by Richard Foss
We have so much more variety. . . . You’re going to have a fair number of meat-and-potatoes guys, but we’ve been incorporating more ethnic food. . . . It is the first time the European Union is contributing to a space menu jointly supplied by Russia and the United States. . . . The (Atlantis) shuttle, which is largely filled with construction material to expand the space station, will carry a limited cache of food for the station astronauts, including kiwis, oranges, and nectarines. And the shuttle astronauts might donate some of their flour tortillas, if they have any left over. Tortillas are useful in space because they can turn anything into a sandwich and do not produce crumbs or mold as easily as bread. When a crew had been stuck in space for six months, a fresh tortilla or the crunch of an apple can make all the difference in their mood . . .
One trick the NASA food scientists use to keep the astronauts happy is to add lots of tang and spice to the menu. (And that’s not Tang, the powdered-drink mix.) . . . Eating out of the cans and plastic pouches stocked in the space station pantry also limits the olfactory pleasures that hot food brings. After a few months of that, a bottle of Tabasco or a raw garlic clove can be heaven.
“We crave anything with a nice, sharp flavor,” Colonel McArthur said. He speaks with the precision of a restaurant critic when he describes his favorite space food dish, dehydrated shrimp cocktail. Medium shrimp coated in sauce are plumped with a spurt of water injected into a plastic pouch, which is massaged to mix the ingredients. . . . Salt and pepper can help . . . but they are in liquid form; Grains of salt and pepper in microgravity could clog equipment or become lodged in an astronaut’s nose or eye. Even a fresh tomato, which the Russians often take when it is their turn to resupply the space station, can cause problems. Instead of biting right into one the crew has to slice it carefully . . .
Unlike many Americans, the astronauts eat almost all their meals together at a common table. Of course, they are not sitting. They are floating. They use a toehold to stay in place, and attach bottles of ketchup and utensils to the table with straps and Velcro. They use forks and spoons, but the food has to be moist enough to stick together. The astronauts use two heating systems for food, one Russian, one American. The American system is largely based on hot water and plastic pouches. The Russian one uses cans for food that are heated in compartments inset into the galley. But everyone shares food. Colonel McArthur developed a taste for the Russians’ lamb stew, and he likes the pulp juice they supply. The Americans realized that the Russians want soup every day, so they included more soup in the communal pantry . . .
Sometimes, when the shuttles resupply the station, the astronauts get special treats. On the shuttle Discovery mission last month, it was food developed by Emeril Lagasse, the New Orleans chef and Food Network star. The NASA public affairs office contacted the chef 18 months ago to ask him to make a morale-boosting call to the astronauts. Mr. Lagasse’s team . . . countered with the idea of creating a spicy culinary diversion. Mr. Lagasse developed five recipes that the NASA kitchen then turned into freeze-dried packets, each about the size of a deck of cards. . . . Fruit pan dowdy had to lose the crust (the crumb issue), and rum extract had to be used instead of real rum in the bread pudding because alcohol is not allowed in space. The three space station astronauts on Expedition 13—a Russian, a German and an American—tried the food this month, giving Mr. Lagasse their critiques directly in a live satellite chat. . . . The kicked-up mashed potatoes with bacon were a hit as was the jambalaya.
Back on earth, Ms. Kloeris, who manages the space station food system, said NASA was not seeking out more chefs to get into the space food business and was not likely to keep a steady supply of Mr. Lagasse’s food shooting into space. But the green beans with garlic he helped develop may be adapted for future flights.
The parade of astronauts from various European countries accelerated aboard the ISS, and most brought some of their own cuisine to share. One odd incident pointed out the cultural collisions that were still possible—Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang was scheduled to fly on a mission in December of 2006, and decided to bring some reindeer jerky with him. The Americans pleaded with him not to do so, on the grounds that eating reindeer so close to Christmas would have broken the hearts of American children. Fuglesang inquired whether moose jerky would have the same effect, and when told it would not, he brought that instead.
By the time the International Space Station was aloft, astronauts could share a meal much like any family—if you occasionally share holiday dinners while floating sideways.
Courtesy of AP Images
There were no complaints when Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli brought a meal that ranked with the finest meals that had been transported to the station—antipasti, lasagna, pesto risotto, tortellini, fettuccine, eggplants in tomato sauce, and tiramisu were all included. The meal received worldwide coverage, which was exactly what the Italian Academy of Cuisine, which designed the menu, had in mind. They probably were been less thrilled with some news stories that appeared later that revealed that after that meal Signor Nespoli quietly rejected the Italian food items that were available and enjoyed exploring the other items in the station’s pantry, like jambalaya, fajitas, and teriyaki chicken.7
The ISS received an upgrade in 2009—a recycling system that sanitized wastewater to drinking quality for the first time. Previously the water on board was generated by the fuel cells, but this was limited in supply and often had a harsh taste. Additional drinking water was brought up by Progress unmanned spacecraft, but the astronauts aboard the station were understandably nervous about the idea of something as vital as water being supplied by such a long lifeline. The system, known by the acronym ECLSS, eliminated the possibility that station residents might be without water due to some mechanical failure hundreds of miles below. In a television interview from space, astronaut Michael Barratt cracked jokes about the station’s new equipment.
