A Farm On A Plane

Aug 102014

By Denise Mattia

After almost two hours of sitting at the gate in a plane, the apologetic captain announced that there’d been a storm in the Atlantic heading east, which held up takeoff. He said we’d move to the airstrip, where we’d be 35^th in line to take off. A three-hour trip was about to become eight. The rumbling from passengers sounded more like hunger pangs than anger.

Still, I was prepared. Years ago, when meals were eliminated from most flights, I followed my European grandparents’ methods of travel by bringing my favorite edibles packed in a neat little lunch bag. For this flight, I brought Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Puffs, cookies and a sandwich I’d made from their Stone Baked, Multi-Grain bread.

Munching on the cheddar Goldfish Puffs took the boredom out of waiting to get into the air. And I didn’t have to feel guilty. They’re baked without artificial preservatives and are gluten free.

After reaching 30,000 feet the flight attendants began to look frazzled as they ran back to the galley repeatedly for the dwindling supply of box meals. I brought out my sandwich, devoured it with gusto and settled in for the duration of the flight.

With a little more than an hour before landing I grabbed a Ginger cookie from my stash and asked for coffee. The cookies travel well and, containing less than 35 calories each, one was all I needed to kick start the landing and customs procedure. There’ll be more Goldfish and the Ginger Family waiting for me to nibble on when I check into the hotel . . . finally.

About Denise Mattia

A writer and photographer, Denise Mattia’s works are published nationally and internationally and include all aspects of leisure travel: art , culture, resorts, spas, food and wine and sports’ activities. She's the founder of the soon to be launched Yum-Yum-Traveler, a site devoted to reviewing restaurants in addition to her travel articles from around the world. She lives and works in Manhattan, where she was born.