Old Weather Forum
Shore Leave => Dockside Cafe => Topic started by: Helen J on 06 September 2012, 10:40:16
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I've had an idea ... What about the OW cooking
challenge? Contestants are given a list of 'provisions received'
from one of our ships and have to come up with something nutritious and
delicious - or failing that, at least edible.
To start off -
Britomart has just received 44 lbs of meat, 2 sheep, 100 lbs of onions,
100lbs of pumpkins (I think - take a look at the page below), and 78 lbs
bread. Any suitable recipes?
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-36251/ADM%2053-36251-014_0.jpg
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Beef stew, pumpkin summer pudding and a woolly jumper or two!!! Easy!!
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You have a place on the first programme! And we can add a
craft element to the cookery - that should ensure excellent ratings
.... :D
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" excellent ratings ".... :D
That's very funny - excellent ratings ;D ;D ;D ;D love the pun!
Just
checked the page - they may be corporially sorted - but they 'Rigged a
Church'...do we need to save their souls? ;D ;D ;D
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;D
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I was thinking beef stroganoff, shepherd's pie and pumpkin soup -
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You have a place too .... :D
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I can contribute some raw whale blubber from the Corwin. This is a
Chukchi delicacy and certain to please viewing audiences from the north.
Perhaps this could be featured in the second program?
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For the Ratings:
French Onion Soup, Rack of Lamb and meatloaf, with Pumpkin Pie for desert ;D
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I think I am the only one so far to finish with two live sheep. That must win extra points!!!
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Cheese ;)
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I think I am the only one so far to finish with two live sheep. That must win extra points!!!
I thought we had to use ALL the supplies! ::) I'll start a new protest group - 'SAVE THE SHEEP!' ;D ;D
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Well, Tegwen did use the sheep, but it was for woolly jumpers rather than stew - a win/win situation (especially from the sheeps' perspective!)
And
Joan - I don't think I'd ever seen Rigged Church before (and so I
transcribed it for the edited log) - I'm wondering whether they were
rigging awnings etc so they didn't get sunstroke while worshipping?
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Royal Navy in World War 2 --- NAVAL LIFE and CUSTOMS, Part 2
of 2 (http://www.naval-history.net/WW2aaNavalLife-Customs2.htm#7)
Church is Rigged on the Quarter-deck
Captain's
Rounds are over at last, however, then Church on the quarterdeck. First
the Roman Catholic and United Board Church Parties land to attend their
own places of religion on shore, and only Church of England men remain
aboard. The Duty watch "rigs" Church by ranging rows and rows of mess
stools across the quarter-deck for the hands, and a couple of rows of
chairs. The carved lectern - the ship's carpenter made that in his spare
time - comes up from the Chapel, and a small table is draped with the
White Ensign. The ship's bell begins to toll as soon as Church is rigged
and, while the string section of the ship's band plays a voluntary, the
officers and men troop in singly and in groups. Church aboard a warship
is "voluntary" - but all are expected to attend! The Service is short
and simple - a few hymns, a few well-known prayers, a psalm, maybe, with
the band accompanying; the Captain reads a lesson, the Chaplain
delivers a very short sermon, another hymn, another prayer, the National
Anthem - and all is over. The Chaplain, hands deep in the sleeves of
his surplice, passes alone down the centre of the standing ship's
company; a pause and the Captain follows him, turning to say "Pipe Down,
Commander" to the "bloke" as he passes. The Commander nods and the
officers troop out, then the Chiefs and Petty Officers. "Pipe Down,"
orders the Commander. "Duty Part Unrig Church" - and the routine of the
day is over.
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Well...I've learnt a lot there....you chuckle at these things - then they turn out to be completely true. :o :o 8) 8) 8)
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Thanks Randi - obviously one of those things which actually happened
very regularly, but just didn't get mentioned in the logs all that
often. I'll link to that explanation from the log so anyone else
who wonders what's going on can find out.
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My father used to refer to non-conformists as 'left footers'. He
said that when assembled for a CofE service those not wishing to join in
would be asked to take a pace backwards, starting with their left
foot. They then stood there during the service but, because they
were not in line they had registered their non-participation. At the end
of the service they would be moved into line before marching off. Mind
you, he was only at shore bases (he boasted that he went to sea for an
afternoon when he blagged himself on board a ship doing harbour
trials!).
