Taste of Space: Fall event offers Kennedy Space Center visitors out-of-this-world flavors

Astronaut Bruce Melnick enjoyed eating reconstituted shrimp cocktail with spicy cocktail sauce while flying on space shuttles Discovery and Endeavor.

On Earth, he's discovered an appreciation for cranberry, arugula, gouda and applewood bacon sandwich on a pretzel bun. The dish will be available at the Orbit Cafe at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during this year's Taste of Space Fall Bites event.

"It was something that we've seen at other places, and we wanted to do our on twist on that," said Rebecca Burgman, public relations manager for the Visitor Complex.

It's an opportunity to come out and experience the attractions at the Visitor Complex while enjoying unique, limited-time dishes, Burgman said: "Especially if you're local."

Now in its third year, the festival runs Oct. 2-Nov. 5, with fall menu items being offered at restaurants throughout the complex.

'Walking around the Space Center, we're going to have different space-related treats made by our gourmet chefs here," Melnick said.

Fall bites

Visitor Complex sous chef Israel Arroyo is one of the masterminds behind the dishes being served through October as part of the event.

"It's a seasonal-based menu, and obviously with it being fall time, that's what we focus around and kind of run with it from there," he said.

Many of the desserts are pumpkin-based. There's a pumpkin Bundt cake with caramel topping, as well as a pumpkin spice dulce de leche. There's also a very autumnal apple spice cupcake.

"For our main dishes, we have Brussels sprouts with bacon and cranberry," Arroyo said. "We have a salad with corn, bean and arugula. We have a pretzel bun sandwich with bacon, arugula, gouda cheese. You can kind of see the theme with fall-based stuff.

"And then we have some sweet potato puffs with maple butter and bacon, and we also have a whole sweet potato with maple butter and bacon."

Another dish that's sure to be a hit is the Walking Taco.

"It's kind of a Southern thing," he said. "It's a Doritos bag with chili, cheese and jalapenos in it."

If you can only try one dish during your KSC visit, Arroyo recommends the Brussels sprouts.

"It's kind of got a little bit of everything that we're trying to pull together with the menu," he said. "It's got the roasted Brussels sprouts. It's got parmesan cheese. It's got bacon. It's got cranberries. It's got pecans. So it covers all the bases as far as fall-based flavors."

Marstini Shake-Off

For those who want an extra Taste of Space this fall, two events are planned to give guests the opportunity to mingle with astronauts, meet local mixologists and watch celebrity chefs.

The Taste of Space: Marstini Shake-Off is from 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 6 inside Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex.

The evening features flavors of the season at food stations and an opportunity for guests to mingle with veteran astronauts Scott Altman, Chris Ferguson and Anthony "Tony" Antonelli.

The main event will be the Marstini Shake-Off, with bartenders from Playalinda Brewing Company: Brix Project and The Space Bar in Titusville; Jack & Harry’s on Merritt Island; Lourdes Library in the Eau Gallie Arts District, 28 North Gastropub in Viera and The Alibi Cocktails & Bites in Cocoa Beach creating their versions of the perfect Marstini.

Guests can sample drinks and then vote for their favorites. Tickets for the Taste of Space Marstini Shake-Off are $159, plus tax, and are available for purchase online at kennedyspacecenter.com.

Celebrity Chef dinner

Taste of Space comes to a delicious end in November with a star-studded evening of celebrity chefs and astronauts.

Taste of Space: Celebrity Chef Edition, from 6-8:30 p.m. Nov. 3, pairs astronauts with celebrity chefs for dinner and cooking demos.

Chef Jon Ashton, who has appeared frequently on "The Today Show" and "The Tonight Show," will serve as host for the evening. Chefs Duff Goldman and Esther Choi will be joined by veteran astronauts Melnick, Anna Fisher and Scott Altman as they share cooking demonstrations.

"I'll be helping cook," Melnick said. "We're going to whip up some great meals and have a great time here."

This is Goldman's second year at Taste of Space: Celebrity Edition. He is known for his Food Network shows "Ace of Cakes," "Kids Baking Championship" and "Ace of Taste."

Choi is chef/owner of mŏkbar Brooklyn and mŏkbar in New York and chef/partner of Ms. Yoo, also in New York. She was the host of Eater’s video series “Kitchen Gadgets” and has appeared in numerous Food Network shows. She also guest-starred in HBO’s “Selena + Chef” with Selena Gomez and is a challenger chef and finalist in the Netflix show “Iron Chef: Quest for the Iron Legend.”

The evening includes samplings from the chefs' demonstration menus, two drink tickets, cash bar, astronaut photo opportunities, an event pin and a commemorative piece signed by the chefs and astronauts.

Tickets are $175, plus tax, available at kennedyspacecenter.com.

Bundle and get both

A Taste of Space Bundle Package is being offered this year, making it possible to attend the Marstini Shake-Off and Celebrity Chef Edition events for a discounted price of $285.57 per person, plus tax. The Taste of Space Bundle Package can be purchased online at kennedyspacecenter.com/info/tickets#SpecialEvents.

On the menu

The Taste of Space dishes will be available at dining spots throughout the Visitor Complex. The cost of the special dishes varies, and the dishes and locations where they are served are subject to change.

Admission to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex starts at $60.99. There is an additional fee for Chat with an Astronaut.

Here's a sampling of what you'll find at Taste of Space: Fall Bites.

Space Bowl Bistro:

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Pecans, Parmesan and Applewood Bacon

• Fire-Roasted Peppers, Onions, Corn, and Black Bean Salad with Arugula

• Pumpkin Spice Dulce de Leche

Milky Way:

• Fried Apple Pie with Cinnamon and Sugar with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

• Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Orbit Cafe:

• Cranberry, Arugula, Gouda and Applewood Bacon on a Pretzel Bun

• Loaded Sweet Potato Topped with Maple Cinnamon Butter and Applewood Bacon

Red Rock Grill:

• Walking Taco with Chili, Cheese and Jalapeño

• Sweet Potato Tots with Maple Cinnamon Butter and Applewood Bacon 

Moon Rock Cafe:

• Fire-Roasted Peppers, Onions, Corn, and Black Bean Salad with Arugula

• Turkey Brie Wrap with Arugula and Cranberry Mayonnaise

Chat with an Astronaut:

• Chicken Wings

• Meatball Sliders with Marinara 

• Slow-Roasted Cranberry Pork "Wings"

Suzy Fleming Leonard is a features journalist with more than three decades of experience. Reach her at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard. 

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: 'Taste of Space: Fall Bites' set to blast off at Kennedy Space Center