Field rations of the world

[Rick]

3 hours ago, R011 said:

In Quartered Safe Out Here, George Macdonald Fraser talks of making loose leaf tea.

Have to re-read that book. For my understanding, a British soldier in a campaign from Victorian times to W.W.2. would put some whole or chopped up tea leaves in a kettle of hot water, brew it for so long, then pour while straining it?

[Rick]

6 hours ago, bojan said:

Instant?

Correct. To be honest, I have never heard of anyone in the U.S. using it. A favorite is to "sun-brew" a few teabags during a summer afternoon for at least a few hours, add desired amount of sugar, then refrigerate. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by Rick

[bojan]

8 hours ago, DB said:

The depths to which some will descend.

Rations, those things are usually eaten by, as one Englishman put "Not the most civilized of the people".

For a ration I would take instant over leaves/bag, for a simple reason I don't have to boil water to prepare it, and also don't have to wait for hours to get a cold brew.

Long, long time ago ('80s...), there was an excellent instant tea in the local rations, IDK who made it, but that stuff was almost as good as a real deal black tea. No sweeteners, no added flavors, just a strong black tea*. Father, who drank only a coffee, always brought it from the yearly reservists exercise. I have always tried to find which one it was, but all instants I have tried were not even close.  There was also another one, straight Milton lemon flavored instant tea copy that was of the much lesser quality.

*Soldiers most often used lemon/orange flavored candy as a sweetener.

[R011]

6 hours ago, Rick said:

Have to re-read that book. For my understanding, a British soldier in a campaign from Victorian times to W.W.2. would put some whole or chopped up tea leaves in a kettle of hot water, brew it for so long, then pour while straining it?

Pretty much.  A pot or some kind of metal container of water rather than a proper kettle and teapot.  You heat the water just short of boiling first, then put the tea in and let it steep a couple of minutes off the flame. Fraser claims he was very good at brewing the section's tea.  

I don't recall if Fraser had to do it, but when tea was short, they'd reuse tea leaves if they had to.

[R011]

4 hours ago, bojan said:

Rations, those things are usually eaten by, as one Englishman put "Not the most civilized of the people".

For a ration I would take instant over leaves/bag, for a simple reason I don't have to boil water to prepare it, and also don't have to wait for hours to get a cold brew.

Long, long time ago ('80s...), there was an excellent instant tea in the local rations, IDK who made it, but that stuff was almost as good as a real deal black tea. No sweeteners, no added flavors, just a strong black tea*. Father, who drank only a coffee, always brought it from the yearly reservists exercise. I have always tried to find which one it was, but all instants I have tried were not even close.  There was also another one, straight Milton lemon flavored instant tea copy that was of the much lesser quality.

*Soldiers most often used lemon/orange flavored candy as a sweetener.

If we couldn't get hot water, we wouldn't bother with tea.  We had powdered fruit flavoured beverage as well as tea bags and instant coffee.  There's more variety and better packaging now, but Canadian "Individual Meal Pack" rations are much like they've been for forty years.

Mind you, jeeps carried camping stoves and AFVs had boiling vessels, so we almost always could have hot water.

[bojan]

Fruit drinks are OK, but don't have caffeine like coffee and tea do.

 

[DB]

I've said before, but in cadet years, the best drink after a day running around in an old pattern uniform carrying a rifle (and shouting "bang") was hit, sweet milky army tea served from a Burco.

I suspect they had a high caffeine blend.

[Harold Jones]

I remember Geoff used to wax nostalgic about compo tea.  This page talks about it.  https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/equipment/personal/rations.htm

Quote

But, unquestionably, the feature of Compo rations destined to be remembered beyond all others is Compo tea: tea made from tea leaves already mixed with powdered milk and powdered sugar.  Directions say to "sprinkle powder on heated water and bring to the boil, stirring well, three heaped teaspoons to one pint of water."

Every possible variation in the preparation of this tea (was) tried, but...it always (ended) up the same way.  While still too hot to drink, it is a good-looking cup of strong tea.  Even when it becomes just cool enough to be sipped gingerly, it is still a good-tasting cup of tea, if you like your tea strong and sweet.   But let it cool enough to be quaffed and enjoyed, and your lips will be coated with a sticky scum that forms across the surface, which if left undisturbed will become a leathery membrane that can be wound around your finger and flipped away...

