Molecular gastronomy specialist deals with dishes for the British astronaut that he will eat on the ISS

^{Astronaut Timothy Peak and Heston Blumenthal - photo Max Alexander / UK Space Agency}

The Guardian talks about the new hobby of the famous British chef Heston Blumenthal , who is known in his homeland in the UK not only as a first-class chef, but also as a specialist in molecular gastronomy . Blumenthal officially works with the European and British space agencies, as well as with NASA, in order to develop a menu for the British astronaut that will make him feel at home on the ISS.

Although molecular gastronomy often refers to such specific things as ice cream with borsch flavor or meat with white chocolate sauce, in reality, this culinary direction deals with the scientific approach to cooking. For example, it is known that when boiling a chicken egg in water with a temperature of 64ºC for 35 minutes in a special device with a thermal circulator, which will provide this thermal regime, you can get a soft-boiled egg with an ideal cream consistency.

Blumenthal is a specialist in molecular gastronomy and has a special research laboratory-kitchen for work. That is why he became a member of the team occupying the diet of astronaut Timothy Peak, who flew awayyesterday on the ISS. Among the tasks that Blumenthal solved is a way to make tea. Astronauts have to do this in a special tank with hot water with the help of a bag, while they do not have the opportunity to get the used bag back. The Blumenthal laboratory staff developed a way to move the tea bag into a separate bag, separate from the brewed beverage itself, and thus solve this problem.

Ready "molecular" menu from Blumenthal should include seven dishes. Their full list is unknown, but there will definitely be a bacon sandwich and Christmas pudding. So far, Timothy Peak will have to endure without "homemade food" at least until spring - astronauts can only enjoy espresso. In total, Timothy Peak should stay in orbit for 7 months.