Smog Meringues

 Photo by the Center for Genomic Gastronomy.

You've heard the word "terroir" used to to describe the effect that physical characteristics of a region have on wine and food. Now The Center for Genomic Gastronomy has introduced "aeroir' to the lexicon. It refers to the influence atmosphere has on the taste of food. Their Smog Tasting project harvests urban air pollution using egg foams. They have designed and fabricated a smog-tasting cart with air from different cities, complete with built-in smog chamber from which smog meringues from three different locations will be served. They mixed different chemical precursors, and baked them under UV light to form a London "peasouper", a 1950s Los Angeles photochemical smog, and a present-day air-quality event in Atlanta.

A London-style Peasouper Smog Meringue.
Photo by the Center for Genomic Gastronomy.

"With their original smog meringue insight, the Center for Genomic Gastronomy opened up a powerful method to translate quantitative environmental data and the scientific understanding of pollution and physiology using the images, metaphors, and tools of food and cuisine."

Read more  about the project here