 

[bojan]

Quote

...your lips will be coated with a sticky scum that forms across the surface, which if left undisturbed will become a leathery membrane that can be wound around your finger and flipped away...

That is a milk fat. IOW, before emulsifiers and back when 5% fat milk was used instead of no-fat shit that is used today.

*It also happens when you boil (real) milk and let it cool. If you collect it, salt it and let it stay for a while you can get this goodness: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaymak

[DKTanker]

On 1/2/2022 at 10:52 PM, R011 said:

If we couldn't get hot water, we wouldn't bother with tea.  We had powdered fruit flavoured beverage as well as tea bags and instant coffee.  There's more variety and better packaging now, but Canadian "Individual Meal Pack" rations are much like they've been for forty years.

Mind you, jeeps carried camping stoves and AFVs had boiling vessels, so we almost always could have hot water.

September 1982, during one of the REFORGER exercises, my platoon leader and I were attached to a Canadian tank company as observers.  What we observed was that their ration truck was filled with crates of fresh eggs, with hams and various types of sausages hanging from the bows.  From each tank crew a representative lined up to receive their crew's morning rations.  The "war" was put on temporary hold that morning to the smell of frying bacon and eggs wafting from the turret tops of the several tanks.  My LT and I had cold C-rations.

[DKTanker]

On 1/2/2022 at 3:44 PM, Rick said:

Have to re-read that book. For my understanding, a British soldier in a campaign from Victorian times to W.W.2. would put some whole or chopped up tea leaves in a kettle of hot water, brew it for so long, then pour while straining it?

Our cooks used to make coffee in a similar fashion, into at least the 1980s.  Instead of straining out the grounds they would pour in some cold water.  The cold water would quickly sink to the bottom of the vessel taking the coffee grounds with it, thus relatively "filtered" coffee could be ladled out from the top.

[R011]

1 hour ago, DKTanker said:

September 1982, during one of the REFORGER exercises, my platoon leader and I were attached to a Canadian tank company as observers.  What we observed was that their ration truck was filled with crates of fresh eggs, with hams and various types of sausages hanging from the bows.  From each tank crew a representative lined up to receive their crew's morning rations.  The "war" was put on temporary hold that morning to the smell of frying bacon and eggs wafting from the turret tops of the several tanks.  My LT and I had cold C-rations.

There also used to be plenty of room for beer.  I'm told a case of 24 fi perfectly under the driver's seat of a Centurion and squadrons usually had a canteen truck following close behind. 

Probably easier to do in Germany than Afghanistan, though and they stared betting a lot less tolerant of alcohol consumption by the late eighties.  

[Ivanhoe]

In the US, one must be careful talking about tea, teabags, and balls. 😄

20+ years ago I has something like this;

At that time, I could buy decent quality loose tea in the supermarket*. Specifically Twinings brand, IIRC. Don't see it in my current AO. If I wanted it badly enough it can be mailordered. But these days my addictions are Columbian and Sumatran in nature.

* not sure why coastal Virginia would have such for sale. I do know that the presence of a USAF base meant lots of German and Engrish brides post-war.

[DB]

Yes, those tea balls are an option. The whole loose-leaf tea thing has pretty much died out along with the teapot in my experience, at least domestically. You will still be served with tea in a pot in the finer dining locations, where afternoon tea is a small bit of theatre to go with fine china and a plate of scones with jam and clotted cream.

Just don't start the argument as to whether the cream or the jam goes on first.

I don't think the US does clotted cream much, if at all.

[Rick]

On 1/15/2022 at 1:21 PM, Ivanhoe said:

In the US, one must be careful talking about tea, teabags, and balls. 😄

20+ years ago I has something like this;

At that time, I could buy decent quality loose tea in the supermarket*. Specifically Twinings brand, IIRC. Don't see it in my current AO. If I wanted it badly enough it can be mailordered. But these days my addictions are Columbian and Sumatran in nature.

* not sure why coastal Virginia would have such for sale. I do know that the presence of a USAF base meant lots of German and Engrish brides post-war.

They do make a good container for mulling spices in whatever you like, such as apple cider.

[Harold Jones]

During ODS when we had hot chow, it frequently came with a large container of hot water and a box of tea bags, usually Twinnings.  When chow was over Top gave the box to whoever wanted it.  It made a nice change/addition to MRE coffee.

