Molecular Garnish Fail
July 14, 2010
For some reason I thought it would be fun and interesting to make dehydrated olives.
It turns out that not only are they ugly, they also taste disgusting, like a savory salt lick.
And they don't get any prettier when you put them in a drink.
I also dehydrated some maraschino cherries and they came out sort of okay.
They taste like candy, basically, and are very sticky.
So now I just have to figure out what to do with them. Ideas?
BRAAAAIIIINS!!!
(Because they look like zombies. Or something)
Posted by: Dr. Bamboo | July 14, 2010 at 12:53 PM
Put them on the bottom of the legs of your chairs so they don't scratch up your floors...
Posted by: CK | July 14, 2010 at 01:01 PM
Try macerating them in alcohol. Olive bitters perhaps.
Posted by: George Sinclair | July 14, 2010 at 01:13 PM
I think they would turn more into "salts" than "bitters." Ick.
Posted by: Camper English | July 14, 2010 at 01:18 PM
Speaking of cherries and bitters...
I did up a tincture of mahlab (sour cherry pits) and it is *excellent.* It's like a "true cherry" flavor without the artificial feel of maraschinos. It also has some great aromatics and subtle notes. I've tried it in a few different things and liked it, but no recipes yet that I'm calling finished.
Posted by: KenMoorhead | July 14, 2010 at 05:20 PM
Nice- I have had smoked coffee/cherry bitters in a few drinks thanks to Todd Smith at Dalva. So good.
Posted by: Camper English | July 14, 2010 at 05:24 PM
such a promising venture, but I agree, a very unfortunate result!
Posted by: Michelle | July 14, 2010 at 06:46 PM
Given how nasty maraschino cherries are, I have a hard time imagining how dehydrating them could improve them... Dehydrated olives sounds fascinating, though you're right. The pictures make them look alarming. What about grinding them in a spice grinder and rimming a martini glass with the powder for a gin martini?
Posted by: Bbq Dude | July 14, 2010 at 08:52 PM
Hmm that's a very interesting idea. I'm no fan of dirty martinis, but that could be a nice trick for people who are. Thanks for the idea!
Posted by: Camper English | July 14, 2010 at 09:05 PM
The cherries could find a home in some fruitcake motif cocktail, perhaps?
Posted by: drink maestro | July 18, 2010 at 08:53 AM
Ken - just stumbled onto this post also looking up stuff about cherry bitters using mahlab. I'm curious - was the mahlab in powder form or the actual pits? Thanks!
Posted by: Stu | August 22, 2017 at 02:50 PM