Ep 7. A Space Odyssey

In Eating History season 1 episode 7, titled A Space Odyssey, hosts Josh Macuga and Old Smokey embark on a culinary journey to uncover the food history of America's space program. They dive into the archives of NASA to discover what the astronauts ate while on their missions, tasting some of these unique space foods themselves.

Josh and Old Smokey start their journey by examining the first-ever space food, which was a pureed beef and vegetable paste that was consumed by German astronaut Walter Schirra during his Mercury-Atlas mission in 1962. They attempt to recreate the pureed beef and vegetable paste themselves, comparing their version to the original and discussing how space food has evolved since it was first introduced.

Next, the hosts investigate the freeze-dried food that astronauts ate during the Apollo missions. They taste freeze-dried ice cream, a popular space snack that many people assume was consumed during the moon landing, but in reality was not actually eaten by any astronaut until years later. The hosts also try freeze-dried shrimp cocktail, which was a favorite of the Apollo astronauts.

Josh and Old Smokey then look at the food that was consumed during the Space Shuttle program. They sample the shuttle's mid-deck galley, which offered a wide variety of shelf-stable and refrigerated foods like sandwiches, soups, and salads. They also try a lobster tail that was actually flown into space and served to astronauts on a special occasion.

The hosts also explore the challenges of cooking in space. They learn about the specialized equipment that has been developed for cooking in zero gravity, including a food warmer that keeps food from floating away and a toaster that uses heated plates to toast bread. They even attempt to make a sandwich in zero gravity, with hilarious results.

Finally, Josh and Old Smokey take a look at the future of space food. They examine some of the new technologies and innovations that are being developed to improve the taste and variety of space food, including 3D printing and hydroponic gardening.

Throughout the episode, the hosts provide fascinating insight into the history of space food and the role that food has played in the space program. They also offer their own entertaining and humorous commentary, making for an entertaining and informative show that is sure to delight space enthusiasts and foodies alike.