Mile-high feasts

Far from the unappetising, cardboard-like taste of airline food served on board today, flying in the 80s and early 90s initiated a budding gourmand into a world of delicious discoveries amidst the clouds.

By Raul Dias

I was first introduced to Oliver Twist as a 10-year-old up in the air aboard a British Airways flight in the late 1980s. The genial flight attendant (or air hostess as they were called in those politically incorrect days!) with twinkling blue eyes likened me to the Dickensian character as she gently set down a second helping of one of the evening’s main courses on to my tray. “Please ma'am, I want some more,” I had unknowingly said to her a few moments before as I polished off a rather scrumptious portion of Beef Wellington. I had never experienced anything as complexly constructed before. Succulent slabs of moist, pink meat anointed with an earthy-tasting mushroom duxelle, cloaked in a gossamer thin crêpe, then further ensconced in a buttery puff pastry and finally baked to golden perfection. Like some sort of culinary equivalent of a nesting Russian matryoshka doll.

Flights of Fancy

Hard as it may be to comprehend, but the eclectic selection of food served aboard flights in the late 80s and early 90s is what set me on my current path as a food writer. With a great premium placed on the importance of world travel by my parents, my sister and I were taken along for the ride almost everywhere they jetted off to. Be it our annual summer vacations in Europe or Mum’s impromptu business trips to South East Asia, we happily tagged along. Making serendipitous discoveries along the course.

In fact, many epoch-making firsts in the realm of my food oeuvres—like my introduction to smoked salmon aboard Singapore Airlines—took place in tightly-packed economy class cabins. But not always! I remember my first tryst with salty beluga caviar toned down with the creamy unctuousness of grated boiled egg. Served to us as an hors d'oeuvre aboard an Air France business class flight to Bangkok, followed by a divine duck à l'orange for mains. 

Mum had somehow managed to charm the check-in staff, securing us an upgrade to the coveted ‘Le Club' which was what the airline’s business class cabin was then called. All this, as we tried not to asphyxiate on noxious cigarette smoke. Yes, unfortunately we were also privy to an era when smoking on board a flight was very much de rigueur. 

This was also the time when travelling out of a major airline hub like Bombay (desk note: I retain the original name for nostalgic context) meant the opportunity to fly with and enjoy the edible delicacies aboard a mind-bogglingly large number of international airlines. This was way before the Middle East 'usurped' my home city’s position as a mid-way refuelling stop for long-haul flights between the east and the west.

Nutty Bites and Sneaky Sips!

Speaking of the eclectic selection of airlines making pit stops in Bombay, I loved flying with Al Italia. One was almost always guaranteed of chowing down on a nice pasta meal. Plump ricotta cheese-stuffed ravioli, pillow-y soft potato gnocchi and good old spaghetti were the holy trinity that got me hooked onto Italian food.

I clearly remember being coaxed into trying a spinach and egg breakfast frittata by the tiny Italian nonna (grandmother) seated next to me. This, after I had ‘ordered’ a fried egg in lieu from the amused flight attendant who explained to me that they unfortunately didn't have the right equipment on board to meet my à la minute demands. I loved the intensely savoury taste and texture of the fluffy frittata so much that I promptly came back home and tried to replicate it following a recipe in my great-aunt’s old cookbook. Till today, that frittata remains one of my most successfully cooked dishes ever.

As a teenager, on a trip to Kenya aboard the country's flag bearing Kenya Airways, I chanced upon the glorious taste of the macadamia nut. I remember it served alongside a tiny glass of the typically African marula fruit liqueur called Amarula that I sneaked in a sip of whenever mum wasn't paying attention.

Today, as I sit at my desk writing this piece, travel-bereft and rather despondent, it is the vicarious tastes of my childhood spent indulging in exotic mile-high meals, that make me once again feel like Oliver Twist. Wanting...nay, demanding some more, please!

SUNDAY RECIPE

Spinach Frittata

INGREDIENTS:

6 eggs

2 tbsp oil or butter

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp salt (divided)

2 small potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp dried thyme 

1 cup cheese, grated

METHOD:

• Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat to 200°C.

• Whisk the eggs and cream together with 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl and set aside.

• In an oven-proof frying pan or skillet sauté the potatoes in oil or butter and sprinkle with the pepper and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes.

• In the same pan, wilt the spinach with the garlic and thyme stirring for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

• Spread the vegetables into an even layer, flattening with a spatula. Sprinkle the cheese on top and let it just start to melt.

• Pour the egg mixture into the pan and tilt the pan to make sure the eggs settle evenly over all the vegetables. Cook for a minute or two until you see the eggs at the edges of the pan beginning to set.

• Place frying pan into the oven and bake the frittata for 8 to 10 minutes till golden and puffy.

• Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve.

(This column first appeared in the 14th March issue of The Hindu newspaper's Sunday Magazine section on page 8 https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/food/flights-of-fancy/article34050532.ece)