The magazine “New Scientist” has created a blend of beverage-making and science fiction to produce recipes for the best drinks in this universe or any other, ranging from Bantha milk to Ambrosia.
Drinks in Science Fiction
Effective science fiction creates an entire world you can imagine living in – and the world I want to live in needs delicious beverages.
Bantha Milk (Star Wars: A New Hope)
In a galaxy far, far away and long ago, a species of large, furry mammals evolved on a desert planet. Bantha on Tatooine produces rich blue milk said to be nutritious and enhances intelligence. In the absence of milkable Bantha, Zoe Burgess adds ingredients like sodium and potassium to her recipe and uses red cabbage for its antioxidant properties, vitamin K content, and natural dye characteristics.
Ambrosia (Galactic Star Battle)
What remains of humanity wanders through space searching for the legendary Earth, pursued by advanced robotic beings known as Cylons. Unsurprisingly, the fugitives need a drink. The fantastical ambrosia is green in color, with a slight sulfurous smell, prompting Burgess to use mezcal Derambis San Luis Potosi as a key ingredient in the drink.
Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)
As expected from a drink invented by the cosmic president Zaphod Beeblebrox, this is a complex beverage containing many ingredients not found in this universe. To make it easier to prepare at home, Burgess has simplified the drink recipe to a delicious, potent gin and tonic. Patchouli shares flavor compounds with mint, making it the perfect choice to enhance the mint flavor.
Jethen Beer (The Left Hand of Darkness)
To mimic the drinking habits of the Jethen inhabitants, Burgess created a drink flavored like crème brûlée, with rich beer hidden under a sugared crust sealed with gentle heating using a heat lamp. The drink itself isn’t hot, but the paprika extract provides a warming sensation.
In short, “New Scientist” collaborated with cocktail design team Zoe Burgess at Atelier Beb in London to recreate these fictional drinks in their own style, and we at “New Scientist” tried them out. These drinks can be prepared at home and avoid using exotic ingredients like liquid nitrogen. They can also be made without alcohol: either leaving out the alcohol entirely or using a non-alcoholic substitute for the spirit or beer.
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