Wednesday, September 22, 2010

A Fun Day Part Three

This was my favorite part, no doubt due to the fact that this is what I heard David's Dad talk about the most. And, I used to tease him (just for fun!) that he was still shopping and cooking for 3000 sailors! He loved to shop sales for a good deal and would tell me all about which things were too much work for cooking aboard ship. Pie, for example, was too much work so they would do fruit crisp to simplify the process.

He talked about how they didn't have fresh items much and certain things that were rare treats. I wish I could remember more of what he said, and it saddens me that he was not there to tell us all about it. Regardless, I want to document these things for my children!

Dining areas and kitchens.

I found a framed menu from the week of March 20, 1944 - unfortunately the picture is kind of blurry, but here's the menu (lighting was very tricky!):

** Note: I see pie on the menu several times here plus fresh fruit. I'm guessing I'd hear Bill saying that they must've just left from land to have things like that available. And, I would not be surprised if the "pie" was more of a crisp instead of rolling out the dough for that many pies. Hmmm, if each pie serves 8 - they would have needed 375 pies.

Sunday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Cooked Cereal and Milk, Baked Meat Hash, Tomato Catsup, Medium Boiled Egg, German Coffee Cake, Bread, Butter and Coffee

Sunday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Boiled Spiced Beef, Boiled Potatoes, Boiled Cabbage, Boiled Carrots and Turnips, Apricot Pie, Bread and Butter, Iced Lemonade

Sunday Dinner: Fried Hamburger Steak, Cottage Fried Potatoes, Fried Onions, Stewed Tomatoes, Caramel Cake (Iced), Bread and Butter, Coffee

Monday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Oatmeal and Milk, Scrambled Eggs with Diced Ham, Fried Potatoes, Sugared Doughnuts, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Monday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Grilled Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes and Brown Gravy, Baked Corn, Cole Slaw, Chocolate Meringue Pie, Bread and Butter, Iced Tea

Monday Dinner: Fresh Beef Stew with Fresh Vegetables, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Steamed Spinach, Coconut Layer Cake, Bread and Jam, Coffee

Tuesday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Boiled Rice and Milk, Hot Wheat Cakes, Syrup, Baked Pork Sausages, Hot Raisin Rolls, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Tuesday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Breaded Veal Cutlets, Mashed Potatoes and Tomato Gravy, Savory String Beans, Vegetable Salad, Apple Pie, Bread and Butter, Lemonade

Tuesday Dinner: Italian Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Baked Meat Balls, Boiled Black Eyed Peas, Stalk Celery, Peanut Butter Cookie, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Wednesday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Fried Eggs, Fried Bacon, Fried Potatoes, Iced Cinnamon Rolls, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Wednesday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Grilled Beef Steaks, Mashed Potatoes and Natural Gravy, Buttered Peas, Cabbage Salad, Blueberry Pie, Bread and Butter, Iced Tea

Wednesday Dinner: Baked Vienna Sausage, Spanish Sauce, Cottage Fried Potatoes, Buttered Asparagus, Pickled Beets, Chocolate Layer Cake, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Thursday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Creamed Minced Beef, Dry Toast, Hash Brown Potatoes, Sugared Doughnuts, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Thursday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Oven Roast of Beef, Roast Brown Potatoes, Pan Gravy, French String Beans, Vegetable Salad, Cherry Pie, Bread and Butter, Lemonade

Thursday Dinner: Baked Stuffed Meat Loaf, Brown Gravy, Boiled Macaroni, Creamed Onions, Asparagus Salad, Fruit Jello, Sugar Cookies, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Friday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Boiled Cereal and Milk, Baked Pork and Beans, Tomato Catsup, Hot Corn Bread, Fried Luncheon Meat, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Friday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Baked Virginia Ham with Pineapple Sauce, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Buttered Peas and Carrots, Cabbage Salad, Coconut Cream Pie, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Friday Dinner: Assorted Cold Cuts, Sliced Cheese, Potato Salad, Sliced Pickles, Cold Baked Beans, Stalk Celery, Jelly Rolls, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Saturday Breakfast: Fresh Fruit, Hot Wheat Cakes, Syrup, Fried Ham, Iced Coffee Rings, Bread and Butter, Coffee

Saturday Lunch: Soup and Crackers, Swiss Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Baked Corn, Steamed Spinach, Pineapple Pie, Bread and Butter, Lemonade

Saturday Dinner: Chili Con Carne, Red Chili Beans, Steamed Rice, French Fried Potatoes, Harvard Beets, Applesauce Cake, Bread and Jam, Coffee

Now, check out this mixer in the bakery - it's taller than me!
Here's the bakery - you can see the beaters that go on the mixer up on the table in the middle plus look at the entire wall of oven doors at the very back.

