Look around there are probably more bulbs on your dining table then in the electrical sockets of your home. We have not only innovated with Edison’s electrical bulbs but also started using bulbs to wine and dine from. Now nobody is removing the filament from electric bulbs to be used for drinks. These sturdy bulbs for diners are actually glasses and bottles or juice holders manufactured in the shape of bulbs exclusively for drinks and desserts.
The trend of slurping coloured drinks, spiked or otherwise, through a straw in a bulb is the ‘in’ thing in dining. Even Jamie Oliver posted a photo with an entire tray of such bulbs filled with colorful drinks on his Instagram (IG) page. Remember the trend of mason jars which took every eatery and slush junkie by storm? Well, that’s the past. If mason jars were all about ‘more’, bulbs are all about ‘less’. So if you want to be trendy and impress your friends, all you need are bottles and glasses that look like bulbs. Every online store is stocking them in the kitchen section.
Sharad Arora, ace bar tender and the manager at United Kitchens of India explains about their appeal: “I use it to create drama, mostly for colorful mocktails. As far as presentation is concerned it should be half full, like the part-shaded, part-clear bulbs and an inclusion of contrasting garnish makes it very tempting. The other good part of the this presentation is: you drink only a little.”
In terms of utility, some use the bulbs to go with specific drinks “How well a Punjabi ‘krrant’ would be showcased in a bulb! While it is just an orange drink, the bar tender’s work of enhancing the colour of the drink makes it a must try,” says Bhargavi Yerram.
What about fragility? A simple search on the net shows there are more than one option when it comes to these bulbs to be used for dining purposes. Though some are made of glass, most are made of a sturdy material. Some online buying sites, also give the option of bottles in the shape of bulbs. “The bottles online are colourful. But as a diner and someone who loves to make slushes and drinks, I would prefer the see-through ones,” says a food blogger.
“The bulbs meant for use in bars which can be bought online, are sturdy, easy to wash and come with a small bottle brush,” adds Sharad.
These bulbs are not only for drinks, Pastry chefs say, depending on the type of desserts one wants, bulbs with heavy and spacious bottoms provide good space for drama and are ideal for small sized desserts. “I would preferably want to play with creme cheese, mousse, cheesecakes and the likes. The challenge will be where to stop adding drama to it,” says chef Francis.
If you have a yen for creating your own stuff, you can get onto Crafty or Nifty Ideas pages online and create your own desk accessories.
