Vacuum Infused Fruit Cocktails by noahw
Featured
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These fruit cocktails aren't the ones that come in the metal cans that you ate for lunch as a kid. These babies are gastronomical creations involving highly aerated fruits, combinations of alcoholic beverages and a vacuum chamber. Think of pouring a bottle of booze into a watermelon, multiply it by a 100, and add a big dose of class along the way. Using some gourmet gastronomy techniques, some DIY ingenuity, The New York Times as a guide*, and the old fashioned approach of getting boozed up before embarking upon any epic journey, here's how I made alcoholic fruit cocktails.

**This project was completely inspired by the Edible Cocktails article and video in The New York Times. It's basically a DIY version of the exact same process they showcase in the article.**


 
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Step 1: Materials

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  • Various fruits with a high content of air within their cell structures. I tried apples, grapes, cucumbers, watermelon and oranges...see results section in step 8 to see what worked best.
  • Your favorite cocktail ingredients - the more experimental the better
  • Vessels large enough to hold your fruit
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Vacuum chamber w/ pressure gauge and pressure release
  • Vacuum pump
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Exocetid says: Dec 5, 2010. 3:58 PM
Hi kids,

This is part and parcel of what is called molecular gastronomy. The author noahw mentioned "gourmet gastronomy techniques" and that is what this is. Bravo! A new kitchen appliance (my wife will kill me).

I have to try the martini infused olives, which I prefer be stuffed with garlic.

Instructables needs a special section for how to do advant garde food prep, which this clearly is.
faithblinded says: Jan 26, 2010. 1:26 PM
Vodka and hot sauce infused tomato would be a nice Bloody Mary treat...
bertus52x11 says: Jan 17, 2010. 2:12 AM
 Nice! I happened to have a vacuum pump lying around which I used for vacuum bagging a surf board.

I will use your technique to "vacuum" infuse small pieces of fruit and add it to home made ice cream.
Should give an interesting taste. Let you know.
dchall8 says: Mar 24, 2009. 12:08 PM
I agree with alexhalford who questioned the idea that a vacuum would 'infuse' more alcohol. It seems like the vacuum would pull more alcohol out of the fruit and into the chamber than even doing nothing. If you wanted to use a vacuum for something, dehydrate the fruit slightly without any alcohol present. Then rehydrate the fruit in the atmosphere with your booze of choice. It seems you've gone to an extraordinary amount of trouble for marginal improvements. ...and once again I do NOT understand the process by which some truly ordinary (if not questionable) Instructables become "Featured" and other really valuable ones are overlooked.
Broom says: Jan 4, 2010. 2:09 PM
Wow, you're grumpy!
PKM says: Mar 25, 2009. 6:29 AM
Which would hold more- a sheet of typing paper soaked in alcohol, or the equivalent weight in tissue paper soaked in alcohol? The vacuum opens up the structure of the fruit (as you can see by watching the video, the watermelon especially expands like microwaved marshmallows) effectively turning it into a sponge.

As for the vagaries of featuring, it seems to me that being well written and informative is as much of a criterion for featuring as "worthiness". There are a fair few ultimately silly and not very productive Instructables around, but if they tell you how to be silly and unproductive with entertaining clear instructions and good pictures then they get featured.

In my experience, what I assume you mean by "valuable" Instructables (building a community garden in Israel for example) are more likely to be featured than other equally well written Ibles, but a write up of how you save the whales without capital letters or punctuation isn't going to get featured.
dchall8 says: Mar 25, 2009. 7:57 AM
Ahhhh, sponge. Sponge pores open up, trapped air is released, alcohol mix flows in. That makes sense now, and that would be a significant effect. When I saw the bubbles my first thought was that the lower vapor pressure of alcohol was allowing it to boil off like in a still. So with the 'sponge effect' in mind, the fruit or vegetable that releases the most air will absorb the most booze. Thanks for the helpful analogy. I wonder if anyone has measured the difference in alcohol absorption between soaking the fruit in booze overnight versus the vacuum technique? For the person who doesn't have a vacuum chamber, does the alcohol soak in just as well if you give it enough time? AidanG (below) suggests that dehydrating first does not work as well. Has anyone measured that? It would seem that this process would be in use in the food industry somewhere - maybe not with alcohol but with other liquids or syrups. Does anyone have a name for it or know where else it might be used?
im3733 says: Sep 1, 2011. 12:21 PM
The process is called vacuum infusing or "impregnating" and is almost exclusively performed by gastronomists (chefs who are versed in, and practice, molecular gastronomy). I've seen this process done where watermelon was infused with a soy sauce mixture to give it the flavor and texture, and even appearance, of raw tuna for use in a "heart of palm" salad, this particular kind of vacuum infusing is called "form mimicking", as the food ends up "mimicking" another, completely different, type of food.

