December 3rd 2024.
Celebrity chef and rapper, Big Zuu, wowed guests with his unique take on a Mexican-inspired Brussels sprout starter. It was a fusion of flavors that had me rethinking my holiday menu. But what if we had access to artificial intelligence back in the 1990s? Would Bridget Jones have still met Mark Darcy at the infamous turkey curry buffet?
According to the novel, Bridget's family tradition was to attend the annual turkey curry buffet hosted by Una and Geoffrey Alconbury. But with AI technology, perhaps they would have found more creative ways to use their leftover turkey instead of resorting to curry. With the help of AI's endless ideas and suggestions, they could have whipped up turkey fajitas, shepherd's pie, or even a turkey Tetrazzini.
This year, Google is determined to save us from the mundane cold meat sandwiches that often plague us during the holidays. They have introduced their large language model, Gemini, to the public, which aims to make our lives easier with its innovative ideas. To showcase its capabilities, Google invited Metro to a festive feast with a twist - the menu was designed entirely by AI. Big Zuu, the talented chef, brought AI's creations to life, leaving us all wondering why we haven't incorporated AI into our daily lives sooner.
Despite AI being a well-known concept, it is still seen as futuristic by many, rather than a part of our everyday routines. However, creators are pushing for AI to become a standard tool in our daily lives, just like using maps to navigate or a search engine to find information.
To create the menu, Zuu provided prompts to the Gemini chatbot about the leftover ingredients he had from his traditional Christmas roast. He also added that he loves Mexican cuisine and wanted to infuse his heritage from Lebanon, Sierra Leone, and the UK into the dishes. Zuu shared with Metro that he enjoys using AI to bounce ideas off and explore new and unexpected flavor combinations.
The highlight of the meal was the Mexican-style roasted Brussels sprout elote, seasoned with chili powder, lime, sour cream, and cotija cheese. It was a dish that elevated the often-dreaded vegetable to a whole new level. But Zuu's creativity and talent cannot be reduced to simply following AI's recipe list, as many might assume. He described the app as a personal assistant, providing him with inspiration and ideas that he may not have thought of before.
The Gemini prompts also led to other mouth-watering dishes, such as Lebanese-style fatayer pastry with mashed potato instead of the traditional meat, cheese, and spinach filling. And as a surprise course, the infamous roast turkey was transformed into a tasty stir fry, proving that AI can come up with novel and delicious ways to use up leftovers.
The dinner made me realize the potential of AI in our daily lives. It is not just limited to writing emails or editing photos; it can also revolutionize our meal planning and reduce food waste. Google is not the only company exploring the use of AI in the kitchen. London-based start-up Remy is preparing to launch a kitchen management app that suggests meal plans and recipes based on your grocery receipts and also keeps track of when your food will expire.
Despite concerns about AI taking over jobs and the world, using it to help with meal planning seems like a harmless and practical use. And as I left the feast, I downloaded Gemini on my phone and noticed a surplus of oranges in my fridge that were at risk of going bad. Instead of just searching for orange recipes, I used AI to suggest different ways to use them, such as making marmalade, infused water, and drizzle cake.
The real-life applications of AI go far beyond helping us write emails or editing photos. It can revolutionize the way we approach our daily tasks and make our lives easier. So, why not embrace it and use it to our advantage?
Here is a breakdown of the menu and the prompts that inspired each dish:
Leftover Christmas Amuse Bouche:
"I'm hosting a Friendsmas party and want to use up all my leftovers from Christmas Day. I have a mix of food items left, including turkey, potatoes, stuffing, Brussels sprouts, and cheese, and would love to create some refined amuse bouches. Can you help with suggestions?"
Turkey and Stuffing Pinwheels:
Spread stuffing on turkey slices, roll them up, and secure with toothpicks.
Leftover Christmas Recipes with a Mexican Twist:
"I'm looking for fun recipe ideas using Christmas leftovers in my fridge to enjoy between Christmas and New Year. I have Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and stuffing. I love Mexican-style food. Can you help with fun small plate recipe suggestions?"
Brussels Sprouts Elote:
Roast your Brussels sprouts with a sprinkle of chili powder, cumin, and a squeeze of lime. Top with a dollop of crema, crumbled cotija cheese, and a sprinkle of cilantro.
Fusion Recipes with Leftovers:
"I'm hosting a Friendsmas dinner, and I want to feature my Sierra Leonean, Lebanese, and British heritage. Can I have some fun fusion recipe ideas for small plates making use of my leftover cheese and potatoes from Christmas?"
Lebanese-inspired: Potato and Cheese Fatayer:
Fill filo pastry with mashed potatoes, cheese, and spices. Bake until golden brown.
Leftover Christmas Dessert Ideas:
"I am craving something sweet, and I have so many leftovers from Christmas dinner I need to use up. Can I have some ideas on how to transform these leftovers into a yummy dessert? I have cranberry sauce, chocolate, and Christmas pudding."
Christmas Pudding Bread Pudding:
Cut the Christmas pudding into cubes. Combine the cubes with bread, milk, eggs, sugar, and spices. Bake the mixture in a baking dish until golden brown.
Cranberry Sauce Ice Cream:
Blend the cranberry sauce with heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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[Generative AI is experimental.]
