Post-Apo : Expired Medication & Food ?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Pursuivant

ship's biscuits are still sold in some New England states as "pilot bread" for this purpose.

The "bacon" was actually salt pork, .

During WWI US forces got an "entree" can which contained either 16 ounces of corned beef or 12 ounces of "fresh bacon". My mother knew that term from her youth and described it as bacon that had been cured but not smoked. So that would be pork treated with both salt and sugar. Using pork belly was implied.

The hard tack was in a separate can and this would probably be the first time it wasn't infested with weevils.

Commonwealth forces got the corned beef ("Bully" beef to them) and the hard tack and this continued for them into WWII.

US issue went through multiple changes in the inter-war period eventually evolving into C-rations with flavors increasing from 3 to 12. starting with things like pork and beans and beef stew and ending up with options like spaghetti and meatballs. Also the "dreaded ham and lima beans". This continued through Vietnam until the arrival of MRE's. Probably the Lima beans came from the district of some important legislator.

The hard tack can got additions which involved things like inventing M&Ms (all tan I think). Canned fruit was a late addition.

It also seems that anything like "pilot's crackers" and other hard tack descendants are not fully as awful. Not only do they always have the salt they sometimes even have some sort of fat in their recipes. I also think they are only baked once. Old fashioned hard tack not only sometimes skipped the salt it was baked for 30 minutes but then turned over and baked again for another 30 minutes. Then there was the air drying when the weevils got to it. Special ship's hard tack for long voyages was baked 4 times and then air dried for 6 months.

[RyanW]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

It also seems that anything like "pilot's crackers" and other hard tack descendants are not fully as awful. Not only do they always have the salt they sometimes even have some sort of fat in their recipes. I also think they are only baked once. Old fashioned hard tack not only sometimes skipped the salt it was baked for 30 minutes but then turned over and baked again for another 30 minutes. Then there was the air drying when the weevils got to it. Special ship's hard tack for long voyages was baked 4 times and then air dried for 6 months.

Other than saving your teeth, a hot soak apparently drove the weevils out. Then you just scope the weevils out of the cup and enjoy your now almost edible bread and hot beverage.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

During WWI US forces got an "entree" can which contained either 16 ounces of corned beef or 12 ounces of "fresh bacon". My mother knew that term from her youth and described it as bacon that had been cured but not smoked. So that would be pork treated with both salt and sugar. Using pork belly was implied.

Unsmoked bacon is also called 'green bacon'.