Fun with an iSi siphon

[Richard Kilgore]

Finally picked up a 500 ml ISI, and am looking for things to do with it as a home cook (not that the discussion should be limited to home cooking applications). Beyond the five mixtures suggested in the booklet that came with it, what have you tried that works out well? Any other general advice, applications or ideas will be appreciated.

[Dave the Cook]

Beyond the five mixtures suggested in the booklet that came with it, what have you tried that works out well? Any other general advice, applications or ideas will be appreciated.

Send it to me, and I'll let you know in a couple of weeks.

[ariggsby]

I've used mine mostly to make foams out of soups. The best were a version of that Thai chicken soup whose name I can never remember and a caramelized onion soup. The former was tricky in terms of getting enough gelatin into it to foam but little enough that it didn't just solidify. The latter was caramelized onions, beer, a little mustard, S+P, and cream pureed and strained several times. (Actually, I think both required a lot of straining to make sure they didn't clog the device.)

[Late edit: that soup is Tom Kha Kai.]

Edited July 14, 2004 by ariggsby (log)

[Richard Kilgore]

The recipes that came with it include Mocha Cream, Vanilla Yogurt Cream, Chocolate Mousse, Bacardi-Cream, and Tiramisu.

[Rachel Perlow]

I really just don't "get" savory foams. I understand the sweet ones, many of which seem like a variety of flavored whipped cream, but the savory ones baffle me. My first experience with a savory foam was at a modern restaurant in NYC (whose name begins with the initials of the chef and ends with the address number). It was a pumpernickel foam on a poached egg (as part of a chicken dish). You know what pumpernickel foam looks like? That scum you skim off stock, only worse. So, it's pumpernickel flavored with a mushy texture. Wouldn't pumpernickel toast points have made vastly more sense?

I guess my point is, if you're going to make a savory foam, make sure the final product isn't drab gray, and that the texture makes sense as well.

[Richard Kilgore]

You're cracking me up, Rachel.

My interest is primarily for sweet, but I am curious about and open to hearing more about savory foams.

[Rachel Perlow]

I'm glad I gave you a laugh, but I was perfectly serious.

[ariggsby]

I really just don't "get" savory foams.

It was a pumpernickel foam on a poached egg (as part of a chicken dish). You know what pumpernickel foam looks like? That scum you skim off stock, only worse. So, it's pumpernickel flavored with a mushy texture. Wouldn't pumpernickel toast points have made vastly more sense?

I guess my point is, if you're going to make a savory foam, make sure the final product isn't drab gray, and that the texture makes sense as well.

I'm not sure I'd call foams "mushy" anymore than whipped cream is.

Anyway, there are a couple of things could do. The Tom Kha Kai foam I made was a "sauce" for grilled duck, so it started to melt when it hit the meat. It's partly just an interesting presentation, but it means the individual diner has some control over whether to eat foam or sauce by waitin a little or not. Similarly, I've seen them served over soups, where they melt in over time.

The caramelized onion foam I served as part of a reconstructed French onion soup (cheese crisp and gruyere ice cream on top). That seemed to work for my not particularly adventurous guests because (1) the texture difference between foam and soup is a lot less than foam and bread, so it's not so shocking, and (2) the quantity was fairly small (a shot glass).

Both turned out a fairly neutral off-white, but I can see how color might be a problem if you got more adventurous.

Btw, there's a set of foam recipes (by Rick Tramonto) at Rick's foams. I think I got that address from an ealier foam thread somewhere on e-gullet, but I haven't looked for it.

Another thing I saw in Spain last year was a canister used to serve cocktails into tall, thin shotglasses (almost more like flutes). This wouldn't work for just sitting around drinking, but I have used to to serve a little aperitif.

[Bicycle Lee]

savory foam is as much a textural nuance as a flavor one. It is just a vehicle for flavor.

[tan319]

I really just don't "get" savory foams.

It was a pumpernickel foam on a poached egg (as part of a chicken dish). You know what pumpernickel foam looks like? That scum you skim off stock, only worse. So, it's pumpernickel flavored with a mushy texture. Wouldn't pumpernickel toast points have made vastly more sense?

