Montreal Firm Re-invents Fork, Shames Us All

MOLECULE-R® today unveils AROMAFORK™, a patented piece of cutlery specifically designed to create a novel and intense olfactive experience!

This was the lede of a press release that hit the wires on March 20 from Montreal firm MOLECULE-R Flavors Inc. The statement from the "the Betty Crocker of molecular gastronomy", to quote Fast Company, trumpets a new phase in cutlery with no apparent trace of irony. Naturally, AROMAFORK™ has since gone viral.

Mind you, the AROMAFORK™ is no ordinary fork but one that dupes people's minds with a potent onrush of aromas, to paraphrase company honcho Jonathan Coutu. More specs from the original product announcement:

The AROMAFORK™ provides a flow of aromas upon inhalation, therefore doubling the flavors your brain can analyse!

A blotting paper is maintained underneath the fork handle, allowing the volatile components of a liquid aroma to be diffused upon absorption.

Use the AROMAFORK™ to replace traditional seasoning with volatile flavoring or trick your mind with unusual aroma pairings. Taste like never before!

The Aroma R-EVOLUTION kit includes all you need to experiment with volatile flavoring:

· 4 AROMAFORKS™
· 21 selected aromas
· 4 droppers
· 50 diffusing papers

One more relevant tidbit: it costs $58.95. (You can pre-order now.)

Coutu is confident that his fork will help us all "learn how to better appreciate food."

MOLECULE-R Flavors Inc.'s molecular gastronomy kits and cookbooks have been on the market since 2009, by the way. And we have the farcical video to prove it.

Delivery of the first AROMAFORK™ will occur sometime in June or July. No word on whether Ferran Adrià or Grant Achatz have placed their orders yet.

· MOLECULE-R [Official Site]
· AROMAFORK™ Changes the Way You Perceive Flavors! [BW]
· This Smelly Fork Adds 21 Flavors To Every Bite [FastCoDesign]
· How a Montreal-based firm is reinventing cutlery! [NP]