Logline
A shuttle accident leads to Spock’s Vulcan DNA being removed by aliens, making him fully human and completely unprepared to face T’Pring’s family during an important ceremonial dinner.
Written by Kathryn Lyn & Henry Alonso Myers
Directed by Jordan Canning
Whyyyy would Vulcan kitchens run cooler than starships? Vulcan is a desert planet and Vulcans as a species are accustomed to high temps – which is even obliquely referenced in the ep when Amanda says that a Vulcan wouldn’t even notice the heat from holding a boiling hot teapot barehanded. I would assume Vulcan kitchens to be higher temperature than even Vulcan living quarters, which should be higher than human-standard room temp. I can’t think of any legitimate reasons why a Vulcan kitchen would be cooler than Pike’s quarters at all, let alone so much cooler that it makes a manifest difference in fermentation rates.
The Last Unicorn Games Star Trek RPG Sourcebook The Way of Kolinahr posited that Vulcan food is more delicately flavoured than human food because of the species’ enhanced sense of taste. That’s why Tuvok found Neelix’s spiced up version of plomeek soup (VOY: “Faces”) not to his liking.
I’ve often thought that foods from tropical climes on Earth tend to be spicy because chili peppers are anti-microbial and so it keeps food edible for longer. Similarly, salt serves a preservation function in more temperate climes. But if neither of these options are available to Vulcans because they would find the flavour too intense, then Vulcan kitchens (and pantries) might be designed to be cooler rooms just to keep food fresher for longer.
Speaking of freshness, it seems to be a necessary part of Vulcan foods. In ENT: “Home” we are told that gespar, a Vulcan fruit, may not taste good if it isn’t fresh, and in this episode T’Pril complains the halak is not fresh (and salted). The emphasis on freshness may be borne out of a climate in which food spoils quicker.
