THE CHEF FROM HELL

"6/28  Space Station to get Japanese take-out: Japanese space food will soon be available on the International Space Station (ISS). The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has certified 29 Japanese food products for use in space.  Astronauts and cosmonauts will soon enjoy such Japanese take-out standards as ramen, curry, onigiri (rice balls) and green tea . The ISS has tough standards for food in space; it must be able to survive the changes in temperature and pressure on the ride up, and must be able to survive a year in storage at zero-g. Careful food service engineering is also required; for example, the ramen has a thick broth and the noodles are clumped together in bite-sized pieces. Food products are also packed in special containers, and can have preparation times no longer than an hour."

From wierdinfo.com: "Forget pigs in space, we're headed into the age of Starbucks in space.  Reports from Space 2006, the annual space exploration conference in the USA, suggested that, in the not so distant future, private business ventures, such as Starbucks, will be setting up in space."

Ah, food in space!  It certainly has come a long way from Chicken A La King in a toothpaste tube and a jug of Tang.  Can new age retro fine dining among the stars be far behind?  The mind reels at the possibilities...

* Emeril's Lunar Cafe?  ("Hey Frank, be sure to try the Moon Rock Croquettes, they're out of this world!" )

* Bobby Flay's new Food Network series Spaced Out with Bobby Flay?  ("Did you catch that episode where he uses the heat from the sun to cook his fajitas? Amazing!")

* The new Travel Channel series, Cooking With Mr. Spock? ("How does he manage to cook with those ears of his?")