I guess my point is, if you're going to make a savory foam, make sure the final product isn't drab gray, and that the texture makes sense as well.

I'm not sure I'd call foams "mushy" anymore than whipped cream is.

Anyway, there are a couple of things could do. The Tom Kha Kai foam I made was a "sauce" for grilled duck, so it started to melt when it hit the meat. It's partly just an interesting presentation, but it means the individual diner has some control over whether to eat foam or sauce by waitin a little or not. Similarly, I've seen them served over soups, where they melt in over time.

The caramelized onion foam I served as part of a reconstructed French onion soup (cheese crisp and gruyere ice cream on top). That seemed to work for my not particularly adventurous guests because (1) the texture difference between foam and soup is a lot less than foam and bread, so it's not so shocking, and (2) the quantity was fairly small (a shot glass).

Both turned out a fairly neutral off-white, but I can see how color might be a problem if you got more adventurous.

Btw, there's a set of foam recipes (by Rick Tramonto) at Rick's foams. I think I got that address from an ealier foam thread somewhere on e-gullet, but I haven't looked for it.

Another thing I saw in Spain last year was a canister used to serve cocktails into tall, thin shotglasses (almost more like flutes). This wouldn't work for just sitting around drinking, but I have used to to serve a little aperitif.

here is a link to the people who distribute(I think?) the ISI stuff.

http://www.cookingconcepts.com/

I thought maybe the drink device that was written about was the "cocktailmaster", which I believe the Adrias use at El Bulli to help them layer liquors and juices in drinks, etc.

The specs on the cocktail master is in there.

Oh, the site is in Spanish but it's not too hard to figure out what's going on.

My two cents on the foams.

Fruit based ones are pretty easy to work out.

Make a coulis and heat about half and disolve gelatin to give texture.

More acidic fruits( passion fruit, etc.) will take more playing around with.

Maybe these are outlined in the recipe book or on Tramontos site?

Re: Savory foams:

I like the idea of a really colored foam, like an onion soup one.

I would consider making a caramel water ( just a caramel deglazed with some water, very dark) and adding it to your mix, just for color.

I often do this to onion soup at home or a stew or sauce if I think it's too light or grayish.

I learned this when I was an apprentice.

Have fun!

[Bux]

The first savory foam I've ever had was in a small, rather nondescript restaurant in a beach town near Narbonne in France. Maybe in was in Narbonne-Plage, a rather new city full of summer houses and condos, but not particularly upscale. I'd hear of Adrià whose El Bulli was but a couple of hours south even via back roads, but it was a few more years before I got there and I don't think Adrià was anything like the household name he is today.

The dish was a cappuccino de poisson or fruits de mer. More or less, it was simply some foamed cream or milk on top of a flavorful fish soup, made rather exactly like the coffee drink. It seemed like a thoroughly reasonable idea.

[Fat Guy]

Start with the iSi North America Web site. There are quite a few recipes there, and also links to the Rick Tramanto and CIA materials. http://www.isinorthamerica.com

[Steve Klc]

Richard--you got a recipe book with only 5 recipes in it--not the full color booklet with the Adria recipes? Which model did you buy--is the canister white, aluminum or stainless?

[Richard Kilgore]

Thanks everyone. FG - I did get to the ISI site through arigsby's Rick Tramanto link upthread. Some additional recipes there.

Thanks for the evocative travel note, Bux.

Steve -- right. Not a booklet with recipes by Adria, just a small pamphlet with the five I cited above. Where can I get the Adria booklet? I have the 500 ml brushed aluminum one.

For a trial run I just used heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract...eaten with blueberries and strawberries.

The fellow (an eG member) at Cookworks in Dallas who sold it to me had two suggestions. First, he said that Splendra makes a good subsitute for powdered sugar and tends to clog less. Second, he considered the narrow tip to be most useful and said to just ignore the bulbous one. But I wonder if one tip is more useful than another for specific uses.

