Parks Canada Heritage Gourmet Recipes

Neutron Tang Pie

This pie is a bit unusual but our taste-testers gave it a thumbs-up! We even froze it and some of us preferred it this way.

Origin: Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site
Region: West (Alberta)
Period: 20^th Century - present
Course: Desserts and Baked Goods

Cosmic Ray station with truck parked outside Sulphur Mountain
© Parks Canada

Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station, the National Historic Site found atop Sulphur Mountain in Banff National Park, marks the spot where the National Research Council constructed a laboratory to study cosmic rays in 1957. The station, shown in the photo above, was operational until 1978 and dismantled in 1981. Although there is no direct connection between this recipe and the national historic site, Tang orange drink crystals have an association with space exploration and were famously used by some early NASA manned space flights. In 1962, when American astronaut John Glenn conducted eating experiments in orbit, Tang was selected for the menu. As well as being an integral beverage to the “Space Race” of the 1960s and 1970s, it was also a very popular household drink during this period.

Neutron Tang Pie

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup | 60 ml Tang orange drink powder
• 8 oz | 250 ml sour cream
• 12 oz | 350 ml 35% cream, whipped to firm peaks
• 1 cup | 250 ml sweetened condensed milk
• 2 graham cracker pie crusts (or mix 2.2 lbs | 1 kg graham cracker crumbs with ½ cup | 125 ml melted butter and line two 8” pie plates)
• As many neutrons as available
• Orange slice(s) for decorating

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Pour into the two prepared pie crusts and leave to set in the refrigerator overnight. Decorate with orange slices.

Credits:

Recipe tested by Chef Sean Edwards, Algonquin College School of Hospitality and Tourism