Whipping Siphons: Uses?

[Okbrewer]

I bought my wife a new toy for her birthday. NO! Not that kind....hmm, on second thought maybe... Anyway, it is a stainless steel cream whipper, the kind that uses those little N2O cartridges. So far, she likes it and we have had great fun with it, (don't go there!) but we have a question. What to do with the cartridges when they are expired!? It says on the box that they can be recycled, but does that mean the metal can be recyled or that they can be reused/refilled somehow? Or should we just toss them in the trash!? What do you all do with them?

Also, are there other ways that this neat tool can be employed other than just making whipped cream?

[cdh]

Bob-

Those cream whippers are the tools that make all of the fancy flavoring foams used by lots of cooks nowadays. There are a bunch of threads on eG about foams and their first proponent Ferran Adria, so read up and figure out if the idea of whipping flavorful stuff into foam is the sort of garnishing you might want to do. The possibilities are endless, if you feel like experimenting.

[ludja]

Lots of info on Foams!

Edited October 17, 2005 by ludja (log)

[Smithy]

I've never looked at those little cartridges closely. Do you know what kind of metal they're made of? That would help determine the recycling possibilities.

[UnConundrum]

I've checked MANY of the existing threads about foams, and there don't seem to be that many real recipes. They talk about the use of gelatin or cream, and whether or not the "trend" is dying, but very few recipes, and virtually none for savory foams. I, for one, would be interested in more specifics, if anyone cared to share.

[mizducky]

Also, are there other ways that this neat tool can be employed other than just making whipped cream?

←

Heh. A college friend of mind had one of those things that took the little nitrous cartridges. Once in a very great while he did actually use it for making whipped cream, but the use to which it was more often put, while great fun at parties, is pretty much off-topic for eGullet ...

[Okbrewer]

I'm guessing that the N2O cartridges are made of aluminum, it does not say anything on the packaging about the external construct, only the internal contents. It does have a "recycle" statement on the box. Guess I'll just put them in the recycle box and see if they get taken or left behind.

Again, any more RECIPES for foams or other such delights that can be made in the cream whipper?

[daves]

I'd like to pick up a nice small cream whipper (say 1/2 or 1 pint) for my wife. Does anyone have recommendation between iSi, Liss, or something else?

thanks!

[ruthcooks]

King Arthur has one in their catalogue on line. It's called Whip-It, and costs 59.95. I don't know anything about this brand, but this company is usually very careful about the quality of merchandise they sell.

When I have used one of these gizmos, I remember that it became clogged very often even when used every day. Also, it didn't taste exactly like cream whipped by hand or mixer, but rather too foamy. In the catalog picture, cream aerated by the Whip-It appears rather dense, not foamy.

Find it here: Whip-It Cream Whipper

[tan319]

ISI

[Richard Kilgore]

ISI

[daves]

Thanks!

[nathanm]

The ISI Profi-Whip, which is their stainless steel professional line is the best one if you ever want to make warm or hot foams. If it is just whipped cream, then any of them will do...

[asult316]

I need ideas.........i just purchased the ISI mini easy whip (half pint) what are somethings i can do with this besides making whipped cream not to mention that ive never used one of these before and i dont know exactly how to use it

[nickrey]

Having a whipper means that you can make foams and espumas.

Basically any liquid can the thickened and dispensed through the whipper as a foamy sauce.

The thickeners have a generic name of hydrocolloids. I'd recommend a recipe collection on the website www.khymos.org ( http://www.khymos.org/recipe-collection.php ). This collection explains all the variants that you can use as well as other topics such as spherification, which fit outside the espumas and foams arena.

The home use of whippers has also been discussed in depth elsewhere on eGullet (see http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=47008 ).

Have fun!