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44 lbs of meat, 2 sheep, 100 lbs of onions, 100lbs of pumpkins
(I think - take a look at the page below), and 78 lbs bread
Pumpkin soup for sure - excellent chow.
On
Saturdays we used to have lamb chops with onion sauce. You could use
the bread to make the sauce with the onions (you'd need to milk the
sheep before dis-assembling them though ::)).
I used to do a
savoury mince loaf - tasty mince put into a loaf (you lop the top off
the loaf and take out the bread in the middle then spread the inside
with a little bit of butter before baking to a crispy finish - the
middle of the loaf goes into a bread and butter pudding. I'd reckon that
you could mash the bread and pumpkin to make quite a tasty pud. Is it
like those TV progs where there's standard goods on the shelf (like
sugar) that you can use anyway? I hope so... ;D ;D ;D
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Yes, I think we'd need to allow some (pretty basic) basics, of the
sort which they would stock up with before leaving home. Your
savoury mince loaf sounds delicious - though I'm not sure a mincing
machine is standard naval issue. I've never seen one going
overboard, and most things turn up in those lists eventually ...
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Chef: Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen
This recipe is courtesy of the website www.southburnett.net
Pumpkin Scones
Degree of difficulty: Low (If a Queenslander can do it, anybody can) ;D
You need:
1 Tblsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin (cold)
2 cups Self raising flour
Method:
Beat together butter, sugar and salt with electric mixer.
Add egg, then pumpkin and stir in the flour.
Turn on to floured board and cut.
Place in tray on top shelf of very hot oven 225-250c for 15-20 minutes.
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Since it is fall, and one can't start to early practicing for
Thanksgiving ;D , a pumpkin pie recipe from The Source for
southern cooks - The Southern Living Cookbook:
2 cups cooked, mashed pumpkin
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 unbaked 10 inch pie shell
Whipped cream (it says this is optional, but PLEASE!), sweetened.
Combine
pumpkin, brown sugar, butter, egg yolks, spices and salt in a large
mixing bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add evaporated milk,
beat just until blended. Beat egg whites (at room temperature -
very important) until foamy; gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a
time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into pumpkin
mixture. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees F
for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees F or until set.
Cool. Top with dollops of whipped cream.
I don't
care for pumpkin pie, but this recipe is fantastic. You can use
this to make Sweet Potato Pie too - just substitute out the pumpkin.
If any tries this, let me know what you think.
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OK, here's a new challenge, just provided to Britomart in
Muscat. An interestingly cosmopolitan collection of ingredients -
perhaps explained by the fact that they've just had a number of
'Lascars' joined the ship. Lamb curry has to be high on the list
...
Provisions received: 46 lbs fresh meat; 13 sheep; 1064 lbs rice; 312 lbs dhal; 92 lbs bread; 120 lbs ghee; 45lbs curry stuff.
2 days later we have 8 chillis to add to the ingredients ...
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-36253/ADM%2053-36253-006_1.jpg
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If the chillies are 'birds eye' or 'scotch bonnets' 8 is more than enough for those quantities...ouch :o
Curry
galore! Would we be allowed to have a few window boxes for some
fresh coriander leaves, please? (I'm prepared for a 'no').
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I'm not sure window boxes are possible (lack of window sills on
board ship), but I'm sure there are some quiet corners of the deck where
a tub or two could find a home. I expect naval cooks had to be
pretty good at improvising, and getting hold of whatever extras they
could.
This is all making me wonder about the ethnic make-up of the crew - another whole area for research coming on!
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That's a very good question/thought.
Were the cooks native - how
did the chef learn about curry? Though kedgeree has been around a long
time in the English breakfast menu. Hmmmm.
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Haven't found any answers yet (though I have a vague memory of a
reference to 'native cooks' somewhere some time ...) - but here's
another question. Can anyone work out what they received at 5am
from the contractor? It gets repeated under 'provisions received'
so I'm assuming it's something edible, but the only thing I can think of
is 'trifle' which I don't think is right!
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-36253/ADM%2053-36253-012_1.jpg
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Hi Helenj,
That first letter is an 'H' not a T...looks like Heifers
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yes - heifers - it's in with the meat/veg/bread log...I notice 'fodder' there too.
