2013 Menu #1 - Sort of
Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 8:51 pm
Another fishing trip, another MRE. This time, I was stream fishing, not in my kayak. So I had room and ability to have a full MRE and not just a TOTM. I work in First-In, First Out order mostly, and that brought up my oldest MRE, a Jan 17, 2013 (date code 3017) Menu #1, Chili with Beans. I was expecting to have tortillas, per the official menu, but they apparently had not fully implemented the 2013 menu changes this early. Crackers. Again. So much for my plan to make quesadillas...On the plus side, it did contain the cornbread and a cran-apple ranger bar as well as jalapeno cheese, all new to me. Hot diggity!
Here are the contents, minus the FRH, Hot bev bag, and acc pack.
Speaking of hot, I tried a tip offered in another thread and left the chili entree on my dashboard while I fished, thinking it would pre-warm the meal. Did it ever! I had no need for the FRH because the entree was almost too hot to handle after only two hours in the sun. I'll save the FRH for a colder day. On to the eating...
The cornbread was sweet, delicious and remarkably crumbly. Great texture, considering the vacuum packaging:
I crumbled the cornbread and spooned on the chili with beans:
The chili was mild to my taste, but good. The beans were neither mushy nor crunchy, and there was little preservative taste.
To complete my lunch trifecta, I then squeezed on the jalapeno cheese. And now it's chili con frijoles y queso!
That, boys and girls, is a filling, satisfying meal. The jalapeno added just enough kick that I didn't reach for the hot sauce I always carry. The lemon-lime beverage was a nice complement to the chili. I elected to save the cran-apple ranger bar for another day.
Here are the contents, minus the FRH, Hot bev bag, and acc pack.
Speaking of hot, I tried a tip offered in another thread and left the chili entree on my dashboard while I fished, thinking it would pre-warm the meal. Did it ever! I had no need for the FRH because the entree was almost too hot to handle after only two hours in the sun. I'll save the FRH for a colder day. On to the eating...
The cornbread was sweet, delicious and remarkably crumbly. Great texture, considering the vacuum packaging:
I crumbled the cornbread and spooned on the chili with beans:
The chili was mild to my taste, but good. The beans were neither mushy nor crunchy, and there was little preservative taste.
To complete my lunch trifecta, I then squeezed on the jalapeno cheese. And now it's chili con frijoles y queso!
That, boys and girls, is a filling, satisfying meal. The jalapeno added just enough kick that I didn't reach for the hot sauce I always carry. The lemon-lime beverage was a nice complement to the chili. I elected to save the cran-apple ranger bar for another day.