Canada seeks 1.4 million "boil in a pouch" entrees/sides

[MILNEWS_ca]

This from Canada's federal government tendering site (looks like they're trying to mix it up a bit re: potential suppliers):

.... The Department of National Defense (DND) has a requirement is to supply Entrées, Fruits and Desserts in accordance with Department of National Defence (DND) D-85-001-069/SF-002 dated 1992-06-26, Specification for Meat, Poultry, Fruit and Baked Dessert Products in Retort Pouches. Items are required for the production of an operational meal pack for Canadian Forces Personnel serving overseas as well as in Canada.

To ensure a shelf life of a minimum of 3 years, it is required that manufacturers be subjected to the most rigorous quality controls. All ingredients shall be of the latest production except for dry ingredients which do not deteriorate as rapidly with time. Fruit shall be from the current year crop harvest.
All thermally processed pouches shall be of the latest possible production from the date of delivery.

(....)

3. Tendering Strategy:

Historically only Baxter Corporation has shown interest in providing these types of meals. Since Wornick Foods from Cincinnati, Ohio is the only other pre-qualified supplier, Canada is issuing an ACAN to offer an opportunity to challenge our tendering strategy.

4. Required Delivery:

Deliveries are to start May 20,2013 and are to be completed by December 13, 2013 ....

And here's the menu:

Sausage and Hash Browns 200g x 40 000
Baked Beans 240g x 40 000
Breakfast Sausage 105g x 20 000
Beans and Wieners 240g x 40 000
Hamburger Pouch 112g x 100 032
Bean Salad 240g x 100 032
Veal Cutlet with Mushroom Sauce 200g x 50 016
Shepherd's Pie 240g x 100 032
Chicken Cannelloni 240g x 50 016
Chicken Cordon Bleu 200g x 100 032
Poutine 240g x 60 032
Stuffed Pasta with Ricotta 240g x 60 032
Pork with Wine Cream Sauce 240g x 30 016
Sliced Apples 140g x 80 032
Sliced Peaches 140g x 140 032
Fruit Cocktail 140g x 150 048
Sliced Pears 140g x 140 032
Date Square 90g x 80 032
Baked Maple Dessert 150g x 60 032

[housil]

I´d like to have a Chicken Cordon Bleu.

[MILNEWS_ca]

I'm curious at what "poutine" in a pouch will be like.

If you haven't heard of it before, poutine is potato fries served with gravy and cheese curds on top - here's an example of a fast-food version:


I've seen what (alleged) "bread" in retort pouches looks like, so I'm not confident the crispy-greasy-cheesy poutine experience will translate literally via boil-in-a-pouch technology.

Also, re: "Hamburger Pouch 112g x 100 032", what part of the hamburger IS the pouch, anyway?

[housil]

poutine is potato fries served with gravy and cheese curds on top

I liked it until the cheese curds came on

MREs hamburger usually were just the beef patty.

[MILNEWS_ca]

MREs hamburger usually were just the beef patty.

I remember a 1/2 decent Salisbury steak in gravy w/mushrooms in the Canadian "boil-in-a-pouch" rations sometime in the 1980's.

[fdsman]

Poutine can take a back seat, I prefer chili cheese fries

[cutsman]

Sorry, but if we're talking about french fries, you have not lived until you had animal fries from In n Out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-N-Out_Burger_products

[German_EPA]

fried potatoes in a pouch... i know cold fried potatoes and they are not tasty.

[Nawt]

Poutine can take a back seat, I prefer chili cheese fries

hmm, looks like two tasty "Gut-Bombs".

brrrr, cold fried potatoes give me the chivvers, I agree on the taste of that German-EPA.

[MILNEWS_ca]

fried potatoes in a pouch... i know cold fried potatoes and they are not tasty.

Have to agree - and I don't think it'll be improved by re-heating them in a vacuum sealed pouch. Mind you, no matter what the consistency, it may have a "comfort food taste" appeal to troops, too. Still, I'm not optimistic....