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Thank you! I was swithering between 'h' and 't' as the initial
letter - they're sometimes rather interchangeable in this
handwriting. That adds some new possibilities to the cooking
competition .... I'd noticed fodder, but I thought it might be for
some surviving sheep.
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Aren't there some dishes that you cook with straw??? -must look it up. :-\ :D
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You could always make a hay box which is a sort of eco-friendly slow
cooker. Bring the casserole or stew up to temperature in an oven, add
to hay box and let it stew in its own (heated) juices.
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How about a menu of mutton stewed in dahl; curried beef over rice; and bread toasted with garlic and ghee.
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You
could always make a hay box which is a sort of eco-friendly slow
cooker. Bring the casserole or stew up to temperature in an oven, add to
hay box and let it stew in its own (heated) juices.
Oooo yes Su - and that would be perfect for tougher cuts.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox
You
could always make a hay box which is a sort of eco-friendly slow
cooker. Bring the casserole or stew up to temperature in an oven, add to
hay box and let it stew in its own (heated) juices.
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I'm going to have to quit this post line! I'm gaining weight just reading it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;D
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How about a menu of mutton stewed in dahl; curried beef over rice; and bread toasted with garlic and ghee.
MMM
- sounds delicious. Not exactly the most balanced meal (totally
lacking in any of our five a day - does your government keep haranguing
you about eating at least five portions a day of fruit and veg?) but
very tempting.
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Yep - five a day this, five a day that; do you have enough B
vitamins, are you synthesizing enough Vitamin D? Are you getting
enough calcium? People are eating so much fruit that specialist tooth
enamel-hardening toothpaste is now on the shelves ( :o). I shan't
mention the damage that all the worry of what we are eating is doing to
our gastric linings...ahem!. ;)
Do you know - in ancient
Rome there were riots over the cost of cabbages. Each Roman saw it as
their right to be able to afford half a cabbage a day because it is so
medicinal. Good - well - there you go then. :P
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haybox
You
could always make a hay box which is a sort of eco-friendly slow
cooker. Bring the casserole or stew up to temperature in an oven, add to
hay box and let it stew in its own (heated) juices.
Yes - that's the thing! ;D
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And we've recently had some more hay delivered (along with bullocks and heifers).
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a mixture of bullock and heifers sounds like a disaster in the making. :o :o :o ::)
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I suspect they may not have stayed alive long enough to cause problems .... sadly :(
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oh. hmmm.
Black pudding back on for breakfast then :'( :'( :'(
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Looks like it - they've just hoisted on board (first time I've seen
that) 6 more bullocks and 2 more heifers, along with more fodder.
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Well- taking it seriously, and recalling what the Pastores in
the Picos de Europa (central N Spanish coastline) used to do to manage
the pressure of animals on the local terrain...it could be bullocks for
meat and heifers for milk? :-\
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Arent heifers usually female cows that havent produced a calf yet?
Therefore, unless they are in calf and they intend to calve them then
keep them for milk that seems unlikely. However, why sailors would
differentiate if they are all just meat animals is also a mystery. Also
of course, being sailors rather than farmers they may use the word
heifer incorrectly for milk cows. Who knows.
Farmers wouldnt know a sheep bend from a bowline and I guess a sailor wouldnt know a heifer from a cow.
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I think you might be onto something there, because we've just
received some more fodder, without any more animals, so that would imply
that some were being kept alive e.g for milk. It might well be
that sailors aren't very good at farming jargon ...
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My mind is very amused by the whole idea. A whole new type of sea-cow. ;D ;D ;D
Hey - they could make cheese! Something else to cook with... ;D
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where are the cookies?
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They got a whole lot of sugar recently, so they might be possible ....
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I wonder what they used for toothpaste? :-\
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Possibly salt? We've recently received a consignment of that
too. Or perhaps it was one of the things which got issued along
with soap and tobacco - though I've never seen it mentioned.
I'm
definitely getting obsessed with the food - my latest wondering is how
on earth they managed to receive many lbs of bread, while sailing around
the Gulf all day and night and not meeting anyone?
