Was the golden age of air travel really that tasty?

Was the golden age of air travel really that tasty?

While the meals served in the cabins of today’s premium airlines can be quite sophisticated, they never seem as ostentatious as the meals depicted in old photographs from the “golden age” of air travel, when prime rib was evidently cut at the seat and plates of lobster thermidor and caviar were common.

How airline food has changed over the decades

“When airlines began operating in the United States in the 1920s, passengers were lucky to get coffee and cold fried chicken,” said Dennis Sharp, curator of aviation at the SFO Museum. Inflight dining reached a “zenith, particularly in first class, during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s,” he added, noting that the introduction of wide-body aircraft equipped with large galleys on the lower level made it easier to expand menus to include even more gourmet options.

Over aerial dining at a seven-course dinner held at Loyal Legion PDX, the pre-security brewery overlooking the Portland International Airport (PDX) airfield, 150 curious and adventurous foodies and AvGeeks recently received a crash course in the history of aviation.

The dishes were inspired by classic, or at least notable, meals served on airplanes from 1919 to the Concorde’s final flight in 2003. Bill Oakley, the Emmy Award-winning former “The Simpsons” writer who now hosts unconventional culinary events across the country, selected the dishes.

Oakley delved into decades of vintage airline menus and in-flight offerings to choose iconic meals served in the sky, and presented each dish with details about the food and its connection to aviation history.

“It wasn’t a predictable menu of first-class standards,” Oakley said. “Obviously we had to have lobster and caviar, but we decided on a fun and surprising mix of things, both old and quite new.”

Marcus Hilliker, culinary director at Loyal Legion, collaborated with his team to turn Oakley’s options into dishes.

“It was really important that the plates be historically accurate to the technology and eras they represented,” Hilliker told us.

And, of course, the dishes had to be appetizing.

Many of the most memorable airplane meals were lobster-level luxury. However, “over the years, some not-so-stellar dishes have been foisted on passengers,” he added.

Alaska Airlines came on board as a sponsor for the evening, and in addition to a specially brewed Jet Set beer, the evening’s drink menu was curated by Portland’s own Straightaway Cocktails.

They mixed Airmail, Arctic Service, Paper Plane and Aviation cocktails along with a custom cocktail for the evening, “The Best Martini of the 20th Century,” made with Aviation Gin and Accompani dry vermouth, both sourced from Portland.

This is what was on the menu.

First course: duo of basket sandwiches

The first in-flight meal was served (actually sold) in 1919 on Handley-Page Transport flights between London and Paris.

“We don’t know exactly what sandwiches were served,” said dinner attendee Barry Enderwick of Sandwiches of History, “but Bill contacted a food historian and together they came up with the selection of the night: a cucumber and watercress sandwich and a pickled beef tongue sandwich, both served with mayonnaise and herbs on a delicate Pullman bread.”

Second course: kangaroo tail soup

Australian airline Qantas served a unique kangaroo tail soup from the late 1950s and early 1960s. “There’s a place in Portland known for its exotic meats, and we feel lucky to be able to get real free-range kangaroo for this dish,” Oakley said.

Third course: Cheese, beer and pretzels

In the 1960s, Mohawk Airlines offered “Gaslight service” on flights marketed exclusively to men. The interiors of the planes resembled a Victorian setting; stewardesses dressed in 1890s costumes. Passengers were served beer, cheese and pretzels. Cigars could be purchased for five cents.

Fourth course: caviar, blini, hard-boiled egg and fresh cream

Alaska Airlines flew commercial charter flights with Golden Samovar Service from Alaska to the Soviet Union for a few years in the 1970s.

Flight attendants dressed in Cossack-style costumes and served Russian-themed food. A signature drink of coffee, vodka and liqueur was served in the same golden samovar (urn) that was borrowed from the Seattle Museum of Flight and flown to Portland for display during the dinner.

Fifth course: lobster salad

This course was a version of American lobster, an iconic dish served by Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) from 1957 to 1972.

Sixth course: Chateaubriand with truffled foie gras

The main course of the evening was an homage to the chateaubriand that Trans World Airlines served to first class passengers from the late 1950s to the 1970s. The prime cut of meat was often cut in the passenger seat from a rolling cart.

Seventh course: buttermilk panna cotta with red berries

The last British Airways Concorde flight flew on 24 October 2003 and the last dish served on that flight was a buttermilk panna cotta.

Are you hungry now?

Building on the success of the Portland event, which attracted diners who redeemed miles to fly across the country at night only, Oakley is exploring other airports, aviation museums and even classic hotels for future aviation history dinners. Their next food event will take place in Seattle.

Menus may be tweaked to keep things amazing, but Oakley said he hopes to hold the next event at the Seattle Museum of Flight.