Freeze dried ice cream? I can hear Grandma now: "What will they ever think of next?" Grandma never envisioned space travel, let alone space ice cream.
It's easy to make great tasting, old-fashioned ice cream at home using Grandma's recipes, but there is no way you could ever send it into outer space without it melting.
And there is no way you could ever eat Grandma's ice cream under weightlessness conditions in space. It would get pretty messy to say the least. But, this unusual ice cream can go into orbit, or anywhere else for that matter. Read all about it below.
What Is Freeze Dried Ice Cream?
Here's the scoop. (Oops, I couldn't resist the pun.)
Since the early Apollo flights, astronauts have enjoyed a wide variety of space foods and ice cream is always a favorite treat.
Astronaut ice cream is real ice cream that has been quickly frozen to about minus 40°C and then placed inside a vacuum chamber to remove all the moisture crystals, leaving only the ice cream particles.
So, what does it taste like? Believe it or not, it actually tastes just like ice cream! It is dry and crunchy when you first bite into it, but it quickly dissolves in your mouth leaving a delicious, creamy taste. Watch the short video as an unidentified chap tries it for the first time:
This novelty food item is the perfect dessert idea for a kid's birthday party, and it makes a great snack for hiking or camping. In fact, space ice cream is great for snacking on at any time. No refrigeration is needed. You eat it right out of the foil pouch it comes in.
Some have asked, "Is it possible to make it at home?"
Unfortunately, the answer to that question is no. The freeze drying process is too complicated and requires special equipment. Astronaut ice cream is easy enough to buy, though. You can get it at most hiking outfitters and at stores that sell camping supplies.
Everyone loves to try freeze dried ice cream. A search on the Internet can turn up a number of online stores that sell it in several flavors at very reasonable prices. My Grandma would have loved it.