[Richard Kilgore]

In re-reading the instruction booklet, it says that the ISI Dessert Whip is "not suitable for the preparation of Espumas". I was taken aback. I thought what I got was good for more than whipped cream.

Anyone know about this?

[Steve Klc]

Is there a picture of the one you bought online somewhere Richard? The model that most pros use is called the iSi "Profi"--and if you strain your mixtures it doesn't "clog" at all. I'm not sure they still sell the aluminum one, I've only seen stainless steel lately. (But I worked with plenty of the older aluminum Profi whippers and they function just fine for espumas--they just don't hold up well in the dishwasher and the aluminum corrodes over time.) You also get the full color Adria recipe booklet with the "Profi" model, I'm not sure what you get with the home models.

I think you'll find that heavy cream has too much fat to foam--you'll need to cut it with milk to reduce the thickness and something more "foamy" and smooth. You should also be trying anglaise-based foams (again, cut the crean% with about 25% milk) and gelatin/fruit puree-based foams from the basic recipes.

As far as tips go, I use the long narrow one, and actually saw off the notched end so it is just a round and gives a smooth puddle. But if you like that kind of bulbous star tip, use it, it'll just give you a different effect.

[ariggsby]

In re-reading the instruction booklet, it says that the ISI Dessert Whip is "not suitable for the preparation of Espumas". I was taken aback. I thought what I got was good for more than whipped cream.

Anyone know about this?

Just to spell out something Steve already alluded to: If you look at the outlet on the Desert Whip, it's pretty narrow and could clog if you've got solids in the canister. If that happened, I wouldn't try to fix it at home since the whole thing is under a lot of pressure.

That said, I haven't had any problem with well-strained mixtures. I suspect ISI just doesn't want to be held responsible if something goes wrong.

[Richard Kilgore]

On the ISI North America website there are two categories. The Dessert Whip and the Profi are both here ISI Cream Whippers. As you can see the description avoids using the word Espuma. The only difference that I can see between the Profi and the other creamers is that the Profi is stainless steel. (Mine is the aluminum Dessert Whip.)

They are selling the ISI Gourmet Whip as the one for Espumas. They are also differentiating it as able to stand up to industrial dishwashers.

Perhaps this is a marketing issue, rather than a functional difference between the two products or group of products.

There is nothing about an Adria recipe booklet on the site, only a cookbook with a foreward by Rick Tramanto.

[Jmahl]

I received as a gift an iSi Mini Whip half pint whipped cream maker. Is there anything else I can do with it?

Jmahl

[nightscotsman]

For some interesting options, you should check out The Cook's Book. It includes a chapter from Feran Adria on foams using the iSi siphon. Sweet and savory recipes.

[McAuliflower]

Isi's website lists some savory recipes in with the sweet ones too.

Things to push out of your isi (recipes on their website):

- Chocolate Mousse

- Tiramisu

- Citrus Foam

- Fois Gras Foam

- Saffron Foam

- Chive Foam

- Sweet Garlic Foam

- Warm Porcini Soup

- Red Beet Foam

- Bone Marrow Foam

[Jmahl]

McAuliflower, you are the gal.

I am going to try some of these recipes and report back.

Jmahl

[dougal]

I received as a gift an iSi Mini Whip half pint whipped cream maker.  Is there anything else I can do with it?

←

I gather that one can 'whip' rather than 'churn' an ice cream mixture. (And freeze the foam.)

Question: Is this a reasonable alternative to an ice cream maker?

(I'm looking for more justification for buying one!)

[Jmahl]

I received as a gift an iSi Mini Whip half pint whipped cream maker.  Is there anything else I can do with it?

←

I gather that one can 'whip' rather than 'churn' an ice cream mixture. (And freeze the foam.)

Question: Is this a reasonable alternative to an ice cream maker?

(I'm looking for more justification for buying one!)

←

I don't know the answer. This requires experimentation.

I will report back.

Jmahl

[dougal]

... This requires experimentation.

I will report back.

←

Thanks, I doubt I'm the only one interested in how you get on!