iSi idiot içi

[Fat Guy]

"Fat Guy, I served with Ferran Adria. I knew Ferran Adria. Ferran Adria was a friend of mine. Fat Guy, you're no Ferran Adria."

Okay, I need a tutorial on proper use of the iSi espuma-izer device. I've had one of these things for probably ten years -- I think it was maybe an engagement gift -- and tonight I used it for maybe the third time, and I think the first time in at least five years. So, I have a half-liter model (it doesn't correspond exactly to any current model but it looks most similar to the "Dessert Whip" model), and I poured in a half-pint of heavy cream. Then I charged it up and removed the charger. Then I aimed it at a piece of cake and out came an explosion of liquid in every direction. Then one of my guests observed that you're supposed to shake the thing before spraying, so that was done, and what came out next was quite a bit more like whipped cream -- though it still came out in a haphazard stream.

Would somebody please walk me through the process very slowly?

[gsquared]

FG, you have given me the courage to come out of the closet. I am also an ISI idiot. My first attempt at producing simple whipped cream was good and that induced a smugness that I came to regret. Since then I have had mixed results. I am still finding the odd splodge of tomato juice from last weekend's attempt in odd crevices around the kitchen. "Load with two cartidges" some of the instructions say. Hah! If the thing acts like a fire extinguisher with one, I dread to see what it will do with two! "Hold upside down and shake 10 times." I assume this is to disperse the gas in the liguid. Why 10 times? Are 5 vigorous shakes = 10 normal shakes. I do not know. I think my ISI has a mind of its own- there is no predicting what it will do. One day it will meekly produce a perfect stream of foam, the next it will spout like Old Faithful.

I will follow this thread with intense interest.......

[col klink]

ISI is the past! You need to go with a Kisag model (no screwing the charger onto the bottle). Batgrrrl and I received one as a wedding present and of course, the Kisag chargers are nowhere to be found in Duluth, but I did find some online. Of course I've never made whipped cream with either model and I have no idea which one is better (though I have popped plenty of ISI chargers in my day). I'll report here when my chargers arrive next week, hopefully I'll be sober.

[Jason Perlow]

wait a sec, they have devices that do these things?

[col klink]

Word.

[Bicycle Lee]

werd

uhh, I have a Liss and I cannot imagine that they differ too much from the iSi models...

for making whipped cream I make sure that everything (the container and the cream) are very cold...

and I also ALWAYS give it a try in the sink or my hand before I aim it at a confection....

all I do is pour in contents, charge, refrigerate, and shake a couple times....

other than that I don't know what your issue may be...

[Stone]

Leave out the cream. Empty the charger into the canister. Empty the canister into a balloon. Enjoy. It's better than whipped cream or carrot foam.

[Bicycle Lee]

the sod has spoken....

[Steve Klc]

"all I do is pour in contents, charge, refrigerate, and shake a couple times"

Bicycle Lee gives good foam advice.

Steve, I think after you fill, charge and shake, try letting it rest in the fridge for a half an hour. Very few foam recipes require 2 charges for the small size unit. That would be too much pressure. You'll also learn you don't want to over agitate, over-shake them, especially with heavy cream based foams. Another tip for service is to leave them inverted, so the mix is against the top and the charge is behind the mix, then you pick it up and foam, no need to shake.

Also, some foams have too much fat--to get a better texture you can sometimes cut the cream with a percentage amount of milk.

I was given a top-of-the-line Kisag to test against the iSi--it's a nice unit--but Klink it charges similarly to the iSi--with a charge holder which has to be screwed down onto the unit to inject the gas. Both models are sold by JB Prince so they can be had anywhere, even Duluth. I use the iSi and Kisag chargers themselves interchangeably. One thing I've noticed is the Kisag tends to accept its charge better, quicker, than the iSi--though each model tends to wear out a little differently over time, depending on how often you clean them and whether you put them through a dishwasher.

[Fat Guy]

FG, you have given me the courage to come out of the closet. I am also an ISI idiot.

I am in good company indeed!

I refuse to live in fear anymore. I will become a master of espuma. I've got 18 cartridges and plenty of time. Just don't stand anywhere near me.

[Fat Guy]

There's actually quite a bit of information on the iSi North America Web site, including an espuma video from the Culinary Institute of America: http://www.isinorthamerica.com/gourmet_whi...cia_movies.html

[gsquared]

Thanks for the link. I have decided to wait with further experimentation until the eGCI class on foams in November.....

[Bicycle Lee]

an online class on foams?! What an age we live in....

I conceived a foamed item but do not know where to put it...

a capsaicin meringue....pure heat.... Foam in the charger, then bake...I was thinking it would be great to crumble into a soup that could stand some picant, but reality may be the great barrier...

[PaulaJK]

I use ISI. It's a breeze for whipped cream. Place cream, sugar,

vanilla [as you desire] in cannister. {If your cannister is chilled,

the better.} Screw on lid. Screw in gas cannister. Listen to

the buzz. Shake several times. Do NOT unscrew anything.

Just squirt!

I'm still struggling w. any foam recipe because you have to

consider the amt of liquid, its form, gelatin,etc. Often it

is necessary to employ TWO cannisters. Shake & test

after one and then add another as needed.

[schneich]

I am in good company indeed!

I refuse to live in fear anymore. I will become a master of espuma. I've got 18 cartridges and plenty of time. Just don't stand anywhere near me.

RTFM

t.

[col klink]

I was given a top-of-the-line Kisag to test against the iSi--it's a nice unit--but Klink it charges similarly to the iSi--with a charge holder which has to be screwed down onto the unit to inject the gas.  Both models are sold by JB Prince so they can be had anywhere, even Duluth.

My Kisag is from Williams Sonoma (wedding gift), and it doesn't have a screw-down charger mechanism. There's a plastic holder for the charger and you just push the charger into the recepticle. I was dubious at first but it works very quickly and quite well. My first whipped cream was quite successful -- now on to espuma!

Like I said earlier, I was unable to find a local supplier for the chargers (let alone ISI chargers, of course I didn't check out any of the head shops) but luckily I was able to find a online shop, www.thecoffee.com, selling the Kisag chargers for about 50 cents a charge, 24 to a box, the same as ISI chargers. It looks like JBPrince doesn't offer the Kisag chargers.

[Bouland]

Is there a better generic name for these thingies than “commercial cream whippers"? I need to use it in an article...

[Fat Guy]

Foamer.

[Bicycle Lee]

cream chargers

[Fat Guy]

Yeah but "cream chargers" refers to the cartridges, not the actual foamer/whipper/siphon/espuma-izer device.

[Steve Klc]

And the chargers work interchangeably between foamers, or at least seem to for me. The Kisag model I have Matt is JB Prince item# B978--I only have the Fall mailing in front of me and it's pictured on page 34.