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Celebrity chefs create Christmas delights for ISS astronauts

04:57 PM | 24 Dec, 2015
Celebrity chefs create Christmas delights for ISS astronauts
PARIS (Web Desk) - Michelin-starred chefs are vying to create Christmas delights for astronauts spending the festive season 400 kilometres away from Earth and their families.

The latest in the pack is London celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal who is crafting delicacies for British astronaut Tim Peake currently on board the International Space Station (ISS).

NDTV reported that the first British astronaut to the ISS space station, Peake's mission began in the middle of this month, and the Christmas and New Year treats include dishes to remind him of home during his six-month stint.

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These include Christmas pudding and foreign delights, including Thai chicken curry and Alaskan salmon. Also on the menu is a Sunday roast and a curry.

Blumenthal, who is known for using science in his cooking, said the challenge was to create gravity-defying but delicious food - which for astronauts is usually dry-frozen, dehydrated or thermo-treated.

"I felt a surge of pride to be involved in such a historic moment for both astronomy and gastronomy. Imagine telling a young boy that when he grows up he will create food for astronauts to eat in space - it's a dream I couldn't even envisage, let alone it coming true!" he said in remarks published by the the Guardian newspaper.

For New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, American Scott Kelly, the commander of the ISS which is in orbit 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the Earth, drew up the special menus after consultations with crew members.

Alcohol, however, is out for obvious reasons.

"In Europe, we try and get the astronaut and a chef from his or her country to develop dishes," said Romain Charles, an engineer from the European Space Agency.

The daily fare on the station is more banal and provided by Nasa and Roscosmos, the US and Russian space agencies.

"Tasting special food on certain occasions is a great morale booster and also builds up team spirit," said Brigitte Godard, a doctor at the Cologne-based European Astronaut Centre.

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"All astronauts, whatever their nationality, are happy to have ...a special dish," said French Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse.

Ducasse said German atsronaut Thomas Reiter, one of the first to savour these specially made dishes, "told me that this was a way for astronauts to keep touch with Earth," Ducasse said.

Reiter was on the ISS in 2006.

Top starrers include roasted quail, scallops and Caponata, a kind of ratatouille, said Quentin Vicas, the head of spacefood programme at Ducasse.

As far as desserts go, it's chocolate cake, cheesecake and apple fondant.

Because of the weightless conditions in which they live, the astronauts have to eat most of their meals from a can or aluminium envelope with a fork or spoon or risk their lunch flying all over the place.

A top challenge is ensuring the food is 100 percent safe.

"Food poisoning on board could lead to serious damages," said Lionel Suchet, deputy director of the Toulouse-based French Space Agency.

"The food can't be too dry or too humid," he said.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who will join the ISS in November next year, is already preparing his dream space menu. He has already chosen several Ducasse dishes and met with Michelin-starred French chef Thierry Marx.

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Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal rates on Sept 29, 2023

KARACHI - Following are the foreign currency exchange rates for US Dollar, Saudi Riyal, UK Pound Sterling, U.A.E. Dirham, European Euro, and other foreign currencies in Pakistan open market on September 29, 2023 (Friday).

Source: Forex Association of Pakistan. (last update 09:00 AM)

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 286.05 289.15
Euro EUR 307 310
UK Pound Sterling GBP 353.3 357
U.A.E Dirham AED 80 80.8
Saudi Riyal SAR 76 76.75
Australian Dollar AUD 189 191
Bahrain Dinar BHD 778.84 786.84
Canadian Dollar CAD 220 222.2
China Yuan CNY 40.24 40.64
Danish Krone DKK 41.83 42.23
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 37.93 38.28
Indian Rupee INR 3.57 3.68
Japanese Yen JPY 1.63 1.71
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 945.27 954.27
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 62.62 63.22
New Zealand Dollar NZD 174.58 176.58
Norwegians Krone NOK 27.87 28.17
Omani Riyal OMR 762.31 770.31
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 80.69 81.39
Singapore Dollar SGD 208 210
Swedish Korona SEK 26.62 26.92
Swiss Franc CHF 323.01 325.51
Thai Bhat THB 8.12 8.27

Gold Rate in Pakistan Today – September 30, 2023

Today Gold Rate in Pakistan

KARACHI - The price of a single tola of 24-karat gold in Pakistan is Rs 205,600 on Saturday.

The price of 10 grams of 24k gold was recorded at Rs 176,270. Likewise, 10 grams of 22k gold were being traded for Rs168,730 while a single tola of 22-karat gold was being sold at Rs196,807.

Note: The gold rate in Pakistan is fluctuating according to the international market so the price is never been fixed. The below rates are provided by local gold markets and Sarafa Markets of different cities.

Today Gold Price in Pakistan - 30 September 2023

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Karachi PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Islamabad PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Peshawar PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Quetta PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Sialkot PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Attock PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Gujranwala PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Jehlum PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Multan PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Bahawalpur PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Gujrat PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Nawabshah PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Chakwal PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Hyderabad PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Nowshehra PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Sargodha PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Faisalabad PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450
Mirpur PKR 205,600 PKR 2,450

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