As I craft and create in the kitchen, I continue to dream up new recipes and ideas (obviously).
My mind wifts, wafts, and wanders.
My thoughts of culinary conceptions often keep me awake at night.

I’m always wanting to try new things.

And, one of those “newish” items on my agenda has been the workings of molecular gastronomy.

However, the science scares me.

I’m not often intimidated in the kitchen, but bacon bubbles, marrow dust, and shrimp sparkles (ok, not really) sound a little scary – and difficult.

Yet, today I found myself up for the challenge.

Tiny droplets of oh, so sweet balsamic vinegar, pearled into little bubbles ~ exploding and melting with flavor all at once, and then instantaneously vanishing into nowhere.

Truly amazing.

And then…

(not exactly molecular but definitely gastronomic)

brûlée of eggs

perfectly sweet, perfectly salty, and perfectly crunchy at gooey all at once!

The possibilities are endless with these little pearls.

Any liquid imaginable can be bubbled up into these delicate droplets of beauty.

Today I choose BLUEBERRY BALSAMIC. Oh yes.
And while I enjoyed the sweet wonder over my beautifully brûléed eggs, I believe I may just dip into my stash of balsamic jewels and dribble them all over some homemade Meyer Lemon Macadamia Ice Cream tonight as a second ever indulgent treat! (yes, it’s happening).

Balsamic Pearls and Bruléed Eggs

Balsamic Pearls:
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar (I used blueberry)
1 Tbs. + 1 tsp. agar agar flakes
grapeseed oil

Before starting, fill a tall glass with oil and place it into the freezer for at least 30 minutes. The oil needs to be very cold so the balsamic vinegar pearls will cool before they reach the bottom. 
Add the vinegar to a small saucepan, along with the agar agar and bring to a boil. Stir continuously. As soon as the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Drip the hot liquid (using a dropper or syringe) into the cold oil. 
Once finished, drain the pearls with a fine-meshed sieve.
Store refrigerated in oil and rinse and drain when ready to use.

Brûléed Eggs:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. VERY CAREFULLY place eggs one by one into the water, using a spoon. Immediately remove from heat and cover tightly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. (a little less for a more gooey center, a little more for a harder center).
Transfer eggs to an ice bath and allow to chill for 10-15 minutes before peeling.
Once the eggs are ice cold, crack and peel, working hard to release the membrane without damaging the white. Give the eggs a dunk in the ice water bath as you go to get rid of any leftover bits of shell.
Carefully halve the eggs with a sharp knife.
Sprinkle the tops of the egg halves with a little sugar to get that perfect caramelization. BUT, to balance out the flavor, salt the halves before sugaring them.
Use a kitchen torch on low heat and wave it over the tops of the eggs until they start to bubble up and caramelize. 

Egg Brûlée perfection.