Chow Halls all smell the same

[skypilot_1]

Every chow hall eerr military dining facility Ive been to in last 20 yrs is contract staffed. Id take the GI cooks anyday over whats happin today. just me

[ransil]

Originally Posted by Traildust

When I was in the Navy they had this specialty known as SOS, I had my first taste in boot camp and still remember it till now.
Bill

I remember that day my self, about 2 weeks into boot camp, we were in the last barracks back by the fence, I think that meal flushed out our whole company, it was a rush to get back to the barracks.

[Old-Biscuit]

Only was in Two chow halls ever......NTC San Diego (Boot Camp) and NTC Great Lakes (A School) after that is was a Mess Deck on board ship.

Have wiped the chow halls from my memory........will never get that Mess Deck out of my mind
SOS, Bug Juice, powdered eggs/milk, hamburger meat patties that had been frozen in wax cardboard boxes since 1946 and Stuff peppers swimming in grease during a typhoon.......had to time the ship roll so you could pick up your tray---slide to next table---gobble down a fork full...pick up tray and slide back to where you were sitting. REPEAT until done or just gave up (Up chuck)

HEY 'inlineskater'---you remember it LOL

[nineoaks2004]

I spent 22 1/2 in the Navy and really like SOS (as did most of us) Seems none of the Navy Comissarymen would give me the real recipe, I finally found on who would tell me spice that set it apart which was nutmeg. I used to love being underway as the fresh bread was great, as well as the fresh pies and do not forget the hot out of the oven Bear Claws.

[adamfolger]

AS an Army MP Sgt ( 1968-73 ) I loved TDY duty to Air bases. You guys ate high on the hog. Most of the time I ate with the Officers, who had cafeteria style mess halls. I'm not sure if enlisted airmen had a different style mess hall. But I'm pretty sure SOS tasted the same regardless of the dining style.

[flywithcoop]

I liked MidNight Chow the best. Breakfast or Lunch your choice. Do you all remember the Korea chow Halls smelled like Kimchi? Even the Eggs at midnight chow smelled and tasted like kimchi. Was TDY to Korea from the P.I. for 3 months and could never get the taste of kimchi out of the food.

[Radacravitz]

Originally Posted by flywithcoop

I liked MidNight Chow the best. Breakfast or Lunch your choice.

I was an AF security policeman, worked rotating shifts, always thought mids was the best time to be in a chow hall.

[maxwell18]

Still eating SOS, started June 60 USN and continued till 8/94 USANG and USAF. My other experience was seeing grits served to me first duty station USN Whiting FLD. Still eat grits too.

[jerboy]

Great Lakes ET-A school 1968. The old WW2 barracks and chow hall. Fried eggs brought out on a huge cookie sheet, cold and like rubber. Mess deck master at arms swatting flies at your table. AAHH what memories!!!!

[Sweetbriar]

Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit

Only was in Two chow halls ever......NTC San Diego (Boot Camp) and NTC Great Lakes (A School) after that is was a Mess Deck on board ship.

Have wiped the chow halls from my memory........will never get that Mess Deck out of my mind
SOS, Bug Juice, powdered eggs/milk, hamburger meat patties that had been frozen in wax cardboard boxes since 1946 and Stuff peppers swimming in grease during a typhoon.......had to time the ship roll so you could pick up your tray---slide to next table---gobble down a fork full...pick up tray and slide back to where you were sitting. REPEAT until done or just gave up (Up chuck)

HEY 'inlineskater'---you remember it LOL

You forgot a few rather unique U/W menu items. Sheet cake with one end overflowing the pan and the side that looked like a big thin cookie. Same with jello. Carried a lot of those wax boxes on board during the 25 man working parties to restock a few days before heading out. Beef marked "Fit for Human Consumption" but we all knew the rats and roaches wouldn't go near it.

Then there was the last meal before retuning to home port of steak and lobster. Rudder lobster that had been frozen for months if not years and the grade D streaks fresh from the freeze directly to the fryer. Charred outside while the center was still frozen. I guess they left out the part about defrosting on the menu card.

Sliders, trail patties, gristle stew, CHT milk, trapezoidal fish, canned ravioli and a few other more colorful names we had for menu items that the forum moderators would probably prefer I not mention. Any sailors out there know what animal the veal parmesan made from? Definitely wasn't veal and no parmesan cheese ever came near the stuff during production. And just how was it possible to burn pre-cooked bacon or was it a special ordered from Cisco Foods?

US Navy Jun 1980 - Feb 2004.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

You forgot a few rather unique U/W menu items. Sheet cake with one end overflowing the pan and the side that looked like a big thin cookie. Same with jello. Carried a lot of those wax boxes on board during the 25 man working parties to restock a few days before heading out. Beef marked "Fit for Human Consumption" but we all knew the rats and roaches wouldn't go near it.

Then there was the last meal before retuning to home port of steak and lobster. Rudder lobster that had been frozen for months if not years and the grade D streaks fresh from the freeze directly to the fryer. Charred outside while the center was still frozen. I guess they left out the part about defrosting on the menu card.

Sliders, trail patties, gristle stew, CHT milk, trapezoidal fish, canned ravioli and a few other more colorful names we had for menu items that the forum moderators would probably prefer I not mention. Any sailors out there know what animal the veal parmesan made from? Definitely wasn't veal and no parmesan cheese ever came near the stuff during production. And just how was it possible to burn pre-cooked bacon or was it a special ordered from Cisco Foods?

US Navy Jun 1980 - Feb 2004.

Being in AFT Engine Room our escape trunk was on starboard side where ALL food handling lines were so we ALWAYS had one of our guys stationed right at the escape trunk hatch.

Officers food come on board FIRST.........REAL Steaks, REAL Lobsters, REAL Fruit.
Select cases would disappear down the hatch.......water melons survived due to crating BUT needed to be consumed quickly.
Steaks were flash cooked on a 3/4" stainless steel plate that was sat down on a main steam line steam trap.....1000*F...and a little turbine oil made them taste like they were seared in butter.
Lobsters.....we 'appropriated' an autoclave (used to sterilize medical equipment with stream) from stent in GUAM for repairs, hooked it up to Aux Stream line and would slip the lobsters (or shrimp, shell fish etc) in and do a 10 minute stream job. Again a little turbine oil for dipping it was like clarified butter ----YUMMMMMMMMMM!!

Ah the memories of life on board.

[Sweetbriar]

"Again a little turbine oil for dipping it was like clarified butter ---- YUMMMMMMMMMM!!"

Something only a true Snipe would do and for those readers that have never spent time at sea, the crazier the story may sound the higher the probability it is true or was that Subic Bay? BAAAA-LOOOOOT!

[Pricejh]

Originally Posted by adamfolger

AS an Army MP Sgt ( 1968-73 ) I loved TDY duty to Air bases. You guys ate high on the hog. Most of the time I ate with the Officers, who had cafeteria style mess halls. I'm not sure if enlisted airmen had a different style mess hall. But I'm pretty sure SOS tasted the same regardless of the dining style.

We only had one “mess hall”. That was used by all. The officers also had the O Club.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

"Again a little turbine oil for dipping it was like clarified butter ---- YUMMMMMMMMMM!!"

Something only a true Snipe would do and for those readers that have never spent time at sea, the crazier the story may sound the higher the probability it is true or was that Subic Bay? BAAAA-LOOOOOT!

That was 'at sea'

Subic Bay stories.....can't post here

Balut........YES it was consumed------------ONCE