Still,
wondering about that makes a nice change from trying to discern where on
earth we are - the log keeper is quite good at putting the names of the
places between which they're sailing (though a lot of the names have
changed of course, and his writing isn't wonderful) but he has spells of
not bothering with lat/long at all. And he never does when we're
in port, so if it isn't somewhere I've already got on my list, I have to
go hunting. It makes editing very very slow. On the bright
side I'm gaining a fairly encyclopaedic knowledge of ports in the Gulf,
should I ever need it .... :D
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Well -given the general area they are in I'm tempted to suggest
manna from heaven. Then perhaps I'm a bit miffed for the supply ships
who don't get a mention..or perhaps they are dropping into ports on the
QT?? ::) I'm editing the Acacia who try their best to register
food - they do note a new supply and follow up with the occasional
mention - but then suddenly it's a stack of meat, no bread/veg; the next
time it's 300lb veg, 65lb bread and no mention of meat at all...very
strange :P ::) And not so much as a sniff of a cookie,
Kathy. ;)
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I always thought bread was baked on board ship -
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Agreed, it couldn't be otherwise could it? It goes off so fast... ::)
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Perhaps they received: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_tack ?
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I think it was Hampshire who was off to India and at one point had a
couple of destroyers with her. On several occasions she stopped
mid-ocean as it were and boats from the destroyers came over for
bread. So the bigger ships seemed to have had the galley space for
bread-making but not necessarily the smaller ones.
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Perhaps they received: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_tack ?
'At
the time of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the daily allowance on board a
Royal Navy ship was 1lb of biscuit plus 1 gallon of beer'
Oh dear -
1lb biscuit and 1 gallon of beer (small beer no doubt - but beer). They
must have been so bloated...makes me feel ill just thinking about it...
:P :(
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I always thought bread was baked on board ship -
Yes,
I'd always rather assumed that certainly while they were at sea that's
how it happened - but why would they then record it as 'provisions
received'? Yet another occasion for a quick Tardis trip to find
out what's really going on and ask them to please be so kind as to
record things clearly and unambiguously!
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Hmmm - I think you're right - the other thought I have is - how well
did beer stay in one piece aboard ship? - or did they
brew-along-the-way...Keith!!! - your expertise is required! ;)
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Thanks for the question Joan, do you want the short answer of the
full 3 hour diatribe? Seriously beer did very well, providing it was
brewed fairly strong, say over 6% alcohol and by a brewery that knew
what they were doing. In those days the beers werent sterile and werent
pasteurised, but the mixture of bacteria and yeasts reached a stable
state, where the beer could keep for quite some time. We probably
wouldnt like it these days as it would have been cloudy and probably
more acidic than we are used to, but drinkable. India pale ale was
developed for export to India on sailing ships in the early days of the
raj. That was always high strength and very heavily hopped, as hops are
an antiseptic, so reduce the growth of the acid bacteria. That was so
that the beer would keep even in the warm temperatures of India. Some
beer did go off. That is where the word ropey, meaning poor or rough
came from. There is a particular bacterium that grows in beer,
particularly weaker, low hopped ones, that produces so much
extracellular polysaccharides that the beer goes thick and seems to have
almost strings in it. I have only seen it once and it was most
impressive. Hope this is enough for now, happy to expand further if
asked, but I suspect you already have too much information, so I will
shut up. K
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I'm glad I asked Keith - that's very interesting. Stringy beer -
count me out on the imbibing of extracellular polysaccharides in volume,
but cloudy and more acidic - I guess you just get a taste for these
things. And with the hops and alcohol it should be safe to drink as you
say. Didn't realize about the India Pale Ale - I just presumed that it
was made in India. You live and learn.. 8) 8)
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You are welcome Joan. I didnt taste the ropey beer the only time I
saw it, but being a microbiologist I did take a sample and isolated the
organism concerned. It did produce a very characteristic smell as well.
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This is all making me wonder about the ethnic make-up of the crew - another whole area for research coming on!
One
little clue to this question - they've just discharged 1 Goanese rating
to hospital, so there's definitely someone who would have been making
use of the ghee and curry stuffs.
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-36256/ADM%2053-36256-013_1.jpg
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I do so like IPA and also the Lava beer from Iceland.
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I'm normally a Canadian brew fan but I DO like a good Guinness!! ;D
There
was a brewery in Pennsylvania that brewed a beer called 'Olde
Frothingslosh' - the Pale, Stale, Ale with the Foam on the bottom so
that when you pour it in the glass the foam is in the right place!
:D Good Stuff!!!
