US MRE 2014 Menu# 23 Chicken Pesto Pasta

[BTemple]

It's been a while since I've cracked open a ration and eaten it, and I didn't have time to properly dive into a 24hr ration of any kind today(baby was asleep and time is precious while he naps Haha) so thus we have my next US MRE, the highly divisive Chicken Pesto Pasta!

As a side note, Menu 23 was the first non-commercial ration I had ever eaten, but that one was a 2007 that I managed to win in a giveaway on RC Gusto's YouTube channel... and so the madness began. The components were a lot different so I was looking forward to it.

First off we have the standard beverage base mix, this one being the orange flavour. I believe I may have put too much water in the glass, the beverage was almost too clear and the flavour was certainly lacking. It was refreshing though, which is at least a plus.

Next up we have the Patriotic Cookies. They have certainly seen better days, but I was able to salvage a few perceptible shapes. Even though I'm Canadian I can certainly enjoy these cookies. They tasted like a mix of Arrowroot cookies and those British Social Tea biscuits... with only the slightest hint of lemon... as if a truck full of lemons drove by the factory these cookies were made in.

Moving on to the other dessert portion, we have the Cinnamon Bun. I didn't have the highest hopes for this, but I was pleasantly surprised. The bun had a perfect texture, it wasn't too dry or wet, and had a nice cinnamon to sugar proportion.

To go with the main entree we have an item I've never tried before, the Italian Breadsticks. I absolutely loved these, I'd rather have these than any wheat snack bread or cracker. Perfect mix of oregano and rosemary and they weren't very dry at all. The cheese spread went well with it as well.

Lastly we have the entree itself... Chicken Pesto Pasta. I usually love pesto so I assumed I would love it. The experience I had the last time I tried this entree ended up being the same today. I voraciously dug into the entree and it was amazing... but then each subsequent spoonful got worse and worse, until I couldn't even finish it. I can't even understand why that would be my reaction to it... but there it is. The entree has the potential to be amazing... but there is indeed a difference between theory and practice.

All in all, aside from the entree I enjoyed the ration a great deal.

Thanks for stopping by everyone, have a good one!

[Synthpeter]

Lastly we have the entree itself... Chicken Pesto Pasta. I usually love pesto so I assumed I would love it. The experience I had the last time I tried this entree ended up being the same today. I voraciously dug into the entree and it was amazing... but then each subsequent spoonful got worse and worse, until I couldn't even finish it. I can't even understand why that would be my reaction to it... but there it is. The entree has the potential to be amazing... but there is indeed a difference between theory and practice.

What was it about it that made you not finish it? Pesto taste weird after a while?

[BTemple]

Lastly we have the entree itself... Chicken Pesto Pasta. I usually love pesto so I assumed I would love it. The experience I had the last time I tried this entree ended up being the same today. I voraciously dug into the entree and it was amazing... but then each subsequent spoonful got worse and worse, until I couldn't even finish it. I can't even understand why that would be my reaction to it... but there it is. The entree has the potential to be amazing... but there is indeed a difference between theory and practice.

What was it about it that made you not finish it? Pesto taste weird after a while?

It's just one of those weird things you can't quite put your finger on. It's very oily, rich and the pesto itself does have a taste that certainly isn't nearly the same as "regular" pesto. That and the fact that MRE chicken never seems to taste as good as it should.

[shawker71]

It's funny with this one. My daughter will actually do chores without complaining if she can get one of this menu. Me, I can take it or leave it.

[Mountainmisty]

Looks like I would need to add salt lol

[Conrad]

I am a bit wary of the MRE chicken menus

[BTemple]

It's funny with this one. My daughter will actually do chores without complaining if she can get one of this menu. Me, I can take it or leave it.

I'd do chores all the time for a steady stream of Menu 18. Hahaha

[BTemple]

Looks like I would need to add salt lol

I didn't add any salt but it's certainly missing "something". I put some of the crushed red pepper on it but that stuff always seems to be too little or too much, no grey area. Haha

[BTemple]

I am a bit wary of the MRE chicken menus

I find you can't go wrong with the MRE entrees which are basically glorified Chef Boyardee. Hahaha

[Mountainmisty]

Looks like I would need to add salt lol

I didn't add any salt but it's certainly missing "something". I put some of the crushed red pepper on it but that stuff always seems to be too little or too much, no grey area. Haha

Be nice if they had real chefs design them