white drinks, and in one case as  a popcorn flavoring. 

    • Araka in Clayton, Missouri uses Campari powder to rim glasses. 
    • The bar Mea Culpa in Ponsonby, New Zealand, had the following drink on their menu: ANGEL DUST - Cherry & orange macerated Rittenhouse Rye, Liquore Strega, White creme de cacao, Benedictine foam, Campari powder
    • This drink from Josh Pape of Chambar Belgian Restaurant in Vancouver, BC contains toasted cashews, gin, pink grapefruit cordial, sherry, apple juice, egg white, and has Campari powder on the rim. 
    • Eau de Vie in Sydney offered, according to this post, "The Countessa, a reimagined Negroni with Aperol, served up in an exquisite coupe, on the side a half time slice of orange, dusted with Campari powder and caramelized with a blowtorch behind the bar. "
    • Val Stefanov of Ontario, Canada used dehydrated Campari to make Campari cotton candy. 
    • Tom Noviss of Brighton made a Campari powder-rimmed drink with 42BELOW Feijoa vodka, Xante Pear, Avocado, and other ingredients. 
    • Anvil in Texas used dehydrated Campari and Chartreuse crystals. They also used some on popcorn!
    • Callooh Callay in London was using dehydrated Campari in  a version of the Negroni. 
    • Der Raum in Melbourne used it on a tasting menu. 
    • At Elements in Princeton, New Jersey, they make The Skål! Cocktail with akvavit, Pedro Ximénez sherry, dry vermouth, lemon juice, and lingonberry preserves.  Garnished with a rim of dehydrated Chartreuse.

    What other drinks have you seen? Any other liqueurs besides Chartreuse and Campari? 

     For the Solid Liquids Project project index, click on the logo above or follow this link.