This Magical Machine Can Turn Any Food Into Caviar

Have you ever wanted to bring the mysticism of molecular gastronomy techniques to your home kitchen? The Imperial Spherificator device will make you a regular Grant Achatz (without the culinary prestige).The creators of this handheld machine claim that it can turn almost any food into caviar-like pearls. It sounds like magic, but it's real: there's even a Kickstarter for the Imperial Spherificator (we will never get tired of saying that name).

The scientific process involves mixing alginate, a seaweed extract, with calcium to form a caviar, or pearl-like shape — a technique originally developed by commercial food processors but adapted and refined for fine-dining purposes by Ferran Adrià, who "spherified" melon juice, olive juice, green peas, and other foods. The device was crafted by Kelp Caviar, a company in Quebec that manufactures a seaweed-based caviar substitute. According to the Kickstarter, there are no limitations, but ideally, you would use the Spherificator to shape raw ingredients and condiments into pearls that can be added as a flavorful garnish to impress friends and family.

It's expected to hit the market this November with a retail cost of $100 to $125, but we're already fantasizing about our bacon pearls.