NASA astronaut Jack Fischer has taken space cuisine to new heights.
Ever since the first-time space traveler blasted off to the International Space Station on April 20, the space-food connoisseur has been tweeting photos of his zero-G culinary masterpieces.
Exhibit A: The cheesy triple taco. Fischer and his Expedition 51 crewmates gathered around the table inside the space station's Unity module to chow down on these taco-nacho hybrids — or, as Fischer calls them, "tasty little boats of yum." By sticking three of these "boats" together, he created what looks like a cheesy space windmill. [Space Food Evolution: How Astronaut Chow Has Changed (Photos)]
Floating tacos are cool and all, but check out these weightless coffee balls! Who needs fancy zero-G coffee cups when you can just slurp your freshly brewed beverage straight from the air? That's one clever way to avoid doing the dishes.
Before Fischer's coffee could float around the space station in ball form, it was freeze-dried and sealed inside a small pouch. Most food items at the space station are packaged this way, such as these scrambled eggs and oatmeal, which Fischer showed off in a breakfast photo he tweeted on May 19.
Unlike the floating coffee balls, which require a microgravity environment to exist, this dessert à la Fischer is something you can make at home. Fischer calls it a "Bite-size Mountain of Yumiosity," or BMOY.
For the indecisive person with a sweet tooth, this makes dessert time simple. Can't decide between pudding, cake or candy? Just pile 'em up and stuff them all in your face at once. Problem solved.
The Russians have a much simpler way of satisfying a sweet tooth, and Fischer is a fan. This canned chocolate cream-cheese spread comes ready to eat, so "you can slather it on anything and wrap any food in a blanket of yum," Fischer tweeted.
Mealtime can get pretty messy at the International Space Station. But it sure looks like fun! Although you may want to avoid playing with your food on Earth — at least in front of your mother — having a little fun with food in space is totally appropriate. We can't wait to see what other extreme-space BMOYs Fischer comes up with.
Email Hanneke Weitering at hweitering@space.com or follow her @hannekescience. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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