Originally published on May 26, 2016 (Episode 59)
Introduction
On precisely the second occasion that humans ever flew, they went up drinking. It was December 1, 1783, and as a crowd containing King Louis XVI of France and Benjamin Franklin watched, the physicist Jacques Charles handed his fellow aeronaut Nicholas-Louis Robert a glass just a moment before liftoff. As the ropes were let go and the balloon began to rise, Charles popped the cork on a bottle of Champagne, filled their glasses, and together they toasted the crowd and the miracle of flight.
That had more than a dash of savoir faire. And in fact, the food eaten aloft after that second flight abounded with style, panache, and also savor. It was often eaten in tremendous quantities. Nice groceries, and lots of them: that could have been the motto of eating in the air.
Needless to say, when most of us travel, that isn’t the motto of our airline’s dining service. We feel fortunate to get peanuts and a soda. So what exactly happened?
My guest, Richard Foss, has written the first-ever book devoted to the history of eating in air and space: Food in the Air and Space: The Surprising History of Food and Drink in the Skies (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016). Foss is California Curator of the Museum of the American Cocktail, and author of Rum: A Global History.
About the Guest
Richard Foss is a journalist, culinary historian, and curator. He is California Curator of the Museum of the American Cocktail and the author of Rum: A Global History.
For Further Investigation
Richard Foss, Food in the Air and Space: The Surprising History of Food and Drink in the Skies (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016)
Airline Meals Archive (over 38,000 images of airline food)—which is either very disturbing, or helpful
Foynes Flying Boat Museum, Ireland
Listen & Discuss
What does eating in the air say about class, technology, and globalization? And how does food in flight reflect broader cultural shifts in taste and travel? If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend or colleague who travels often—or simply complains about airline food.
