Cooking Resources

mollyanne · 08-31-2010, 01:12 PM

Is it safe to drink a beverage that has had dry ice in it?
I just posted this photo in the "awesome food art" thread of Hot Iced Tea from the #2 restaurant in the world "The Fat Duck Restaurant" (El Bulli in Spain is #1) and it's got me in a quandry.

Here's a review from someone who ordered the Hot Iced Tea:
"Hot and ice tea. A single shot glass of tea with the left side hot and the right side cold, and nothing separating the two sides. The chemistry behind it led to much speculation at the table. I’m still trying to figure that one out."
Restaurant Review: The Fat Duck : Trespass

But is it safe to drink? And think of the many Halloween Punch Bowls at parties that float a mold of dry ice in the punch. By the way....did you know thatTonic Water will glow in the dark under ultra-violet light? What a dramatic effect.
Is that how the blue-glowing Martini called "Hypnotiq" at the Bonefish Grill is done? Yum btw. I digress. Back to the Hot Iced Tea...

"...the left side hot and the right side cold, and nothing separating the two sides..." How DID they do that?!

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Selkie · 08-31-2010, 01:41 PM

Dry Ice is another term for frozen CO2 (Carbon Dioxide). CO2 is the same stuff that makes soft drinks fizzy, and is what the bubbles are made of in champagne, so yes, it's safe. The worst that could happen is that you might get a case of gas.

mollyanne · 08-31-2010, 02:05 PM

good to know, selkie...

...but doesn't it also have nitrogen in it?

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Hoot · 08-31-2010, 02:14 PM

Apparently, Heston Blumenthal has written a cookbook called the Big Fat Duck Cookbook.
The instructions for this drink, ostensibly, are in it.
When I did a search for hot and ice tea, I ran up with the following website, which goes into some detail about making this beverage.
28. Hot and Iced Tea (Incomplete) « The Big Fat Undertaking

Near the bottom of the page there is a link to a youtube clip of how the drink is poured. In this clip, Heston Blumenthal is a guest on some
British talk show and pours the drink for the host and guests.

YouTube - Heston Blumenthal The Big Fat Duck Cookbook

Not sure, but this beverage seems to be quite involved to make.

Selkie · 08-31-2010, 02:29 PM

No, there's no nitrogen in it. But just to let you know, nitrogen is an inert gas and comprises about 78% of the air we breath.

mollyanne · 08-31-2010, 03:04 PM

I meant liquid nitrogen, selkie...i don't really know what i'm talking about but I think it's bad to injest

Thank you for that great info, Hoot! Very interesting and, yes, it looks like quite an involved process. The video takes some of the mystery out of the invisible hot/cold barrier though...that Heston is an unusual combination of artist & scientist...and he's a personable guy as well.

Heatherbe · 08-31-2010, 03:26 PM

This is very interesting. Thanks for the post!

**DaveSoMD** · 08-31-2010, 03:36 PM

Just DO NOT touch the dry ice!!!!!!!!!

CharlieD · 09-01-2010, 08:58 AM

Ah, even if you touch it no big deal, a ligh burn at worst. As kids we always would bag ice cream sallers to give us some dry ice and play with it. Icluding adding it to our drinks, and putting it small chunks into mouth and blowing smoke, pretending smoking. Kids do darnest things, and stupidest too.

**PrincessFiona60** · 09-01-2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mollyanne

I meant liquid nitrogen, selkie...i don't really know what i'm talking about but I think it's bad to injest

In order to pick up a container of liquid nitrogen you would have to be very well insulated. It is very cold and you would know just by looking at it not to touch, let alone drink. Liquid nitrogen is cold enough to freeze solid latex tubing and if you drop it it shatters like glass. I don't think I've ever seen a need for liquid nitrogen outside of a lab.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_nitrogen