LRP - Sweet & Sour Pork - 1998 DoP

[steve1989]

Here's a gem that isn't produced anymore - Sweet & Sour Pork Long Range Patrol Ration from 1998. First off, this is no cheap entree, it has complex flavors and is sweet.. literally! With the pineapple accompanying the pork & rice, it gives such a pleasant & easy to eat sortof way about it. It's like instant Chinese food - or better yet, some kinda Hawaiian dish.

Why this entree was discontinued is beyond me, probably wasn't cheap to produce but then again, maybe the troops simply got tired of it.

Along with the main dish is a simple pairing of peanut butter & crackers and a Bran Cereal Bar.
The bran bar is a condensed block with dried milk & bran compressed into a morsel of goodness.

In the following set of photos I will show it broken down in a dish with my accessory packet creamer added to it with water. It was like having a portable bowl of cereal.

Now I took this photo set back in February 2014, but I can tell you I clearly remember how good that bar was broken up W/ the coffee creamer & 2 oz of water added.. it was slightly sweet, crunchy, creamy, & had a pleasingly mild overall flavor that made it easy to eat.

The Peanut Butter & crackers were perfectly normal, nothing special, nor anything off about them for being over 15 years old.

The Sweet & Sour Pork was fantastic! I must say, I have one left out of a 2005 McW, and that one is being saved for a special occasion!

The only thing that was no longer "good" was the Taster's Choice Coffee. A pinhole got through the paper sachet & it was just getting the signs of dry mold.. was probably still good up until I would assume maybe 2011 because this mold formulation was obviously of somewhat recent.

This is a fair presentation & example of a ration no longer produced, and it shows (as per usual) how well these puppies hold up.

Questions? Comments? Let me know, folks!

-Steve

[steve1989]

More pics!

Also, I'd forgotten to mention the Apple Cider in this ration...

It's different than the little add 6oz sachet of cider you get in MRE accessory packets - this one makes 12oz, has a more distinct apple flavor, and is sweeter.

Another rare treat & adding to the overall sugar of the ration too making this a sweet vintage. hehe

[steve1989]

Final pics, and the most important ones.. introducing Scooter the Ration Chihuahua!

And also a sneak peek on an upcoming review -

p.s.

I also acquired an original canvas pouch Long Range Patrol Ration from the Vietnam War period - Menu 7 - Beef Stew.. I am going to sacrifice it & show everyone once & for all some actual HD photos of a legendary (and quite expensive & hard to find) ration here soon. Plus I am going to eat it. Which may be one of the older beef stews we've seen eaten.

Thanks for looking & much more to come!

-Steve

[norge]

cool review!!

you wrote:Also, I'd forgotten to mention the Apple Cider in this ration...

this apple cider pouch is the same as the rcw mres,just tan color
butt hey are very sweet same goes with the orange from the rcw mres.

cheers ken,norway

[housil]

Thx for the review and sharing the pictures

[steve1989]

Norge, Housil, thankyou for the kind words! You guys always gave me inspiration to do more reviews.

As a matter of fact, I'll start a new thread tonight on a 1990 RCW: Chicken Ala King, because you guys might like it!

Yessir Norge, the apple cider is really sweet & almost like nectar of the gods - and if you manage to find an orange drink from an old RCW that hasn't absorbed too much moisture and oxygen & is still good it is a really good rare treat! Unlike Formulation C out of a modern 2012 MCW, the old RCW Orange Drink tastes sweeter & you can taste alot of pyridoxine hydrochloride (b-6) in it. Out of maybe 15 RCW's, I've only had 2 where the orange drink was still fresh.

[norge]

Norge, Housil, thankyou for the kind words! You guys always gave me inspiration to do more reviews.

thank you for your kind words
it have been a long time since i did a special review of something old
so its good to see that other members follows in our foot steps

but soon when my work slows down(i have wrote this before )
il try to do some kind of review from my collection.

stay cool and again thank you for your effort and kind words.

cheers ken,norwaay

[Bypah]

I have one Chicken a la KIng RCW of several I got. The ones that used to com with 2 bags....Bag A& B. Breakfast and lunch/dinner