In short, yes this is performed in food service, however, it is mostly done only at high end restaurants. (at least to my knowledge)
aloseman says: Apr 18, 2011. 6:35 AM
I agree. What *is* the measured difference? I think a completely measured, recorded and eaten set of experiments should be done.
AidanG says: Mar 24, 2009. 11:00 PM
Your science is off - the vacuum doesn't pull water (or alcohol) out of the fruit. It pulls air, which is replaced by the alcohol the fruit is sitting in. I'm not surprised you once again don't understand Featured, since you don't even understand the subject or science of the 'Ible, and clearly haven't tried it for yourself. This technique works significantly better than "dehydrat(ing) the fruit slightly...then rehydrat(ing it)".
wupme says: Mar 25, 2009. 12:29 AM
Just one question, does that taste good with cucumber ? I mean, i love cucumber, but with alcohol ?
wupme says: Mar 25, 2009. 12:42 AM
Ok another question, do you think this will work with one of those "Keep food fresh vacuum jars" ? I'm gonna buy one soon for something else, so i'm definately gonna try that.
noahw (author) says: Mar 25, 2009. 11:35 AM
You'll end up "pickling" the fruit in the vacuum jar I think. You can let it sit in there for a while, and I'm sure it will be infused by the alcohol to some extent, but I don't think it will be to as great an extent as you'd see with a vacuum chamber. The cucumber really was good. There are plenty of flavored martinis running around bar scenes. Apples, mango, pineapple etc...I think cucumber is just one more on that list.
Broom says: Jan 4, 2010. 2:08 PM
Glad you said, "one more on that list", and not "a new one on that list"!

Presenting: Cucumber Gimlets

Makes 4

These refreshing cocktails are perfect for summer entertaining.

2 large cucumbers (1-½ lb total)
½ c gin
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbs sugar
1 c ice cubes
4 lime slices

Slice four ¼"-thick slices from 1 cucumber. Peel and coarsely chop remaining cucumbers; transfer to processor and purée until smooth. Pour through fine strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer. Discard solids in strainer.

Mix 1 c cucumber juice, gin, lime juice, and sugar in pitcher; stir until sugar dissolves. Add ice; mix well. Immediately strain mixture into 4 small Martini glasses. Garnish with lime and cucumber slices and serve.

