Rina glanced at the clock on the wall and casually said, "Let's start by boiling the potatoes for mashed potatoes."
She dropped the peeled potatoes into the boiling water, and steam immediately rose, clouding the kitchen window. The water gently bubbled, reflecting the smooth contours of the potatoes, emitting faint, soft gurgles.
"While those boil," she said, wiping her hands, "we'll make the red onion liquid spheres for the appetizer." Her tone was matter-of-fact, the easy confidence of someone who'd done this a hundred times.
Chiaki's eyes brightened, her excitement palpable. "Liquid spheres? I saw them online, they looked incredible!"
Rina smiled gently, her tone calm yet confident. "You probably saw the larger spheres. This time, we'll make them more refined, smaller, like little 'liquid pearls'."
She pulled a bottle of olive oil from the cupboard, pouring it into a transparent glass container before placing it into the freezer.
Chiaki tilted her head, curious. "Why freeze the olive oil?"
Rina smiled slightly, her voice soft but tinged with self-assurance. "It's a technique from molecular gastronomy. There are two main methods of spherification: forward spherification, reverse spherification. The key is using sodium alginate and calcium ions, like calcium lactate or calcium chloride, to create a gel reaction. But red onion liquid, being acidic, inhibits the reaction, preventing the stable formation of spheres."
She paused and pointed to the olive oil freezing in the container. "To solve this, some chefs use frozen olive oil. It quickly cools the liquid, causing it to solidify and form delicate pearls. This method works better and preserves the flavor and aesthetic of the liquid spheres."
Chiaki tapped her forehead in mock exasperation, saying, "Forward spherification, reverse spherification—I'm about to faint from all the technical jargon!"
Rina flicked her forehead. "You asked."
"I didn't ask for a chemistry lecture!" Chiaki huffed. "Let's get to work now!"
With an eye roll, Rina grabbed plump red onions, slicing them into translucent rings that piled like rose petals in a glass jar.
Next, she grabbed a small pot and added one cup of red wine vinegar, one cup of sugar, and one cup of water. She dropped in a few cloves, two bay leaves, and a pinch of black peppercorns, infusing the liquid with complex aromas.
Turning the heat to medium, the liquid slowly began to heat up, fine bubbles forming as the rich, tangy-sweet scent blended with the crispness of the spices, filling the air.
Chiaki scrunched her nose, murmuring, "This smell is a bit overpowering!"
Rina remained unfazed, carefully pouring the simmering liquid over the onion slices in the glass jar. The transparent liquid immediately turned a deep purplish-red, like watercolor spreading across paper, coating the onions with a lustrous sheen. She quickly tightened the lid and set the jar aside. "Let it marinate for 30 minutes, to intensify the flavor."
Rina glanced at the clock on the wall again, then calmly added, "Now, let's prepare the tomato foam for the main dish. It's a classic technique in molecular gastronomy."
She took a few ripe tomatoes from the fridge, placing them in the nearby pot of boiling water. After one minute, she quickly transferred them into ice water to cool. Skillfully, she peeled off the skins to reveal the smooth, vibrant red flesh.
After cutting the peeled tomatoes into chunks, Lina placed them in a blender with a splash of olive oil, salt, and pepper. She blended the mixture until it became smooth and velvety. Then, she strained the tomato mixture into a clean bowl, ensuring that all the pulp was removed, leaving only the pure, rich tomato liquid.
"Here's the magic." She held up a packet of lecithin.
"Lecithin?" Chiaki tilted her head, curiously eyeing the transparent packet.
"Yes, it's a natural emulsifier that helps stabilize the bubbles. Without it, this foam would be hard to form." Rina explained, gently pouring 2 grams of lecithin into the tomato liquid and stirring it in with a mixing stick.
Then, she took a handheld foamer, gently placing the nozzle on the surface of the tomato liquid. She pressed the button, the liquid erupted into a cloud of ruby froth—light as champagne bubbles but vibrant as fresh paint.
Chiaki gaped. "It's like edible science fiction!"
Rina observed the foam with satisfaction, nodding. "The tomato foam not only elevates the depth of the dish but also adds a unique fragrance and a light texture to the entire dish."
She noticed Chiaki still staring at the foam, smiling softly. "Want to try it?"
Chiaki's eyes sparkled. "Can I?"
Rina nodded and carefully scooped a small amount of foam with a spoon, offering it to her. "Be careful, don't swallow it all at once. Let your tongue savor it slowly."
Chiaki accepted the spoon and slowly brought it to her mouth. The moment the foam touched her tongue, her eyes went wide. She closed her mouth, feeling the foam's lightness—it was almost weightless, like a cloud dissolving on her tongue. Then, the rich tomato flavor flooded her taste buds, accompanied by the fresh aroma of olive oil and the perfect balance of salt, with a tangy-sweet complexity.
"My God, what is this feeling?" she muttered, struggling to find the words. "It's like... like a cloud of tomato flavor... no, um..." She paused, thoughtfully, then gave up with a shrug. "I can't describe it! But it's amazing!"
Rina smiled and nodded, satisfaction in her voice. "That's the magic of foam. With molecular gastronomy, we can give food new forms while preserving—even enhancing—their flavors."
After speaking, she carefully transferred the foam into a small clean bowl, sealing it with plastic wrap, and placed it in the fridge. "This foam needs to stay fresh. We'll use it to plate the dish later. Now, let's prepare the rest."