Oh, what a time to be alive! In our world, there are cool gadgets for EVERYTHING! There was once an age where food was a basic necessity, and no one cared what their plate looked like.
Then came the era of plating, garnishing and serving the food in a way such that one could “eat with their eyes before their mouths”. The brand value of food was hyped as it was marketed with a cherry on top.
This gave birth to many who were trained to master the art of gastronomy. Professions like food psychology, wine tasting and food criticism spawned; not to mention food sex became popular too. With the onset of technology though – where engineers are the new magicians – there is a machine to for every job.
One such machine that recently came out is the PancakeBot. Inventor Miguel Valenzuela is a civil engineer by profession, and artist by fatherhood. He first designed this “robot” using a LEGO set for his two daughters. The device was his three-year-old’s brainchild, just so you know…
How it works
#1: You get to design your pancake using a software… It’s just like Microsoft’s Paint! In case you don’t have that computer-graphic-artist streak, you could pick out a pre-made design from an online portal.
#2: Upload your design onto an SD card.
#3: Insert the memory card into the PancakeBot SD slot. It will read your design automatically and become ready to create.
#4: You will need to load the dispensing tube with some pancake batter – create your own, or buy a premix and follow the instructions.
#5: Once you press ‘Start’, your batter will flow out of the mouth of the tube in the sequence which you designed it. The batter-holder itself moves side to side, while the suspending bridge – which holds the tube – moves back and forth over the plate. Thus, they create a whole 2D image.
#6: The shading is managed by the order in which the batter hits the hot plate, a.k.a. griddle. The longer the batter is on the plate, the darker it gets.
#7: Once ready, pick up your pancake and serve with too much syrup or whatever dressing you want. (I like mine with mini chocochips that melt as soon as they touch the hot surface, Nutella and chocolate syrup)
I can’t wait for this to hit the Indian market. Mom, don’t ever tell me NOT to play with my food again, science has proven that it is okay to do so!
