WTF? Drinks containing liquid nitrogen?

[monquixote]

The news report suggests it was "Correctly Prepared" and that lots of places do them.

They are also claiming she had an "Adverse reaction" to it which I refuse to believe as it is completely inert and stomachs don't permeate themselves.

This suggests to me either that you are normally expected to wait for the nitrogen to boil off or that they put significantly too much in there.

I wonder if it was poured too gently and a layer of alcohol insulated the nitrogen preventing it from boiling off much in the way you can have superheated. layers in microwaved liquids.
I would imagine if you drank it, it would explosively boil and burst your stomach.

[bochetagrave]

Unbefuckinglievable...!

[ICBM]

Heston Blumenthal does a course at the Fat Duck which is a spirit and mixer (I had vodka and lime) infused egg white type thing which is poached for a few seconds in liquid nitrogen at the table. It makes a hard, crisp shell that completely disappears the second you put it into your mouth. It is fantastic.

It's also a totally different thing. Using liquid nitrogen in a preparation process when it's then not actually consumed, is as far from putting it in a drink as a Christmas pudding is from drinking burning alcohol. One imparts a unique taste, the other would be clearly stupid. Actually, drinking burning alcohol may be safer than drinking liquid nitrogen.

If the nitrogen is actually ever meant to be in the glass at all, clearly the drink *wasn't* prepared properly if any quantity remained by the time it was drunk. I would expect it either burst her stomach or caused serious internal cold burns... if it was possible to have an 'adverse reaction' to nitrogen you'd have one every time you drew breath - air is nearly 80% nitrogen.

[A5D5E5]

It's also a totally different thing. Using liquid nitrogen in a preparation process when it's then not actually consumed, is as far from putting it in a drink as a Christmas pudding is from drinking burning alcohol. One imparts a unique taste, the other would be clearly stupid. Actually, drinking burning alcohol may be safer than drinking liquid nitrogen.

If the nitrogen is actually ever meant to be in the glass at all, clearly the drink *wasn't* prepared properly if any quantity remained by the time it was drunk. I would expect it either burst her stomach or caused serious internal cold burns... if it was possible to have an 'adverse reaction' to nitrogen you'd have one every time you drew breath - air is nearly 80% nitrogen.

Yes, clearly. My point (other than to say "I've eaten at the Fat Duck") was to expand on the point made in the article about the egg and bacon ice cream to say that HB also uses it in making his own version of cocktails and that could influence others to try it without appreciating the danger. As the part of my post you omitted to quote said.

[ICBM]

Yes, clearly. My point (other than to say "I've eaten at the Fat Duck") was to expand on the point made in the article about the egg and bacon ice cream to say that HB also uses it in making his own version of cocktails and that could influence others to try it without appreciating the danger. As the part of my post you omitted to quote said.

I wasn't arguing with you. I was expanding on what you said as well, in defence of Heston's methods and why it's wrong to compare what he does to putting liquid nitrogen into a drink. *Making* a cocktail using it is totally different to drinking a cocktail *containing* it.

[A5D5E5]

I wasn't arguing with you. I was expanding on what you said as well, in defence of Heston's methods and why it's wrong to compare what he does to putting liquid nitrogen into a drink. *Making* a cocktail using it is totally different to drinking a cocktail *containing* it.

Yes, sorry. My reply was a bit sharp in retrospect.

[octatonic]

Yes, clearly. My point (other than to say "I've eaten at the Fat Duck")

Have you been to his other restaurant "Dinner"?
I preferred that to the Fat Duck.

[A5D5E5]

Have you been to his other restaurant "Dinner"?
I preferred that to the Fat Duck.

He also owns the Hind's Head next to the Fat Duck.

But no, I've only eaten at the fat duck. Absolutely loved it and looking forward to going again. Once my bank account has recovered!

What was Dinner like and why was it better?

[beed84]

When I use to drink, I never had an absinthe down to fear of what might happen. Liquid nitrogen is obviously a completely different animal, and to even consider it as part of a beverage is insane. Even if the drink was prepared correctly, surely there is a duty of care issue regarding these substances. I sincerely hope the girl recovers well.

[octatonic]

He also owns the Hind's Head next to the Fat Duck.

But no, I've only eaten at the fat duck. Absolutely loved it and looking forward to going again. Once my bank account has recovered!

What was Dinner like and why was it better?

Dinner was fab- it is less 'concept'-y than the Fat Duck.
The menu is based on meals from 1000AD until about 1800.

Google "Meatfruit" for an idea of what you get.
Amazing stuff.