The Vaporizer is the newest appliance to enter the kitchens of some of the world's most renowned restaurants. Chefs have discovered that vaporizers are the premier instrument for enhancing the delicate balance of flavors in cuisine using aroma vapor.  

Aromatization is the process of using  vapor to add flavor or aroma to food. A vaporizer produces the purest vapors while minimizing any bitter or unpleasant flavors. It gently releases aromas and scents from a wide array of spices, potpourri style plant materials, or incenses. 

A vaporizer can release the pure aromatic essence of the spice or other essential oils or plant materials which can potentially be used for a wide variety of applications from flavoring foods to creating aroma's for ambience. The unique feature of a vaporizer in these applications is the purity of vapor transferred. Material is never burned, it is vaporized, and other devices can't produce the same level of purity.

Spice laden vapor fills a bag fresh off the vaporizer, and then the food is placed into the bag, sealed and cooked. One of the more basic uses of the vaporizer known as "cooking with oven hose".  One example of a dish enhanced with a pure aroma is crab meat aromatized with thyme.

Another method is to use a large bell shaped cover which is placed over the food after vapor is dispersed under the cover. This presentation uses a vaporizer to simply supply an initial aroma for the patron as the cover is lifted from the plate when the dish is served to the customer. Properly done, the vapor adds to the initial presentation experience.

Finally, the Aroma Pillow is a technique made famous at the restaurant Alinea in Chicago. A bag is filled with vapor from the Volcano and the server places the dish directly on the pillow. Just as the meal is served, small holes are poked in the pillow. As the customer enjoys, the aroma from the pillow is slowly dispersed through the tiny holes adding an aroma experience that lasts throughout the meal.

Grant Achatz describes the technique in his book ‘Alinea’ using lavender flowers for his pillow.

http://www.alineabook.com/