Caz's Dream

Caz's Dream, named after the friend for whose birthday it was created, is my first proper attempt at molecular mixology, the process of messing about with ingredients at a molecular level. It should not be confused with Cassandra's Dream, one of Woody Allen's worst films.

For my base I chose vodka (some simple Smirnoff), and since I wanted to make something fruity I opted to mix it with Innocent smoothie, which experience has taught me is a joy to corrupt with booze. This time I used one of their Superfruit drinks, with pomegranates, blueberries and acai.

The molecular part came in the form of a maple vanilla foam - largely borrowed from a recipe by Jamie Boudreau, who invented it for his Vessel 75. To make a foam you'll need a cream whipper (pictured right), which uses nitrous oxide cartridges to emulsify liquids into light layers of goodness in about three seconds.

Since I was making this as a party drink I produced it in batches - just multiply the ingredients for the single cocktail, below, keeping the proportions the same.

30ml (1oz) vodka

100ml (3.3oz) Innocent Pomegranates, Blueberries and Acai Superfruit Smoothie

40ml (1.3oz) chilled soda water
Maple vanilla foam*
Blueberries to garnish

Pour vodka and smoothie into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Pour into glass/plastic cup and top with soda water. Stir. Add a layer of foam on top of the drink, garnish with fresh blueberries and serve immediately.

*To make maple vanilla foam (for about a dozen servings):

4 egg whites
180ml (6oz) water
120ml (4oz) maple syrup
60ml (2oz) lemon juice
Few drops of vanilla extract

Place ingredients in a cream whipper and shake once or twice to mix. Charge with an N2o cartridge. Shake about 10 times. Place in fridge for a couple of hours.

If this looks awfully complicated for what is basically a fruity cocktail, you'd be right. Was it worth the hassle? For sure. As you can see from the photo (top), it turned out a little short for the glass, and I might have lengthened it with a touch more vodka and a little more smoothie and soda for presentational purposes. That said, the foam, sweet and creamy without any of the heaviness of actual cream, turned out to be a delightful foil to the fizzy, fruity vodka. I'm looking forward to disturbing many more molecules in the months to come.

WATCH: Jamie Boudreau demonstrating how to make his Vessel 75 maple foam cocktail.

Innocence Lost

The Innocence Lost is what happens when a virgin pina colada (also known as an Innocent pineapple, banana and coconut smoothie) is relieved of its virginity with the help of some rum of questionable quality.

There is something particularly annoying about the calculated tweeness peddled by Innocent's marketing managers in a bid to convey their sense of "fun". I'm referring, for example, not to their suggestion that you shake the carton before serving, but to their helpful footnote that it's best to screw the cap on before you do so. And so tediously on. There is therefore something especially satisfying about taking Innocent's admittedly tasty, and healthy, fruit smoothie and adulterating it with liquor - in this case some leftover rum.

60ml (2oz) Morgan's Spiced rum
180ml (6oz) Innocent pineapple, banana and coconut smoothie

Pour rum into a glass. Add Innocent smoothie. Stir thoroughly until properly mixed. Pop in a glacé cherry, if you have one.

And there it is: what was once pure rendered impure; what was "fun" made fun.

Pear, Apple and Ginger Smoothie

The Table Cafe
83 Southwark Street
London
SE1 0HX

Every now and again, about once every four years, I wish I had a juicer. My inaugural visit to The Table Cafe in Southwark, for a fine brunch, prompted me to return to the appealing possibility of destroying whole apples with the flick of a button. Its pear, apple and ginger smoothie is truly a zinger: sharp and refreshing. A little on the small side for three pounds, but then who knows how many apples, pears and gingers they had to pulp to produce our little glass. If only I had a juicer I could destroy an entire orchard of fruit every morning to create my own limitless supply of life affirming breakfast juice. Until then, there's The Table Cafe.