When I was a kind my favorite part of the science museum wasn't the earthquake model or the Van De Graaff generator (the big silver ball that made your hair stand on end with static electricity) or even the animatronic dinosaur. Those were all cool, yes, but they didn't compare to the packet of astronaut ice cream I'd get at the gift shop at the end of the day. Reading about the spacewalkers from the Endeavor mission today, I was reminded of my favorite childhood treat. Packaged in hard silver bags, the ice cream looked more like fat sticks of sidewalk chalk than anything else. Biting into it, it had the texture of sidewalk chalk as well, though strangely light, until it melted in my mouth in a fizzy puddle and was gone in an instant, leaving me with a sticky mouth and the lingering taste of fake chocolate. Loved it, loved it, loved it.
I looked into whether it's possible to make freeze dried ice cream at home, and unfortunately it looks like it's not (but if I'm wrong, please let me know!), but I did find this cool description of how astronaut ice cream is made. The ice cream is frozen to -40° Fahrenheit and placed in a vacuum chamber. The chamber is heated, vaporizing the ice and dehydrating the ice cream. Can I really not make this at home?
3-17-2008 @2:25PM rp said... Guilty confession. I STILL love this stuff....and still buy it whenever I go to the Science center...and it's still my favorite part of going to the Science Center. Guess I never grew up on that count. (-:
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3-17-2008 @3:49PM Bethany said... you can actually buy it online at thinkgeek.com. my little sister is all about everything astronomical, so I got her some for her stocking this past xmas... it was a hit!
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3-17-2008 @3:54PM Brian Jones said... SO
YUM.
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3-18-2008 @12:33AM Michael said... Was the science museum that you visited the Imagination Station in Wilson?
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3-18-2008 @4:13PM Miss Tiffie said... i'm obsessed with the stuff.. i only know that they're available at the science museum (i'm in boston)
YUMMMMMM! i want some now.. i just had a pack last wk :D
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3-18-2008 @4:46PM ryanpublic said... I used to love it as a kid, but my wife who was also an 80's kid had never heard of it - I was like "How could you not know what this is growing up!!!".
So I got her some, she hated it. Blah, more for me :-)
Looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze-dried_ice_cream it says that only one mission ever flew with this stuff onboard, so I guess this stuff is bigger than its original purpose.
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3-19-2008 @7:46PM xtine said... That stuff's all over the web...I keep waiting to win the lottery so I can buy a bunch for me and my friends.
I LOVE THAT STUFF
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