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I'm normally a Canadian brew fan but I DO like a good Guinness!! ;D
There
was a brewery in Pennsylvania that brewed a beer called 'Olde
Frothingslosh' - the Pale, Stale, Ale with the Foam on the bottom so
that when you pour it in the glass the foam is in the right place!
:D Good Stuff!!!
dmaschen:
Olde Frothingslosh started out as a running joke on a local radio show in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regis_Cordic#Olde_Frothingslosh
John Dulak
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I'm normally a Canadian brew fan but I DO like a good Guinness!! ;D
There
was a brewery in Pennsylvania that brewed a beer called 'Olde
Frothingslosh' - the Pale, Stale, Ale with the Foam on the bottom so
that when you pour it in the glass the foam is in the right place!
:D Good Stuff!!!
dmaschen:
Olde Frothingslosh started out as a running joke on a local radio show in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regis_Cordic#Olde_Frothingslosh
John Dulak
Thanks
for the post, John! My dad was a Tech drinker and that was some
of my first beer. I thought the most 'interesting' labels were the
years they crowned Miss Frothingslosh and had the pictures on the
labels. Didn't know it was still available. I'll have to check the
next time we get to my wife's old home town down there.
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I always thought bread was baked on board ship -
Evidence
that it was - we've just had 2 bakers joined the ship, from HMS
Dalhousie. As I don't suppose they were employed making cupcakes,
they must have been making the bread.
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-36259/ADM%2053-36259-013_0.jpg
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I always thought bread was baked on board ship -
...I don't suppose they were employed making cupcakes, they must have been making the bread.
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ADM53-36259/ADM%2053-36259-013_0.jpg
Pity though - about the cupcakes... ;)
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I just rediscovered this one...
Contributions anyone?
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I assume this topic is for food and drink mentions in the logs?
If so, I can contribute all these receipts for eggs that the Concord has been getting.
Example: http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ow3/final/USS%20Concord/vol035of040/vol035of040_168_0.jpg
I
also remember leelaht posting the Vicksburg's menu a bunch of times,
but I'm too lazy to dig up all those posts and link to them here.
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Not for lists of items received, but for creative uses. See the beginning of this topic!
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Oh! And there was me trying to think up a recipe for this little lot :o ::) :-\ ;D ;D
Water Expd. 225 galls. on hand 22,874 gls
Pork " 1Bbl " 114 Bbls
Bread " 136.5 lbs " 30.145.5 lbs
Pickles " 39 lbs " 1670 lbs
Beans " 9.75 gls " 33 bushels
Vinegar " 9.75 gls " 292.5 gals
Whiskey " 4.25 gls " 667.5 gals
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Well, what have you come up with? ;D
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Oh! And there was me trying to think up a recipe for this little lot :o ::) :-\ ;D ;D
Water Expd. 225 galls. on hand 22,874 gls
Pork " 1Bbl " 114 Bbls
Bread " 136.5 lbs " 30.145.5 lbs
Pickles " 39 lbs " 1670 lbs
Beans " 9.75 gls " 33 bushels
Vinegar " 9.75 gls " 292.5 gals
Whiskey " 4.25 gls " 667.5 gals
Bacon sandwiches, beans on toast, served with pickles in vinegar - all washed down with the whiskey?
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Good start!
I like baked beans with bacon ;)
And, I would be happy to eat that on toast.
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I'd use that, with some tomato paste, to make some great pulled pork
bbq - beans and white bread on the side, with pickles... a meal I have
actually enjoyed several times!
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Well my dad made pickled pork once - can't recall how but it was super-yummy.
I
reckon the pickled pork mixed with the beans and served up with a huge
chunk of fresh bread would be pretty good (sadly I'm now veggie :(
)
Then a whiskey and water would go down well, though it would have to be mostly water these days ( :( :( )
Usefully
the Patterson just provided the following utensils: 1 meat fork; 3 cook
knives; 3 wooden spoons; 1 skimmer; 1 bx WR Crockery; 1 egg whip; 2
frying pans; 4 galv water pails; 1 Coffee pot; 1 Roasting pan; 1 doz
bread mould; 1 flour sieve (they also got 6 12ft long oars - perhaps
they like to stir their porridge on a grand scale? ;D )
http://oldweather.s3.amazonaws.com/ow3/final/USCS%20Patterson/Book%2035/IMG_8362_0.jpg March 27, 18(86)
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;D