Airs

Airs

Airs where an extention of the foams, (but they are much lighter in consistency) in the el bulli menus. The first of these was a carrot and orange air. This was later adapted and used for a salt air Margarita. The Margarita was presented in a frozen block of ice itself frozen. Then had a sea salt air foam over the top which you kind of breath in, then eat the Margarita. And eat a tarragon ball.


The chemical that is used that in the lyshophine or soya lechtin which is a emulsifier, commonly used in the chocholate industry to keep chocolate bars together and to stop them melting.It also occurs naturally in various vegetation. When lechtin is added to a liquid in very small quantities it binds the water particles in the liquid in a kind of web, so that when the liquid is agitated and bubbles are produced the lechtin creates a wall around the bubble which will hold for a limited amount of time. Think what bubble bath does in the bath it works on a similar principle.

The result is a much lighter version of the foam which can quite literally be breathed in.
The process is relatively easy to achieve:

1 g soya lechtin
1 litre liquid (more lechtin the heavy the liquid, remember don’t at to much more as it will make the liquid taste creamy and could detract from the flavour you want)

place all ingredients in a large basin which you have placed on a tilt. See fig….
Blend at an angle with a hand blender.
Leave to settle for a minute.
Scoop out of basin with large kitchen spoon.
Place in place desired, repeat process carefully piling air on top of itself.
Don’t go to high as it will fall in on itself. Practice in this case will give you an eye for when and how high you can get.