Refrigeration, Ice Cream and Candy: A Few of My Favorite Things

When I clicked through to the IceMachinesPlus.com article about wacky Willy-Wonka-esque food creator Charlie Harry Francis, I just knew it was going to amuse. First, it was about some of my favorite things: refrigeration, ice cream and candy! Add in the incredibly creative and wildly inappropriate usage of nearly all of the above, and lastly, to seal the deal, I mean, c’mon, the dude named his business, “Lick Me, I’m Delicious.”  It’s GOLD. Marketing GOLD, people! You can’t read that and NOT want to know more. So, I not only read on, I felt the need to share (see article below). Not only has he got creativity and marketing savvy, he also has the chops to actually pull off his wacky ideas. So, Charlie, my good man, you have my respect on many levels – marketing, creativity, business savvy, personal style and the brass to carry it all off – so if you ever need an awesome refrigeration and HVAC contractor to help you nail your next wacky scheme, please give me a call. I’m SO there. Just keep on being you. Because you are awesome.

This Generation’s Willy Wonka of Food and Invention

Whether you’ve only seen the Gene Wilder or the Johnny Depp version or both, Willy Wonka had it going on when it came to inventing candy. Well, there’s someone out to claim the title. He’s invented things from Viagra ice-cream to levitating cocktails. No wonder people are drawing comparisons between the two.

Charlie Harry Francis is the man behind such inventions as Edible Mist Orbs, Glow-in-the-Dark Ice Cream, and most recently, an Edible Fragrance Factory. With such incredible creations, no wonder people are drawing comparisons between the award-winning food inventor and Willy Wonka.

From his humble beginnings on an ice cream farm in South Wales, U.K., Charlie has always been fascinated by the unknown. Like most inventors, his main thought was if no one else is doing it, why don’t I do it?

In 2011, he set up his own company, “Lick Me, I’m Delicious.” His premise? Creating, in his living room of all places, an ice cream bar that uses advanced liquid nitrogen to create ice cream for up to 1,500 people instantly.

A Levitating Cocktail Machine?

Charlie is responsible for the world’s first levitating cocktail machine, which sold in 2014 for $42,000. He experimented with drones and columns of air before discovering sound. He found out that 40 watts of sound could levitate liquid. He teamed with Bruce Drinkwater, professor of engineering at Bristol University to build a machine capable of levitating a potent drop of alcohol in the air to be licked.

His current project involves infusing flavor into bubbles. It hasn’t been an easy project – infusing flavor into a thin film of liquid wasn’t meant to be easy. However, after doing research himself on everything from compressed gas and CO2, as well as some unique bubble blowing contraptions, he’s closer than ever. He’s now turning thoughts to flavors. He’s considering the mundane, like raspberry, and the outlandish, like baked beans.

His most unique invention, however, did not come from a personal brainstorm. It came from a celebrity request. Charlie, however, signed a non-disclosure agreement. He made Viagra-infused ice cream for the nameless client. To top that off? He infused the ice cream with a champagne flavor.

We hope that Charlie continues to rock the gourmet food world with his inventions. Move over Willy Wonka. Charlie’s taking over.

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If you’ve got wacky refrigeration dreams of your own to carry out, give Advance Air a call. We can help you find the equipment you need to make it happen, and make sure your Viagara Ice Cream stays exactly as cold as it ought to be. Call us today at 508-763-3738!