A Michelin-star chef has created a unique $360 pudding that astonishingly captures the flavor of old books, leaving diners shocked.
A Michelin-starred chef has introduced a fascinating dessert that captures the essence of old books.
Jordi Roca, known for his creative culinary creations, has crafted a pudding infused with the flavor of aged literature.
This unusual dish is priced at approximately $360, making it a luxury experience for diners.
The inspiration behind the unusual book-flavored pudding
Jordi Roca, who is the pastry chef and co-owner of El Celler de Can Roca in Spain, was inspired by the smell of old books found in libraries.
He wanted to replicate this unique aroma and flavor in a dessert.
Roca has a reputation for pushing culinary boundaries, and this creation is no exception.
In a video he shared on TikTok, which garnered over 635,000 views, Roca explained his process.
He described how he extracts the essence of old books and transforms it into a dessert that diners can enjoy.
His goal was to create a dish that was not only tasty but also evoked memories and emotions associated with reading.
The process of making the old book-flavored pudding
To create the book-flavored pudding, Roca uses a specific technique called enfleurage.
This method is traditionally used to extract fragrances from flowers, but Roca adapted it for his culinary purposes.
He starts by selecting books that have a strong, mature paper smell.
Roca then butters the pages of the chosen books and allows them to rest overnight. This step ensures that the butter absorbs the scent of the old paper.
After this, he soaks the buttered pages in a liquid, allowing the flavor and aroma to infuse into the mixture.
Once the butter has taken on the essence of the books, Roca removes it and dissolves it in alcohol.
The alcohol evaporates, leaving behind a concentrated perfume reminiscent of old literature. This unique liquid is then used to flavor the pudding.
“Remove the butter with a spatula to dissolve in alcohol,” Roca explained. “The alcohol will evaporate and we will have the perfume of an old book.”
After preparing the pudding, Roca adds the final touches to enhance the experience.
He anoints the dessert with the book perfume, giving it a distinctive aroma that matches its flavor.
Additionally, he decorates the pudding with petals torn from the pages of the book, completing the literary theme.
The chef serves this dessert as a pre-dessert to prepare diners for the main course.
It combines visual appeal with a rich sensory experience, making it a memorable part of any meal.
Reactions from the diners
People who have tasted Roca’s old book-flavored pudding have expressed amazement at the creativity behind it.
One user said: I want a cologne that has old book scent.
The second user wrote: Interesting, but NO thanks. How many times has that book been read on the toilet?
The third user commented: If I eat that, I better feel like I’m in the 5th dimension.
The fourth user said: I suppose he’s targeting those people with more money than brains that I’ve heard so much about.
Another user added: $360 for pudding that tastes like dusty pages? Peak decadence. While elites sniff old books, real Americans can’t afford groceries.
This is why we need serious economic reform, not vanity dining.
Someone wrote: 350 bucks to eat a book. Going to cost another 350 next time you take a crap.
Culinary trends encourage chefs to explore creative flavors.
Roca’s dessert is part of a growing trend in the culinary world where chefs experiment with unusual flavors and concepts.
This trend encourages chefs to think outside the box and explore new ideas that challenge traditional dining experiences.
Roca is not new to this type of experimentation. In the past, he has created desserts infused with the scents of inedible objects, such as sheep’s wool.
His willingness to take risks has earned him a place among the world’s best pastry chefs.