Imagine cookies for this many sailors! Here's a recipe for 10,000 chocolate chip cookies that was in the program I picked up - imagine!!

165 pounds flour
500 eggs
100 pounds sugar
87 pounds shortening
75 pounds brown sugar
12 pounds butter
3 pounds salt
3 c. vanilla
1 quart water
1 1/2 pounds baking soda
112 pounds chocolate chips

Whew! What a work out! That dough would weigh over 450 pounds!

Here's another recipe I found posted on the wall for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that I multiplied to equal 3000 servings:

330 pounds white bread
210 pounds peanut butter
120 pounds jelly

Assemble sandwiches and cut in halves.

Meal trays waiting to be used.

In closing, here are a few pictures of David's Dad aboard ship -
I love these old black and white photos!

16 comments:

Ginger said...

Monica, I was thinking about this last night. I remember running into Mr. Bill many, many times in Publix or Walmart EARLY on Saturday mornings. He always had a smile on his face and a returned "Good Morning" when I spoke to him.

Leanne said...

Those were such neat posts, Monica! I have such a DEEP respect for the WWII era and for the military in general. These posts have been fascinating. I'm sure David really enjoyed this! Thank you for blessing us all with it!

Michele said...

The kitchen was my favorite part of the Yorktown also. Random comment: I had dinner on the Intrepid in June....didn't you say that your FIL spent time on the Intrepid?

Bonnie said...

That would've been my favorite part too!
Wow, it sounds like they ate pretty well, of course we don't know how it all tasted, but that menu made me hungry.
Fun post Monica, thank-you!

Amy O/picketfencemom said...

Another great post! Thanks for sharing. I can't remember exactly where, but I think in one of the glass display cases in the officer's galley, there was a little Bible that belonged to one of the men. Inside it had been inscribed from his mother to him with some very touching words about God's protection and guidance and her assurance of prayers. I'm sure those words/prayers meant the world to that officer!
When we visit and experience places like this, I truly believe it puts things into perspective, and I'm so thankful for all the Americans who have served and given their lives for our freedom! My uncle was a World War II POW in Germany for many months, and I know he suffered from problems/flashbacks until he passed away. But he always saw the blessing and God's hand/providence through it all!
Blessings,
Amy O/picketfencemom

angela said...

I sent the cookie recipe to my mom, and told her it might be good to have for when the grandkids are all together ;)

Grace Carmichael said...

Monica I have LOVED this series. I love to go on ships and imagine how it must be. I especially loved hearing about the kitchen, I have never paid that much attention to that portion but what an interesting part of the ship it is. Thanks for this perspective.

Lauren(in Savannah) said...

Thanks for sharing that Monica. My grandfather was in WWII also. Loved how neat as a pin the tables and kitchen area were. Also can you imagine cracking that many eggs???? And seriously it would be much faster to make a hot dish than to assemble that many peanut butter and jelly sandwiches-lol
I am sure David appreciated the trip so much!

. said...

How wonderful! When I have trouble finding the motivation to make dinner instead of eating out, I will think of your father in law who did not have that option! =)

Anonymous said...

I love this post! Thanks for sharing. When I toured a ship I was also most impressed by the kitchen area.
Your husband really resembles his dad, as does your son!

Kim from Philadelphia

angie said...

A wonderful keepsake of memories for your family.
I noticed that dessert was served with EVERY meal. So, I wonder where the term "ship-shape" came from!?
The recipes made cooking for my family of 4 look easy!

Intentional Living Homestead said...

Wow, to have a kitchen like that LOL...well, maybe not cause I'd have to clean it:-).

Thanks for the post.

Brenda said...

Isnt' that menu interesting? I cannot imagine cooking such large quantities!! My husband was in the Navy and I love to tour old ships. The girls have no concept of time though and assume things were, for him, like they were in WWII. Um, not quite! :)

Shannon M said...

Monica - I'm so glad you got to do this and documented it in such a neat way. What a great family memory! My brother was in the nay (he's in the army now as was my dad and grandpa) so I have such a tenderheart for all things military. I'm so glad you shared this with us!

Cheryl said...

Thanks for sharing your excursion. My Daddy was in the Navy and he said they always have the best "chow halls." Now my hubby was in the Marines and he claims that they have the best chow halls. In any case, judging by the menus, they don't sound like they are going hungry. They are getting well fed.
I had to gasp at the 10,000 cookie recipe. I couldn't even imagine baking that many.

Mom said...

Great photos of your family visit to this ship -- I'm so glad you all got to go together! That is quite the recipe for cookies! No wonder Bill had a tendency to cook in quantity! :) He was a special man -- I'm glad I had the opportunity to know him. Thank you for this salute to his service and memory. Love you, Mom