The boy and his poison: Molecular Gin and Tonic

Those are indeed tiny balls
of blue tonic water

I have a vivid memory of being bought a chemistry kit as a child and spending many a rainy day leafing through the experiment book looking for anything that involved the bunsen burner, bright flares or explosions. Suffice to say secondary school chemistry didn't quite live up to the pyrotechnic promise of my introduction to the subject so until last Friday I thought my pipette and stirring spoon days were behind me. That was until an unexpected package was dropped off at my office promising a cocktail revolution.

First off, let me clear something up, as a rule I'm wary of any term like 'molecular mixology'. It's a technique which has developed in response to its foodie neighbour molecular gastronomy (think Heston) but in drink terms it’s currently mostly focused on playing with textures, density and viscosity either of elements of a cocktail or the cocktail as a whole. Picture mojito bubbles, martini bites, Bailey's suspensions or airs of margarita.

I'm mostly all about simple, perfectly crafted drinks but that doesn't mean I don't have a sense of fun and fun seems to be at the heart of what Molecule-r's 'Cocktail Revolution Kit' is all about. Containing stylishly boxed sachets of mad-professor-esque ingredients like Sodium Alginate and Calcium Lactate, a clutch of tools and a DVD of step-by-step recipes, my kitchen looked like a lab when I started playing at the weekend.

I popped my molecular-mixology cherry with a reverse-spherification recipe, I made a deconstructed gin and tonic replete with citrusy bubbles of blue tonic water suspended in ice cold gin. Cue thirty minutes of larking about with pipettes, hand mixers, stirring and laughing… chemistry was never that much fun at school. The end cocktail looked amazing but more importantly was an absolute joy to make which is this kit’s biggest strength. So, don't worry about the name, and next time you want to do something unique for a dinner party or you’re at a loss for something to buy the cocktail lover in your life why not give it a whirl.

You can pick up your cocktail chemistry kit from Selfridges from today for just £49 and there’s a gastronomy one too if food is more your thing.

You'll need

• 50ml of gin
• 400ml of tonic water
• 5ml of blue curacao
• 50g of calcium lactate
• 20g sodium alginate

Then make

• Put the tonic, curacao and calcium lactate in a large bowl and blend with a hand mixer
• In another bowl, add the sodium alginate to a litre of water and stir
• Using a pipette (or two) transfer the tonic into the sodium alginate bath drip by drip
• Chill the gin and pour it into a small glass, then transfer the tonic bubbles into it using a slotted spoon

Afternoon Tea: Hendricks High Tea at Hush

Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to wangle an invite to try the Hendricks High Tea at swanky Mayfair brasserie and cocktail lounge Hush. A new venture for Hush, the entire menu has been carefully crafted to compliment the Hendricks gin cocktails its accompanied by, and the quintessential Englishness of afternoon tea.

It's served up Monday to Saturday in a beautiful and intimate dining room complete with Hendricks teapots, cups and other crockery, making you feel like you've been transported back in time for a decadent treat in a swish society dame's drawing room.

The tea itself features mini macarons from Bougie, deliciously dense scones with elderflower and rose petal jams by Wendy Brandon, and an assortment of sandwiches (salmon, chicken with avocado, egg and cucumber - somehow I suspect my vegetarian beloved was not as impressed as I was, but that may have only been an excuse to start scoffing the cakes). The maracons especially were wonderful - light, sweet and the perfect size and texture to finish our feast.

But the most exciting part of the Hendricks High Tea menu was the molecular cocktails, created exclusively by Hush bar manager Pedro Solarzano. A clearly knowledgeable and passionate chap, the concoctions he whipped up may have looked like they belonged in an evil scientist's laboratory or Heston Blumenthal's kitchen, but they tasted delicious.

With several weird and wonderful combinations of taste and texture, the innovative inventions on offer include the 'Royal Lady', made with Hendricks, Grand Marnier, caramelised cucumber and cinnamon 'caviar' - tiny, bead-size bubbles like the ones in my champagne cocktail (above).

For the ones with more traditional tastes, they do a range of infused martinis too, such as the Hush Wolfsberry (top picture); a potent blend of Hendricks infused with rose petals and Goji berries, plus Goji liqueur.

I wobbled out tipsily content and will definitely be back. Afternoon tea at Hush starts from only £8.75 per person, with the Hendricks High Tea priced at £24.75.