A small hand-held device, much like a blow torch, that emits a soft stream of very cold air (liquid nitrogen, maybe?) that can be used to e.g. put a thin layer of ice on top of a martini or whipped cream. (Please, not at the same time.)

Is this possible? I guess the difficult part is softening the stream while still having it remain cool enough.

[Wow, that is one cool looking device, thumbwax. Thanks!]
-- jutta, Aug 17 2002

– 30° F Air for Spot Cooling & very 'bakerish looking http://www.exair.co...ucts/asc_frmain.htm
A bit larger than a Spray can - every bar should have one. With a turn of a knob, the Adjustable Spot Cooler converts a small amount of compressed air into cold air. Temperature is adjustable from -30°F to room temperature. [thumbwax, Aug 17 2002]

Cryosurgery for Common Skin Conditions http://www.aafp.org.../20040515/2365.html
American Family Pysician (ie. first off Google). Note Fig 2. [Detly, Sep 16 2005]

Brymill Cryogenic Systems http://www.brymill....catalog_1_cryac.htm
One such device. [Detly, Sep 16 2005]

Vaguely related. http://www.asciimation.co.nz/beer/
Gas-turbine - powered beer-cooler. [angel, Sep 16 2005]

should be very possible, although pretty expensive. I'm pretty sure you'd have to use liquid nitrogen, though: air expanding from a can has a cooling effect anyway, but the change in air pressure would have to be so large that you'd end up with frozen martini all over the minibar.
-- yamahito, Aug 17 2002


I don't suffer from *hot* spots luckily
-- po, Aug 17 2002


A geeky alternative to the classic ice cube down the back?
-- Ebb, Aug 18 2002


//Freon used to come in spraycans... before we realised it was tearing the arse out of the ozone layer.//

Does it really hurt the ozone layer, or did the fact that its patent was about to expire mean DuPont had to make people use its newer refrigerants in order to stay in business?
-- supercat, Aug 18 2002


Hmmmm.....
-- Mr Burns, Aug 18 2002


I work with electronics. Cooling spray is available, but i haven't heard of a food-grade spray.

If you want to save a few bucks, just take your bottle of computer duster (air-in-a-can) and spray the bottle upside-down. Works great- and cheaper than the cooling spray.
-- JRandMoby, Aug 19 2002


I was thinking of that as I posted earlier. I don't think it would be cold enough to freeze a layer of water on contact. Especially when you consider how fast you have to cool the thing to avoid cooling everything, not just the surface.
-- yamahito, Aug 19 2002


yamahito: It doesn't freeze the water on top, but it does create a slushy substance around the plastic spray hose if you place it underwater. I sure wouldn't eat it..

What is fun is supercooling metallic or ceramic parts (old P-233 CPU's work well and are plentiful) to well below zero using upside down canned air, then dropping them into a styrofoam cup filled with boiling water.. wear safety glasses, please.
-- Mr Burns, Aug 19 2002


Not just underwater, thc: it'll freeze the water in the air, too.
-- yamahito, Aug 19 2002


Doctors (GPs and dermatologists) use small flasks of pressurised liquid nitrogen to burn off warts and small skin cancers. The nozzle on these flasks is very small (~1mm, I think), so the jet is reasonably fast. It will be too small to do what you mention (it's more likely to blow the food at your dinner/cocktail companion), but all that's needed would be a different (wider) nozzle.

I think it'd be a bit hard to get the effect you want. If the jet is too thin and fast, you'll just blow the water around - a soft spray would certainly be better.

Either way, you'd produce some impressive clouds over your martini.

//What is fun// is anything involving liquid nitrogen :)
-- Detly, Sep 16 2005



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