The sailors’ feast.

Today, March 2nd …

In 1933 on this day, the U.S.Naval Ration was revised, so that “Each person, so entitled, may be served the following quantities of food each day”:

8 oz. biscuit, or 12 oz. soft bread or 12 oz. flour
12 oz. preserved meat, or 14 oz. salt or smoked meat, or 20 oz. fresh meat or fresh fish or poultry
12 oz. dried vegetables, or 18 oz. canned vegetables, or 44 oz. fresh vegetables
4 oz. dried fruit, or 10 oz. canned fruit, or 6 oz. preserved fruit, or 16 oz. fresh fruit, or 6 oz. canned fruit or vegetable juices or 1 oz. powdered fruit juices or 6/10 oz. concentrated fruit juices
2 oz. cocoa, or 2 oz. coffee or ½ oz. tea
4 oz. evaporated milk, or 1 oz. powdered milk, or ½ pt. fresh milk
1.6 oz. butter
1.6 oz. cereal, or rice, or starch foods
½ oz. cheese
1.2 eggs
1.6 oz. lard or lard substitutes
2/5 gill oils, or sauces, or vinegar
5 oz. sugar
Sundry spices and flavourings “as required.”

Navy men of 1794 had received:

Sunday 1 lb bread, 1½ lb beef, ½ pt rice
Monday 1 lb bread, 1 lb pork, ½ pt peas, 4 oz cheese
Tuesday 1 lb bread, 1½ lb beef, 1 lb potatoes or turnips and pudding
Wednesday 1 lb bread, 2 oz butter or, in lieu thereof, 6 oz molasses, 4 oz cheese and ½ pt rice
Thursday 1 lb bread, 1 lb pork, ½ pt peas or beans
Friday 1 lb bread, 1 lb salt fish, 2 oz butter or 1 gill oil, 1 lb potatoes
Saturday 1 lb bread, 1 lb pork, ½ pint peas or beans, 4 oz cheese.

I bet the 1.2 eggs of 1933 were not made into anything as delicious as this dish.

To dress a Military Omelet (1845)
Stewed sorrel, Parmesan cheese, Crumbs of bread, Drawn butter.
Make a ragout of stewed sorrels, with a little parmesan cheese rasped and mixed with the crumbs of bread; make two omelets, put this ragout between, and garnish the dish round with fried bread, standing up like a paste-board, which is done by dipping the edge of each bit in whites of eggs, to make them stick; pour a little melted butter over it, and strew bread crumbs and parmesan cheese as before; give color by setting it in a hot oven.

Tomorrow: Dinner for the taking.