????夏天或許正在離我們遠去，但是，滿滿一勺液態氮冰淇淋卻是一整年都能享受的美味。

????液什么？

????液態氮冰淇淋。全美的冰淇淋制造商正在運用食品化學把這種人見人愛的甜品變成一種時髦的，高科技的，可定制的美味。

????只需廚寶（KitchenAid，美國著名廚房用具品牌——譯注）攪拌器，同時配以液氮罐和奶油，就能把牛奶、糖和水果這類簡單的配料在不到一分鐘的時間里變成按需定制的冰淇淋。液態氮的沸點是零下320度，當它迅速蒸發時，會騰起一股《歌劇魅影》式（Phantom of the Opera）的白霧；同時，攪拌物的溫度會驟然降低。當霧開云散，冰淇淋就大功告成了。

????這種疾速成型的過程提升了口感。弗吉尼亞理工大學（Virginia Tech）的科技系教授，化學家亞倫?戈爾斯坦解釋說，快速冷凍意味著冰晶根本來不及形成。他說：“結果，它們的顆粒變得極其微小，從而使冰淇淋的質地更細膩柔滑，不是一咬一口冰碴?！?/p>

????因此，這一勺冰淇淋大行其道，從喬治亞州到亞利桑那州再到華盛頓州，零度之下冰淇淋公司（Sub Zero）和藍天乳品店（Blue Sky Creamery）這樣的小企業都深受其恩?，F在，液態氮，加上奶油和幾乎無窮無盡的口味正變成各地各類營業場所和餐飲服務公司大獲成功的秘方。

????Summer may be ending but a good scoop of liquid nitrogen ice cream can be enjoyed year-round.

????Liquid what?

????Liquid nitrogen ice cream. Ice cream makers nationwide are using food chemistry to transform this favorite dessert into a funkier, high-tech, customizable indulgence.

????Using KitchenAid mixers tricked out with liquid nitrogen tanks, creameries turn simple ingredients like milk, sugar and fruit into made-to-order ice cream in under a minute. The blend rapidly chills as liquid nitrogen -- with a boiling point of -320 degrees -- instantly vaporizes in a billowing, Phantom of the Opera-esque fog. When the cloud evaporates, the ice cream is ready.

????The speedy process boosts taste. The quick freeze means ice crystals don't have as much time to form, explained Aaron Goldstein, a chemist and Virginia Tech professor. "Consequently, they're really small, which makes the texture of the ice cream seem more creamy and less icy," he said.

????The result is scoopable ice cream that has supported franchises like Sub Zero Ice Cream and Blue Sky Creamery from Georgia to Arizona to Washington state. Now, liquid nitrogen, plus cream and almost limitless flavor options are fast becoming a recipe for success for local parlors and catering firms.