Beans Are GO!--Shuttle Discovery Launched On 13-Day Mission

Commanded by U. S. Air Force  Col. Eileen Collins, the shuttle Discovery took off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida today, and minutes afterwards, space launch team members dove into what has become a traditional celebratory meal of beans and cornbread---60 gallons worth of beans, cooked in 12  18-quart cookers.
The custom began back on April 12, 1981 when NASA Test Director Norm Carlson brought from home a crockpot of beans and some cornbread to feed hungry staffers. With each launch he brought in larger quantities of food and kept doling out beans until his retirement. At some point in the past 20 years the cry "Beans are go!" became  code for "a successful launch, let's rip into some chow."
These days NASA official food providers supply the bean and cornbread feast.

The recipe that follows might well suit anyone having an enormous family reunion this summer. Foodie did wonder about the  paucity of celery in the recipe,  went tsk tsk over the liquid smoke, and asked, "Where are the chiles??"   

Successful Launch Beans ( Courtesy Nancy Holland, King5.com)

   Put 6 lbs. dried Great Northern Beans in an 18-quart electric cooker
   Cut 10 lbs of smoked ham into cubes
   Add ham and ham bones to beans
   Add ½ shaker of lemon pepper
   Add 3 lbs chopped onions
   Add 2 stalks chopped celery
   Add 1 tsp. liquid smoke
   Cover with water and cook for at least eight hours.

Comments

[Cynthia]

I love it. I love the little behind-the-scenes stories that remind us that humans launch space shuttles, and that those people have traditions that are not all technology and lab coats -- in fact, as with most of humanity, the tradition revolves around food. Thank you for posting this. I've sent it to all my friends who took time to watch the launch this morning.

And as an aside, for those who may not know, both the Discovery and the Endeavour were named for ships commanded by Captain James Cook in the 1700s (it's why, even though the Endeavour is an American space shuttle, it uses British spelling). Cook changed the map of the world more than any other explorer in history, and was the first person to combine science and exploration, so the tribute is appropriate.