While most of my exploration in the realm of how food, art and science meet has been with 3D foods, I’ve never given much thought to the amazing liquids out there. The way that drinkables dry on the bottom of a glass is actually a fascinating area of hard research…the shape of the particles left can determine the shape left behind. For instance, those pesky coffee lines at the bottom of our mugs are quite unique in that the water drying at the edges is replenished from the center of the droplet, and the fluid flow carries particles to the edge—forming the dark ring.
In the case of whiskey, especially aged whiskey, the rings left behind have been photographed by Phoenix photographer Ernie Button, and are captivating and otherworldly.
While the science behind these images reminds me of my own terracibusseries, Ernie does a great job of exploring another facet of what most people leave behind on the dinner table (or in this case, at the bar).
You can read more at these links:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/science/art-in-a-whisky-glass-neatly-explained.html
http://erniebutton.com/?portfolio=vanishing-spirits-the-dried-remains-of-singlemalt-scotch