Out of ideas for tonight's dinner? Why not try this gourmet meal once served at Café des Doughboys, a chain of eating establishments (such as shown above) located along the Western Front c. 1917–1919.
Menu
Goldfish Loaf
Bullets in a Pot
Fried Mush (Dessert)
Mess Sergeant's Java
As one who works with providing today's military personnel with their food, I can tell you that these choices wouldn't pass muster. At a basic level, today's combat rations (MREs - Meals Ready to Eat) come with 24 different main course choices. The Army Quartermaster School has an interesting article on the evolution of feeding combat troops.
ReplyDeleteTalking to an old Veteran of WW1 back in the '70s, he told me that he still, to that day, couldn't look Salmon in the face! He couldn't even stand the smell of canned Salmon. I feel the same way about Lima Beans, after the "Ham & Muthas" C-Rations of my day!
ReplyDeleteOn my first tour on active duty (Signal Officer, very junior, in central Alaska), the senior warrant officer made coffee every morning exactly as described above in a large stainless steel 60-cup pot. It kept the company officers and NCOs going through some long cold days.
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