Rations

[K Bartsch]

Re: Essence of coffee

Finally,
This stuff is already mixed up and ready to pour into hot water. Careful, its stout stuff from Scotland where the men are men and the women are too! :baring_te
(turned on to the stuff by Scots relatives.)

http://www.sybertooth.com/camp/

Slainte'

[PERSICH]

Army bean

Reading through my copy of hardtack and coffee the writer makes reference to being served beans or given beans to cook as part of his rations. My question is what kind of bean would have been served he does make a reference to baked beans which I think i can safely assume is not like baked beans we know today.Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Shane Persich
Cold Steel Mess

[markmason]

Re: Army bean

I can refer you to this sub-forum Editorial Article titled: Army Bean by Rick Mussleman. He references several Heirloom beans that may have been commonly found in your bean issue.

[Alamo Guard]

Re: Army bean

Our unit this past weekend used white beans and baked them. We had a scenerio for being "In Camp". Thanks to a piece of burlap, a dutch oven, and a good bed of coals, our clay oven turned our little white beans into a tasty breakfast.

[RedCordCO]

Re: Army bean

Reading through my copy of hardtack and coffee the writer makes reference to being served beans or given beans to cook as part of his rations. My question is what kind of bean would have been served he does make a reference to baked beans which I think i can safely assume is not like baked beans we know today.Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Shane Persich
Cold Steel Mess

I'd opt for what is known now as a navy bean if you live EAST of the Mississippi. If you live WEST of the Mississippi there is more documentation of pinto beans having been used. Pintos become very much more prominent the further west you go. Navy beans would've been the import out here and stocks from the East of navy beans would have only come overland with settlers and some traders. More Anglo-centric folks would've used them because that was what they were used to, initially. Pintos were cheaper to trade for, easier to grow in a high and dry climate and less of a hassle to get than the Navy beans from back East. Add too the large Hispanic population that took over the cultivation of certain historic bean types [mainly pintos] from the Indians and there is quite a precedent for this particular bean's use here out West. I doubt the Army seriously quibbled about the exact TYPE of bean given to their soldiers the further in the war you got and the farther from normal supply stocks you got. It would also be less of a headache to deal with local, comparable product than have to constantly ASK Washington or St. Louis to provide what should be readily obtainable locally the further in the War that you got.
Of course, if you live East of the Big River, just ignore my Western ramblings. Just an overview but it likely won't mean 'beans' to you. [heh heh!]

JMHO,
Rob Burchardt

PS- Yes, the baked beans of today are NOT like those of the CW period. Take one look at a period recipe and you'll see how!

[Moonshine]

Re: Essence of coffee

Hey guys,

Thanks for posting those above links! I've been looking for sources of chicory lately and it seems there's none to be had in Calif. - southern Calif. that is!!!

Jim Ross

[hireddutchcutthroat]

Re: Essence of coffee

Hey guys,

Thanks for posting those above links! I've been looking for sources of chicory lately and it seems there's none to be had in Calif. - southern Calif. that is!!!

Jim Ross

Jim

Click on the link I posted above. I get that brand of chickory coffee at Safeway.

[GeraldTodd]

Re: Essence of coffee

That's no good, it says "Refrigerate after opening."

[K Bartsch]

Re: Essence of coffee

You sure don't have to refrigerate the "Camp" coffee. No bacterium could possibly survive more than a second or two in that thick, black, highly caffeinated goo. :wink_smil

[Skeet]

Re: Essence of coffee

Pards, We just had a winter encampment and one of the guys from the 3rd Ark made some of this stuff. He had a period label and was issued to us as rations. Now, one warning is to be careful how much you put in your cup. It is very potent! Cpl Dan Morgan, 10th Va (IVR)

[SparksBird]

Re: Army bean

Shane,
I have actually researched this quite a bit and really answer your question, it is pretty darn hard to figure out exactly what type of bean was actually issued by the army. In my article, I do make mention of what type of beans were commonly found back then. For authenticity sake, I would recommend a plain old white bean. There is a huge amount of period varieties that are simply white. So, a common white bean of some sort can pass for looks as an heirloom. As far as cooking it goes, they would have simply boiled it with some salt pork, or in some cases(when in a set camp) prepared baked beans. I actually tried this once and it took a while. You actually dig a hole and build a good fire in it. After it has died down and you have some really nice coals, you put the beans with some salt pork added, into the hole, in a dutch oven. You then cover it with coals and replace the sod. Thus, you have a little buried oven going. It usually take a little while for it to bake though, but it is worth the wait. For period bean varieties, check out our article on the buckeye mess website: www.buckeyemess.homestead.com

Rick Musselman
Buckeye Mess
GHTI

[Justin Runyon]

Re: Army bean

I did find a reference to Baked Beans, I think its in Fremantles Book. Illl see if I can find it.

[Hank Trent]

Re: Army bean

There was a long discussion on army beans and baked beans here:

http://www.cwreenactors.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=1443&forum=Howto

Especially check out the sub-section around "Some thoughts and questions about beans..." and the posts by "Eleventh Maine." Also my post on that thread titled "The Army Bean" discussed varieties of white beans, specifically.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[cadetbentley]

Re: Essence of coffee

Can anyone point me in the right direction for information on making essence of coffee? I have looked in a number of places and cant seem to find any directions for it.

essence of coffee is a very quick way to make coffee. when i made it, i ordered a esscence of coffee can from www.jarnaginco.com and then i went to walmart and bought a can of folgers instant coffee and a small water spray bottle. i then put the coffee in the can then i sprayed the coffee with water until it turned into the consistancy of elmers glue. after you have made the esscence of coffee, dont just close the can, put a piece of parchement paper or cloth on top of it and then put the cap on and push down hard. you will still have some leaking, but not alot.

cadet bentley

[Tenthtexas]

Re: Essence of coffee

If you have never had this stuff, know that one table spoon will make a good stout gallon of coffee. Even if you like your coffee strong, this will do it. One can of essence will easily satisfy 100 men.

Art Milbert