The sense of smell is one of the least used and explored senses within gastronomy.  The skill of the chef to mix flavours (taste), textures and temperature (touch) and presentation and colour (sight) together to create a food harmony to the customer is flawed unless it can guide the customer to the dish through the sense of smell.  Just like the fragrance of a good bottle of wine entices the drinker, so the sense of smell leads the diner. 

The emergence of essences, alcohols and essential oils with hundreds of different aromas in combination with such equipment as the Multi-Aromatiser and Super Smoke Gun & Aromatiser provide a new fusion and harmony of smell in professional cooking.  The use of aromas in an intelligent way results in the customer experiencing surprising sensations and intense desires.  When used in appropriate doses the potency of the aromas can:

Aromatising Techniques

The application of an aroma to a plate is a challenge for the chef.  Due to the high volatility of some essences and alcohols, some aromatising should be done before serving the plate, whilst other essential oils are less volatile (i.e. less greasy or strong) and may require heat to be more effective. 

Adding an aroma directly to a sauce, ice cream or dough is perhaps the simplest way to provide an extra dose of aroma.  It is certainly a good starting point for the uninitiated.  To do so simply impregnate a clean cotton aromatic filter with your chosen aromatic agent, turn on the motor of the Aromatiser and direct the vapour toward your product.  Almost instantaneously you will aromatise the food environment but not impregnate your food. 

Aromas you can begin with include seaweed, flowers, aromatic herbs, spices, fruit, yeasts, liquors, seeds, teas and coffees and toasted flavours.  Thereafter you should look to be able to create your own perfume combinations, for example, lime-mint, orange whisky, truffle-mushroom, coconut-rum, etc, etc..

Just remember to replace your filter with a clean one for each new aroma.