Edited January 18, 2022 by Harold Jones

[bojan]

13 hours ago, Harold Jones said:

...It made a nice change/addition to MRE coffee.

OTOH, battery acid would also be a nice change from the US MRE coffee (at least late 1990s one).  First time I have tried it I have actually thought it has gone bad, alas no, that was it's "flavor".

Edited January 19, 2022 by bojan

[Rick]

1 hour ago, bojan said:

OTOH, battery acid would also be a nice change from the US MRE coffee (at least late 1990s one).  First time I have tried it I have actually thought it has gone bad, alas no, that was it's "flavor".

The "apple cider" is worse.

[bojan]

When I was in the mountain hiking/climbing craze in late '90s/early 2000s I would buy surplus army rations* on a local market, you had plenty of them available, usually brought from Bosnia or Kosovo. They were cheapest "instant food" you could get for hiking, which for me, student at that time was pretty important thing. So a first time I have seen US MRE I got it. Mistake. I remember that main was something with eggs, but other than yellow color there was no other connection to the eggs. Sweets were OK, but forgettable. Coffee - horror. Plastic spoon was great, but I already had full local mess kit with metal knife, fork and spoon.

*Best one you could get was German, worst one (oh the sweet irony...) - Hungarian. Russian (from the '90s...) and Czech were upper half of  of the quality, and that says all you can say about quality of the military "food".  Oh, French one was good, but portions were pathetically small and price always higher than other.

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2022 by bojan

[Harold Jones]

6 hours ago, bojan said:

OTOH, battery acid would also be a nice change from the US MRE coffee (at least late 1990s one).  First time I have tried it I have actually thought it has gone bad, alas no, that was it's "flavor".

We usually mixed a couple packets of coffee powder with a packet of cocoa powder and a couple of the powdered "creamer" some people would add a sugar packet or two as well. It was cooked in a canteen cup over the tank exhaust.  It wasn't the best cup of coffee but it delivered a sufficient dose of caffeine and sugar.  At some point commercial instant coffee started showing up instead of the generic powdered version.  I don't know whether it was better or worse since we drank it the same way.

[bojan]

On the summer day, I like cold cup of coffee (cold brew or instant...) in the morning. So cocoa or sugar were no go. In the end I have found out that it is better to bring your own coffee, no matter what. 

One thing about US MRE - it was most practical ration of all, due it being single meal, as I usually started early morning after breakfast and went to a civilization for a dinner. Which was probably a reason I was initially so happy to get it. Alas...

 

 

[Harold Jones]

The proper way to eat the egg mre option was dowse it in hot sauce. The introduction of mini bottles of Tabasco to MREs was greeted with much rejoicing.

[Tim Sielbeck]

On 1/19/2022 at 7:19 PM, Harold Jones said:

The proper way to eat the egg mre option was dowse it in hot sauce. The introduction of mini bottles of Tabasco to MREs was greeted with much rejoicing.

That was true for the C-ration version (and the eggs brought out in the hot food carriers) as well.  we were never issued Tabasco with our meals but many were pilfered from the mess halls to be used in the field.

[Rick]

The Marines would light and burn the peanut butter that came with C-rats to help heat food up. Some did not like the obnoxious, acrid smell of those heat tablets. 

[sunday]

Mentions of how tea should be drank in this thread intringued me, so I went and bought some big leaf tea in pouches, and proceeded to brew it according to instructions found in the web. Basically, to not steep the leaves too much time. I could not say that I've exposed to a sophisticated tea culture, so the tea I had around here was cheap one in pouches, quite bitter.

Well, with a more normal steeping time of around 3-5 minutes, the difference is remarkable, more like the tea I have had abroad, then went and bought loose leaf tea... Oh boy! That is a whole different beverage, not bitter at all.

In the meanwhile I found some about the Chinese-style called Gong Fu, that uses more weight of leaves per unit of water, but with much shorter brewing times. I had read something about the difference between the Chinese "green" teas, and the Indian "black" ones, basically on James Clavell's "Tai-Pan" novel, but I did not know about white tea, and I absolutely did not expect to see the "cake style" packaging of tea that is shown in this video. This guy is a real tea fanatic!

Not sure if this is too off-topic, so the Powers That Be could rightly spin this off on other thread.