The Astronaut's Cookbook: Tales, Recipes, and More

by Charles T. Bourland, Gregory L. Vogt

Astronauts, cosmonauts, and a very limited number of people have experienced eating space food due to the unique processing and packaging required for space travel. This book allows anyone with a normal kitchen to prepare space food. Since some of the processing such as freeze dehydration, and packaging cannot be accomplished in the normal kitchen, many of the recipes will not produce the food that would be launched in space, but will prepare food similar to what the astronauts would eat after they had added the water to the food in space. Many of the space foods are prepared to the point of ready to eat, and then frozen and freeze dried. Food preparation in this book stops at the point of ready to eat before the freezing and dehydrating takes place. Recipes in this book are extracted from the NASA food specifications and modified for preparation in a normal kitchen. The book will contain the following Introduction, Appetizers, Beverages, Bread and Tortillas, Cookies, Sandwiches, Desserts, Main Dishes, Soups and Salads, Vegetables, and Future Space Foods. Interesting tidbits of space food history will be spread throughout the book. Examples like; did NASA invent Tang?, who was the first person to eat in space?, the Gemini sandwich fiasco, why there is no alcohol in U.S. space food systems, astronauts favorite food, etc.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Science

231 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Darkpool]

Has to go back to the library half-read. Real life and a string of long awaited novels overtook this one. Very interesting tho, and I intend getting back to it at some point.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Packed with interesting facts, stories, pictures, and, of course, recipes, this a great book - certainly the most interesting cookbook I've ever read and I have quite the collection. The full title of this book says it all: The Astronaut's Cookbook: Tales, Recipes, and More. It certainly is more than a cookbook, though everything revolves around the food and recipes used in space.

This is a perfect book if you're interested in healthy, well seasoned food. It is also a fun book and would be a great basis for a themed dinner party. Authentic recipes and stories from NASA as well as plenty of pictures and facts provide everything a host or hostess needs to put together an entertaining and delicious occasion for their guests.

The recipes are actual recipes used in space prepared up to the point right before NASA would freeze dry it for the astronauts. My favorite so far is the 'Skylab Butter Cookies' recipe, but the main dishes are also quite good. Since flavor suffers after freeze drying, the recipes incorporate spices that I have found to be very good. There are recipes from some easily recognizable names such as Emeril and Rachel Ray as well as favorites from the astronauts.

Overall I highly recommend this book!

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this as a First Reads giveaway and was very excited to receive it. I enjoyed the explanation of the development of food that astronaut's eat as well as the anecdotes and astronaut profiles. The authors included some humorous comments about some of the foods provided to astronauts over the years, making for a more interesting read. With the recipes contributed to the program by various participants and family members, it has the feel of a family cookbook, and in a way it is. There is the reminder of those who have been lost during the space program as well as a look forward to future missions and the needs to continue developing new eating methods for astronauts going forward. I wasn't sure what to expect from the actual recipes and was pleasantly surprised. I appreciated the way that the authors listed the ingredients that are used to create the astronauts' meals and offered substitutions that are more commercially available to make the recipes at home. I think that this would be an excellent cookbook for teachers and a way to make kids more aware of the experience and possibilities of the space program. I look forward to trying some of these recipes!

[Keri-Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I would be reviewing a cookbook, given my lack of enthusiasm for cooking, but this one was packed full of interesting information on eating and the foods served in microgravity during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs and also what is eaten in microgravity today. I read all the information and some of the recipes. I made two of them (rhubarb muffins and tofu brownies) for our book club discussion of Mary Roach's book, Packing For Mars. Bourland's writing isn't dry at all, and included some humorous moments in the history of eating in space. A fun read even if you don't make the actual recipes.

[Jessica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this as a first reads book. I have really enjoyed reading all of the stories as well as trying some of the recipes. This is laid out much like a family cook book. I suggest trying some of the recipes and see how the astronaut's really eat! very fun.

[Reading For Funs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally received this cookbook from a Humble Bundle cookbook bundle a year ago, and it remained on my purchase list unopened for months. Eventually, I was overcome with curiosity and opened it. This cookbook is full of fascinating information about the space program, which is incredible. I've found novelty cookbooks tend to limit the information, but this one has almost anything I could ever want to know about astronauts and food. I haven't tried the recipes yet, because they don't seem overly appetizing for me. They might find more use as camping recipes for me. I can see many of the recipes being quite useful to make ahead of a trip into the wilderness. (like the bacon bar, which is what my family would call emergency rations)

The highlight of this book is more of the stories and information found within its pages. I found myself more engrossed in the stories of why fresh fruit like bananas are rarely included on flights and the story of a care package including twinkies being sent into space than with the myriad of recipes.

[Mary Rude · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book, with a lot of short little stories and anecdotes. Some are quite interesting. Others are a little ho hum. I guess it's evidence that the later generations of astronauts weren't very wild and crazy, since their anecdotes are so mundane. But it's a charming cook with some interesting history and recipes. The sugar cookie recipe was actually delicious!

[S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book for my mother, who actually used to work for NASA, and loves astronauts and the space shuttle. She loved this book, full of recipes and stories about the astronauts.

[Jessie Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to review from Goodreads First Reads. This review is not edited or influenced by the author, publisher or Goodreads.

I was excited to receive this book and begin cooking "space food." As a cook book, this book is somewhat lacking. The recipes are not very interesting or appetizing. I was somewhat disappointed and have yet made any of the recipes.

However, this book is rich in information about the space program and all things nutrition and eating in the space program. I was fascinated with all of the information about the evolution of the space food program. I couldn’t put the book down until I read through it. The author’s sense of humor radiates through the book, which makes a topic that could read like a text book, quite enjoyable to read.

For space enthusiasts or anyone who enjoyed dehydrated ice cream bars as a child, The Astronaut’s Cookbook is an interesting read. As a cookbook, this book should be grounded.

[Bhumi]

I won this book from First Reads. Sounds interesting!

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and often funny. Thank you Ian. Haven't tried any yet, but doubt I will.

[Abraham Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice cookbook if you are into astronaut's food for eating!