“We have these highly attractive labels on our water bags that essentially say ‘brought to you by ECLSS,’ and ‘drink when real water is over 200 miles away,’” Barratt said.
. . . Astronaut Don Pettit spoke with the space station crew from Houston, as part of the STS-126 crew celebrating the overdue inauguration of the recycler . . . “We’re getting ready to toast with some of yesterday’s coffee with you guys,” Pettit said. That prompted a tongue-in-cheek reply from the space station.
“We’re going to be drinking yesterday’s coffee frequently up here, and happy to do it,” Barratt replied.
A round of “Cheers!” was followed by the astronauts “clinking” together giant water pouches, before each grabbed a sip from their straws . . .
“Gennady’s showing it’s perfectly clear and worth chasing in zero-G,” Barratt noted as the Russian cosmonaut closed in on an escaping water drop.8
The community that understood the magnitude of this achievement was delighted, while most earthside audiences were aghast that space explorers were celebrating drinking recycled urine. The people who watched the interview on TV or read about it later didn’t understand something that would have been obvious to the pioneers who first went overland on the long trails from the East to West Coast—to any explorer, reliable water supplies are life itself.
The ISS has maintained predictable operations to this day, and launches and habitation of the station don’t make the news anymore except when a charismatic astronaut who is a particularly good communicator does something to attract attention. The most interesting development related to food in space in the last decade involves the most recent arrivals in space—the Chinese. Taikonaut Yang Liwei, the sole man aboard Shenzhou V flight, China’s first manned mission, ate cold space food much like that used in the Gemini program, but with Chinese seasonings. Steamed rice, which is elemental in most Chinese meals, was out of the question, and it says something for the ingenuity and cultural awareness of Chinese program managers that they found an elegant solution. There is onl
y one area of central China where rice is often not served at banquets, the Sichuan region, which also has a tradition of cold, spicy appetizers. The food provided for Yang was therefore spiced in Sichuan style, which any sophisticated Chinese diner would recognize even if they were not from that region. Spaceman Yang had the taste of China, even if it was from the inland south rather than the northeastern coastal region where he was born.9
Things were better for subsequent taikonauts who visited the Tiangong space station that was launched in September of 2011. By this time over fifty different dishes were available, and they could be served hot—but rice still was not one of them. Cuttlefish with meatballs, beef with orange peel, and luxury dishes like Chinese hami melon could be had, but not the staple dish of the majority of Chinese people. Professor Bai, head of the Space Food and Nutrition Department at the Institute of Space Medico-Engineering, acknowledged in an interview that “the most difficult food to prepare in space is rice. We even have a research team working to get the texture and taste right. And as you know, we Chinese must have rice.”10
It might seem like an inconsequential thing, having to substitute a foreign flavor that is easy to achieve for a familiar one that is difficult. This ignores the fact that for a Chinese taikonaut a different starch like mashed potatoes would be as alien and unpalatable as the cubes that so demoralized the Mercury and Vostok-era travelers who first journeyed to the void of space. It is safe to say that Chinese scientists will continue to work to replicate the taste of their region of the globe so that spacemen who will gaze at our entire planet from afar can do so while enjoying the flavors they enjoyed as children. In years to come, if Brazilian, Iranian, or Thais send missions beyond our atmosphere, they will do the same. Food is the most tangible and visceral cultural link to the nation and culture that launched them beyond the atmosphere, and like emigrants everywhere, the farther they get from their native land, the more they will cherish the taste of home.
chapter 24
Recipes
To include recipes in a book on this topic invites some ridicule, because since people first started eating inflight the meals have replicated what was made on the ground. Comfort food is just that, whether made for a fussy child, stressed flyer, or space voyager. Perhaps airline passengers unconsciously fear that the people who take chances in the kitchen may have habits that rub off on those who are in the cockpit or performing maintenance. Cuisine in the air has almost always played it safe, evoking items with which most passengers would be familiar.
Since the food served most often in the early days of airliners was cold fried chicken, it would seem most appropriate to start with a recipe for it. I might have, if I had an early one that I knew had been served in flight. Unfortunately, most of the independent restaurants that used to supply airlines have changed hands or closed, and when the Marriott Corporation’s historian tried to find any recipes from the pre-war Hot Shoppes for me, she was unable to do so. If you wish to replicate the fried chicken of this era, you can find a copy of the Fred Harvey Kitchen cookbook, make it as recommended, let it cool on a rack, and eat it an hour or so later. I don’t think this would teach you anything about airline food, but if you’d like an excuse to eat cold fried chicken, go ahead.
What I will present here instead are recipes that the airlines collected and adapted for home use, rather than the saltier, fattier versions that taste better in flight. Airlines started publishing these in the 1950s, although some of the recipes they recommended seem more designed to impress and intimidate home cooks than to actually be something any amateur might try to replicate. I have presented them as they were written with only the most minor changes to put them all in the same format, with my additions or comments in parentheses.
