Spacefood: Ruminations on Astronaut Gastronomy and an Appreciation of Norman and Nancy Blake

Listen to Spacefood

I had been playing the basic guitar part to what would ultimately become the song, “Spacefood,” for about twenty years before the lyrics snapped into place. The original words that matched the melody were “Norman and Nancy,” as in Norman and Nancy Blake, the GRAMMY-nominated “neo-traditionalist Americana folk and roots music duo” (per Wikipedia).

Norman and Nancy had a big influence on me. I saw them in person a handful of times in the early ‘90s at festivals and in small clubs. Their “act” was always the same because it wasn’t an act at all. They just played music that they liked and presented it with virtuosity and their genuine uniqueness. They existed comfortably within—and connected—the bluegrass and old-time music scenes of the day.

Norman’s baroque yet economical guitar playing represents the evolutionary zenith of the Carter style, and his songwriting sounds deceptively simple. Nancy’s fearlessly innovative cello counterpoint, her utility and range on mandolin, guitar, and vocals, and her unfailingly supportive approach helped create something as authentic and engaging as anything else happening in the thirty or so years that they were actively performing.

So, looking back, it makes sense that I sang “Norman and Nancy” when first playing this short, slightly crooked guitar melody inspired by their sound. But to write an entire song about them that would do them justice? Impossible. At least for me, and especially starting in my twenties.

Time passed. I kept playing the tune because I loved it, but no lyrics emerged that were big enough, until the right ones came around that were small enough. I don't remember why I came up with with the catfish and cornbread lyric, but it sounded appropriately Southern. It was naturally followed by the side dish of red beans and rice. To complete the meal, I topped it off with a little drink my friend Lee’s grandfather hipped us to when we moved to Asheville, fresh spearmint sprigs in sweet tea.

And there it stayed for a long time. But again, it wouldn’t budge. Then, one night after a gig, unwinding and watching a documentary on TV about the International Space Station, I began thinking about how the astronauts must really, really miss Earth food after awhile. Hot, juicy, aromatic Earth food! Now, I could definitely write some more verses about food. I had the angle.

For kicks, I like to work repetitive patterns intro the structure of my lyrics. If I was going to build on my first verse about catfish, etc., and attempt a savory survey of delicious terrestrial dishes, it would be useful to have a lyrical thread to tie them all together. That’s how I landed on “rice,” and that’s what ultimately decided what food would be included and what had to be cut (e.g., brisket from Katz’s deli).

Writing the two bridges then fell into place. And, although I’m aware that food eaten by astronauts may never be referred to as “Spacefood,” I am claiming artistic license solely because it works as a good title. Likewise, I will explain my potentially oversimplified logic in the second bridge: people love eating fast food in their cars, but how are we going to bring a fryer on a year-long Mars mission? Not happening. And whatever the current advanced state of space cuisine and its implements may be, it simply will not be be a selling point for future travelers.

And lest you think that I am some kind of fanatical “manned” space flight evangelist, I am not and never have been. I’m on record sometime in 1997, as a call-in commenter on WAMU’s nationally syndicated Diane Rehm Show, as being flatly dismissive of the expense and questionable utility of putting humans in space. In my undoubtedly overearnest twenty- something’s soundbite, I may have said, “Why don’t we focus on taking care of the one habitable planet we have available to us before it’s too late?” I feel the same way about all of it today. Norman, Nancy, food, and space.

Spacefood

Catfish and cornbread

Red beans and rice

Spearmint in sweet tea

Oh wouldn’t that be nice

Yes it would, it surely would

Waiting for my rations to thaw

Freeze dried spacefood sucked through a straw

I want Navratan Korma

Biryani rice

Sweet mango lassi

Oh wouldn’t that be nice

Yes it would, it surely would

Spacefood won’t sell tickets to Mars

Look how much we eat in our cars

I want Kung Pao Chicken

Eight treasures rice

Moon cakes and green tea

Oh wouldn’t that be nice

Yes it would, it surely would