Summary
Gene Roddenberry’sStar Trekhas introduced viewers to many iconic alien races, from the logical Vulcans to the (sometimes) honorable Klingons. Fans have seen humanity, as part of the United Federation of Planets,travel out at warp speedto explore the cosmos.
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Boldly going where no one has gone before doesn’t just mean meeting alien races (and sometimes hooking up with them), but also sampling the weird and wonderful food and drink produced around the galaxy. From bland soups to illegal ales, theStar Trekuniverse offers something for even the most discerning set of taste buds.
8Tribbles
Tucking into Tribble fillet sounds like a good way to cough up a hairball, but the rodents were originally intended to serve as a food source. TheShort Treksepisode “The Trouble with Edward” shows the titular scientist genetically engineering the species aboard the USSCabot, against the orders of the starship’s captain. Edward goes so far as to incorporate his own DNA into the Tribbles.
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His efforts result in theCabot’s destruction when the Tribble population rapidly grows, stressing the starship’s hull. Ironically, these voracious creatures would gain a reputation as consumers of food, rather than providers—hencethe Klingon dislike for the Tribbles.
7Denobulan Sausage
Denobulan sausage is, thankfully, not made from one of humanity’sfirst friends in the Alpha Quadrant. Instead, it hails from the same planet, Denobula, and is considered a delicacy by the world’s twelve billion inhabitants.
Doctor Phlox, a Denobulan who serves aboard theEnterpriseNX-01, enjoys the pinkish sausage when it is served to him in the episode “The Seventh.” The sausage, garnished with vegetables, is specially prepared by the starship’s chef and appears to be consumed like Earth-based charcuterie. Phlox’s dining partners stick to food from Earth, however, perhaps suggesting that Denobulan sausage is not to everyone’s taste.
6Plomeek Soup
Although it has not yet appeared on-screen,plomeekis a plant native to Vulcan that serves as an ingredient in many Vulcan recipes. Bothplomeeksoup andplomeektea have appeared or been referenced in differentStar Trekshows, with the former being a popular breakfast choice aboard theEnterpriseNX-01. It can be assumed thatplomeeksoup is entirely plant-based, as Vulcans do not eat meat.
Plomeeksoup was considered overly bland by Neelix, who worked as the USSVoyager’s chef when the ship wasstranded in the Delta Quadrant. To remedy this, Neelix chose to make the recipe more zesty, resulting inplomeeksoup a la Neelix.Voyager’s resident Vulcan, Tukov, was unimpressed by the alteration.
5Jumja Stick
The mostly static location ofStar Trek: Deep Space Ninefacilitated a deep dive into Bajoran culture. Fans learned about the lives of Bajorans underthe brutal Cardassian Occupation, as well as the religion that gave them the strength to persevere. With such a troubled past, it’s unsurprising that some Bajorans might choose to indulge in a sweet treat.
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The Jumja stick is a lollypop-like confection produced from the sap of a native plant. This sap gives the candy a sugary taste. While the flavor is unpalatable to some, Jumja sticks are popular with a number of other species, including Ferengi and Romulans, and many different variants are sold at a stall on Deep Space Nine’s Promenade.
4Raktajino
There are many differences between our time andRoddenberry’s utopian visionof the future. One thing that remains true, however, is that coffee remains vital for keeping people productive. Captain Janeway credits the beverage for helping her to outwit the Borg, and even the Earl Grey-loving Captain Picard frequently takes coffee with his morning croissant.
Klingon coffee, or Raktajino, is the beverage of choice aboard Deep Space Nine. The drink, which can be served either warm or iced, is stronger than coffee from Earth. Jadzia Dax, DS9’s science officer, complains that drinking too much keeps her up at night; a non-caffeinated variety is pioneered by Quark, although the resulting concoction is dismissed as being undrinkable.
3Slug-O-Cola
The avaricious Ferengi Allianceis no stranger to unusual culinary customs, as it is typical for the female to chew up her mate’s food for him. However, even among a mostly bug-based diet, Slug-o-Cola (allegedly the galaxy’s slimiest drink) stands out.
This algae-based beverage may offer zero nutritional value, but it remains the most popular Ferengi soda and even made a recent cameo inStar Trek: Picard. Slug-o-Cola even becomes the focus of an alien power struggle, with a pre-women’s rights faction of Ferengi arguing that marketing the drink to females will give the drink the edge over its competitor,Eelwasser.
2Gakh
The Klingons are dedicated to a grungy aesthetic, fromtheir grimy bridgesto their warrior code. Klingon cuisine is no exception to this pattern, featuring a wide range of disgusting-sounding foods. Targ heart, bregit lung, Rokeg blood pie—small wonder that Commander Riker initially struggles when assigned to a Klingon vessel in the episode “A Matter of Honor.”
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Riker’s greatest challenge is the still wriggling Klingon worms,Gagh. Although Riker eventually became acclimatized to the bizarre foodstuff, it is rarely eaten in non-Klingon diets. Even the well-traveled Ezri Dax states that it is better to flushGaghout of an airlock than to eat it, suggesting that the worm-based meal is a truly acquired taste.
1Romulan Ale
The blue Romulan ale is a beverage so highly prized that even Starfleet’s finest are willing to bend the law to obtain it. When Doctor McCoy visits Admiral Kirk to celebrate the latter’s birthday inStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the medical officer brings a bottle of Romulan ale as a gift. He explains that he is able to smuggle the interdicted alcoholacross the Neutral Zonebecause of its medicinal uses.
The Federation embargo on Romulan ale is later lifted due to the anti-Dominion alliance between the two powers. However, it may have been banned for reasons other than politics, as even Klingons like Worf find the drink highly intoxicating. The post-war legality of Romulan ale remains unclear, but one thing is certain: no matter the law, characters will always find a way to get hold of a glass.
