Molecule-R Aromafork – You’d be surprised how much of what we taste is informed by what we smell. Don’t believe me? Prepare your favorite meal when you’re congested and unable to smell the food, and see how bland everything tastes. Like it or not, scent has a huge influence on taste – and Molecule-R is looking to tap into that connection with its new invention, the Aromafork.
How it works is pretty simple. Let’s say you want to have a delicious, mouthwatering rib eye steak, flavored with cranberry sauce. That’s not exactly the type of meal most people would prepare on a whim; all the stuff that goes into it is rather bloody expensive (especially in this economy). With the Aromafork, you wouldn’t necessarily have to shell out for both a steak and a box of cranberries. Instead, you’d just need to grab your fork and smell it.
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That still sounds incredibly strange to me. How does one even come up with an idea like this? And how does it even work?
“The idea behind the Aromafork came to me during a wine and food pairing class,” says Molecule-R President Jonathan Coutu. “I immediately thought of a device that would provide a flow of aroma upon inspiration.“
That’s how the Aromafork was born. This deceptively simple little device features a small depression on its handle which holds some blotting paper. That paper contains a drop of an aromatic, positioned so that when you lift the fork to your mouth, whatever scent is emanating from it will assail your nostrils. At the moment, the fork comes with a whopping selection of twenty-one different compounds, ranging from smoke to truffles to cheese cake to bubblegum.
Given how much of what we taste is influenced by what we smell, an invention like the Aromafork could open up a whole host of different fine dining experiments. Imagine dining on fish flavored with passion fruit, or steak with a hint of cheesecake. Neither option seems particularly appetizing on the surface, but this unique fork could allow you to try either one without having to waste too much food in the process.
The Aromafork will be available later this year. Molecule-R has not yet disclosed a price.
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Molecule-R Aromafork Gallery
Sign me up and take my money!
I would love to buy one of these for my brother-in-law. He has lost his sense of taste. Can you just imagine? But if he could increase his sense of smell to what he’s eating that would help a lot. Please make these !!!!!
Wow, that’s a remarkable idea, Ellice! They’ve been tested, and I believe they’re past the prototype stage and are working toward production. Hopefully the maker, Molecule-R, will have some more info soon. I’ll update this article when I hear any news. Best of luck to your brother-in-law!