One of the easier items to make, and a very tasty dish, is the Chicago and Southern Airways Creole Salad Remoulade that was published in the Memphis Commercial Appeal on October 1, 1950.
Creole Salad Remoulade
Vegetables:
½ head of lettuce, chopped (Use iceberg)
One diced tomato
¼ cup diced celery
½ cup cooked peas
½ cup cooked, diced carrots
Sauce:
One small jar mayonnaise (8 ounces)
One small jar Creole mustard (8 ounces)
¼ cup relish
¾ cup salad oil (Canola, safflower, or light olive oil)
¼ cup vinegar
Two teaspoons capers
Two tablespoons catsup
¼ medium onion—grated
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch black pepper
Diced shrimp (No quantity given in original—I recommend 1½ to 2 pounds cooked diced shrimp.)
1.Mix vegetables together lightly and put in individual salad bowls. Add diced shrimp.
2.Mix sauce ingredients and chill.
3.Cover with sauce before serving. Serves four.
(Preparation notes: The quantity made using this recipe is actually sufficient for an appetizer for at least six people, or a light entrée for three or four. The recipe is shown as printed—for best results, make the sauce an hour or so in advance and make the salad and top with the shrimp and sauce just before serving. If you can’t find Creole mustard, use Dijon mustard with a teaspoon of horseradish. The peas and carrots can be the frozen variety, lightly steamed.)
Airline caterers knew that savory gravies work well inflight but don’t have the eye appeal of dishes that are actually less tasty at high altitude. One way around this was to add a crust and call it something else.
The chicken pie recipe was originally published in Woman’s Home Companion magazine sometime in the early 1950s.
Image from author’s collections
Chicken Pie with Savory Topping
Filling:
4 to 4½ pounds chicken
few grains onion salt
4 tablespoons butter
few grains celery salt
4 tablespoons flour
1½ cups peas, cooked (canned, frozen, or fresh)
2½ cups chicken stock
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups carrots, cooked, cut in small dice
few grains pepper
1.Clean fowl, cook in salted water almost to cover for about 2 hours, adding a sprig of parsley, celery top, and sliced onion. When tender, remove from heat and allow to cool in its stock.
2.Remove skin and bones and cut meat in small pieces.
3.Make gravy as follows: Melt butter and continue to heat until brown; add flour, blend until smooth. Gradually add stock, continue to cook until thick and smooth; season with salt, pepper, onion salt, and celery salt.
4.In each of six individual casseroles place peas, carrots, and chicken. Pour on gravy to moisten well. Top with tiny savory biscuits.
Savory Biscuit Topping
2½ cups flour
1¼ teaspoons paprika
2½ teaspoons baking powder
2½ tablespoons parsley, minced
1¼ teaspoons salt
1 egg
2/3 cup shortening
about ½ cup milk
1.Sift flour, measure, add baking powder and salt; sift again.
2.Blend shortening into dry ingredients, add paprika and parsley.
3.Beat egg and add with milk to make stiff dough.
4.Roll out on floured board to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with small biscuit cutter about 1 inch in diameter and place biscuits close together on top of hot chicken mixture in casseroles.
5.Bake in hot oven (450 degrees F.) about 20 minutes.
(Note: The recipe above is as printed, and contains two errors: step 1 mentions adding a celery top, but there is no amount given for this in the ingredient list. ½ cup of chopped celery top seems about right and works. Most celery now sold in markets
is trimmed, and if you can’t get untrimmed celery, use very finely chopped celery hearts.) It also calls for sliced onion, but no quantity is given—use a whole large brown or yellow onion. k
The chicken pie recipe is for an American favorite—the next is for something more exotic, at least by the standards of the day. In 1963 Harold Lindbergh, the manager of food service for Northwest Orient Airlines, published what were said to be his most requested recipes in the company newsletter. The airline was then serving Americanized Chinese food on many routes, and along with walnut chicken and sweet and sour fish Lindbergh included these Cantonese-style meatballs:
Chan Far Yook Kun (Fried Meat Balls and Crab Meat)
1½ pounds pork, ground
½ pound cooked or canned crabmeat
½ cup chopped mushrooms
½ cup chopped canned water chestnuts (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon water
Fat for deep fat frying
1.Combine the pork, crabmeat, mushrooms, water chestnuts, salt, pepper, and sugar in a chopping bowl. Chop until well blended and very fine in texture.
2.Shape into 1-inch balls.
3.Dip each ball into cornstarch and coat well. Combine the eggs and water and dip each ball in the mixture.
4.Heat the fat to 360 degrees and drop the balls into it. Fry for 15 minutes.
5.Drain well. Serve with sliced cucumbers.
(Note: You do not need to fry these for fifteen minutes unless you like them dry and leathery—ten should do. You might want to serve these with a dip of some sort—thick sweet and sour sauce if you prize authenticity, Sriracha if you prefer the flavor.)