Australian CR1M Menu D

[hOMEr_jAy]

Great review Yowie, I´m looking forward to read more!
Yuck, Vegemite! I tried Marmite when I was in the UK, but, no thanks, I rather stick to Nutella or peanut butter!
That "milk in a tube" is pretty interesting, though. Is it more a powder or some sort of cream?

[rationtin440]

Awesome pics and review Yowie, and welcome aboard! Just curious, was the chocolate ration still in good shape or had it dried and separated similar to the chocolate rations in the Australian rations section of mreinfo? Seems the stuff is still good to eat but looks kinda funny. One thing seems to be common with rations from nearly every country; chocolate is recognized as a BIG morale booster.

[Yowie]

Before I tell the story of the really dodgy afternoon tea....

A big hello to hOMEr_jAy and rationtin440. Thanks for the welcome.

In answer to your question hOMEr_jAy, condensed milk is a cream, softer than toothpaste. sweet, great in tea and coffee, will post pics, when i give it a squeeze. Good in rations as it keeps for a long time. It can go brown after a while but is still ok to eat. I know Vegemite is an acquired taste but it is different to marmite. Similar concept though. If you ever get the chance try it very thin on toast and see how you like it (vegemite not condensed cream )

rationtin440 your question is answered below

Here go's the dodgy afternoon tea.

Feeling like a hot beverage and a biccie, I decided to brew up a tea and try out the scotch finger biscuits, maybe a little chocolate ration.

Afternoon tea

Big tea bag, the trusty instruction sheet says it is pot size bag. I guess for a big communal brew up in the morning or for a canteen full.

Pretty standard looking tea. I am a bit of a tea snob, but this smells and tastes ok

I break open the Scotch finger biscuits, one is broken, but they look and smell good. Really looking forward to this. Scotch fingers are very popular over here. Great with tea and coffee and I haven't had one for ages.

The best thing is the dunking

Unfortunately, its not in the tasting. It was foul and here is where they ended up.......

Not sure what was wrong with them nor can i describe the taste apart from foul.

decided to check on the use by date's no luck but on closer inspection, my CR1M was packed in 2002 03.

By dunking them in my tea I had also ruined my tea.

Sadly I warily looked at my chocolate ration. Once again in the spirit of adventure I decided to plow on...(even just to get the taste out of my mouth

On closer examination, it was packed 02 Oct 2001 nearly ten years old hmmmm

On opening....

Perfect, no white powdery stuff or separation. Looks like normal chocolate.

Tastes like real chocolate too!

Thank god for the chocolate. Was quite hard but I guess that is the whole non melting thing.

Have to say I was surprised that the white powder separation thing had not happened especially with the age. Have seen photo's of that with older rations.

My confidence returned I look forward to dinner ......

[housil]

Not sure what was wrong with them nor can i describe the taste apart from foul.

Just a suggestion, the butter/margarine they were made from became rancid. That what´s usually happens with German EPa crackers when the package is puctured and the vacuum left.

[hOMEr_jAy]

I had that problem with MRE cookies, too. They looked fine but smelled and tasted rancid. Too bad you spoiled your tea, though!
Yowie, I´m looking forward to see close-ups of the "milk in a tube"! It´s actually a nice idea. Usually you see milk powder in military rations, so I´m kinda curious how the paste will work

[housil]

so I´m kinda curious how the paste will work

You don´t have to go to Australia so see it working.

It´s also known over here as "Milchmädchen". "Sugared kondensed milk" was also known in former DDR (east Germany) and other East European countries as "Melko"

[rationtin440]

Indeed Yowie, thank God for the chocolate! Definately sounds like the special "high melting point" stuff that is made for rations that are used in warm weather. Just curious, the reprorations website described the British tea rations from ww2 as "the world's most horrid yet addictive tea" which I have a hard time imagining since morale was essential and tea, well, that is and has been a British staple----how on earth do they screw up tea? But I hope you were at least able to get a good taste of the tea you had before the biscuits ruined it. Also interesting that British 24 hour rations have commercial looking chocolate bars while CR1M, 5Ms have a "chocolate ration."

[Yowie]

Yes indeed . I am certainly no expert but I have heard and read several times , that the "Chocolate Ration" is made by Nestle. I guess they go with "Chocolate Ration" in olive drab, to keep with the whole theme of the CR1M . But still the best 10 yr old chocolate I have ever tasted (probably the first 10 yr old chocolate I have ever tasted).

In regards to the tea I did get a good taste and on the whole it was a good average tea. By that I mean I am tea snob. I only buy Dilmah in black and green tea, but as an issued item it is pretty good. It is a lot better than some hotel teas I have drunk.

Not sure about the British ration tea of WW2, but I assume it was probably a pretty strong blend, but again just a guess.

[dirtbag]

Here's your chance, NAAFI Tea on sale...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8614620.stm

[Name_not_found]

Could someone explain what musk flavor is on the candies?

Thanks
NNF