RedRussian says: Dec 3, 2009. 7:26 PM
Martini infused olives...... I think i'm going to work on a vacuum chamber.
Broom says: Jan 4, 2010. 2:05 PM
You are SO my new hero, for thinking of this!
MaxwellMurder says: Oct 23, 2009. 5:25 AM
 Fireball infused into a pepper! Haha.
wushuair says: Jul 23, 2009. 3:49 PM
How many psi (pa) did you use and for how long? Great Instructable, by the way.
ReCreate says: Jun 4, 2009. 11:49 AM
wow
=SMART= says: May 10, 2009. 3:57 AM
Ooooo looks so tasty !
SoapyHollow says: Apr 20, 2009. 8:19 PM
Is there an instructable on making the chamber? My google fu is failing me if there is, I can't seem to find one. If there isn't one, could you be persuaded to create one?
davearnold says: Mar 29, 2009. 8:24 AM
Hello, I'm the guy in the NY Times video. The food saver does not do a good job of infusing. I have tried to get it to work because I am asked that question all the time. The use of a refigeration vacuum is good. I used to use it all the time before I got a chamber vacuum machine. The reason I used the paper clip was because I didn't want to obstruct the view of the cucumber for the video. In real life I use a small cooling rack on top. If you don't have a vacuum chamber you can use a round bain marie or pot (don't use square, they will crush) and a piece of 1/4 in polycarbonate for the top lid. Seal it with silicone gasketing. You can get the polycarb from mcmaster.com. Don't use acrylic, alcohol can damage it. Also, it is best not to suck the vacuum for a long time. Long vacuum times reduce the volatile aromas in your drink and contaminate the oil in your vacuum pump (look up vacuum distillation). I would intall a valve that allows you to isolate your chamber from the pump. Assuming your pump brings the alcohol to a violent boil, i'd suck an extra 30-45 seconds and then close the valve so your chamber maintains vacuum; then vent the pump to air; then shut off the pump (some pumps will spray oil into the system if turned off while still under vacuum). Allow the chamber to stay under vacuum till all bubbling ceases (now all the air is out of the fruit with a minimum of volatile loss). Let the air back into the chamber and eat. I add a touch of simple syrup when doing cucumber martinis because it balances the natural bitterness of the cucumber. Remember the salt.
val_r_ie says: Mar 26, 2009. 4:36 PM
This may be a dumb question, but do you think this would work with a vacuum sealer, storage jar, and carbonated beverage instead of alcohol? Would it stay fizzy? We saw something about carbonated fruit on tv a while ago and wondered how they did it. I think it would be an awesome treat at my kid's birthday party. Has anyone tried it?
noahw (author) says: Mar 26, 2009. 6:43 PM
You just so happen to be talking to the author of the Carbonated Fruit Instructable!

val_r_ie says: Mar 28, 2009. 7:39 PM
Thanks! My boys will like this even better!
stosorio says: Mar 24, 2009. 9:49 AM
Why does the vacuum chamber have to be so large? Can it be reduced or would the pump work overtime or something to suck out the air?
noahw (author) says: Mar 25, 2009. 11:37 AM
You can make your chamber any size you want. This one just happens to be made with 12" PVC. The pump easily pulls a vacuum on this rig, so i don't think that its size is detrimental to the vacuum in any way.
stosorio says: Mar 26, 2009. 6:46 AM
Ok, thanks.
BeanGolem says: Mar 24, 2009. 7:47 AM
You could probably use a French Press to contain the mixture while it's being pumped. Then you don't need paper clips or another bowl to weigh the fruit down, you just lower the plunger far enough to submerge everything.
noahw (author) says: Mar 25, 2009. 11:37 AM
That's an excellent idea! I'll definitely do that next time. Thanks!
BeanGolem says: Mar 25, 2009. 10:36 PM
Yay collaborative thinking!
nrlucre says: Mar 23, 2009. 7:38 PM
Probably also more sanitary, depending on where you keep your paperclips.
bumpus says: Mar 23, 2009. 4:40 PM
Great instructable! And I must say, that is the smallest watermelon, I have ever seen. :D
noahw (author) says: Mar 23, 2009. 6:07 PM
Thanks! It's not watermelon season yet, so I think that one must have been trucked in from Mexico.
lemonie says: Mar 23, 2009. 1:03 PM
Great fun! Did you just do the one pump/repressurise cycle, and was there any noticeable cooling (from evaporation)? L
noahw (author) says: Mar 23, 2009. 2:04 PM
Yup, just one cycle - multiple cycles would undoubtedly result in a stronger fruit cocktail though - good idea. No noticeable change in temperature.
lemonie says: Mar 23, 2009. 2:38 PM
I don't think the pressure will be low enough for long enough for much evaporation, but did wonder. Thanks for the detail L
MissChiff says: Mar 23, 2009. 1:29 PM
Great instructable!
Ward_Nox says: Mar 23, 2009. 1:26 PM
i saw kat corra do this with watermelon and vodka on an episode of iron chief
Weissensteinburg says: Mar 23, 2009. 1:19 PM
But which one tasted the best?
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