More on dandyfunk

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

"The cook and the galley on an American ship"
(facing p.11 of Around the Galley Stove)

Longtime readers may remember my post, "From dandyfunk to cracker jack?" on our previous blog, Maritime Compass, where I related my learning of dandyfunk from Norman Springer's memoir.  Dandyfunk is not something that one forgets, nor does one forget another dish that Mr. Springer discussed, cracker hash.

One of the pleasures of working in a maritime history library is the opportunity to spend one's off hours reading, and it's almost as if the books know of my interest in cooking, baking, and fiber arts--it seems as if they fall open to sections on food or clothing.

Around the Galley Stove : a Dissertation upon Stoves, Galleys, Cooks, Ships and Sailors in General, by Frederick William Wallace seemed to have done just that--I opened this small, thin book, and it spoke to me not only of food and cooking, but of dishes that particularly interest me--cracker hash and dandyfunk:

A great sailor's dish is 'cracker hash,' made by breaking up ship's biscuit into small pieces with some salt junk diced in it.  The whole is mixed up with 'slush' or grease skimmed from the cook's coppers, and baked in the oven.

'Dandyfunk' is another foc'sle mess, made by pounding biscuit into a fine powder and mixing it into a paste with water.  Molasses is added, and the resulting 'cake' is baked in the oven.

Regarding 'dandyfunk.' Aboard a large scotch ship, the crew had a penchant for making this dish, but latterly, most of the crew became too lazy to bother making it.  One man, however, always made himself a dish for tea, and the others would expect him to share all round, sailor fashion.  At last, the industrious one got tired of making 'dandyfunk' for the whole of his watch, and refused to share.  His shipmates thereupon annexed the delicacy, whenever they could steal it out of the oven, and would gobble it up, leaving the empty dish in the oven again.  When this had been done once or twice, the industrious one procured perfect immunity from theft and sharing, by chewing the biscuit up in his mouth, instead of the orthodox pounding and mixing with water.  Nobody bothered him to share his 'dandyfunk' after they had seen his process for making it.

In order to get these dishes baked, it is necessary for the sailor to keep on good terms with the cook, who can, if he likes, become postively [sic] autocratic with his privileges.   --p. 38-39.

You can continue reading--the book is not only available in the Library, but online for free as well.

Pilot boats

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Pilot Boats

Pilot boats engaged at night
Must only have a masthead light
And sometimes "flare ups" they must show
Their whereabouts to let others know.

Fried Eggs Bordelaise

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

Recipes for egg dishes continue in the Library's copy of The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America. This recipe sounds absolutely delicious and as soon as tomatoes come into season at our farmers' market, I'll be trying it!

Fried Eggs Bordelaise

Cut 6 medium to large firm tomatoes in half and press them, shaking gently over a bowl, to remove the seeds and water. Sprinkle tomato halves with salt and pepper to taste. Mix 2/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs with 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley, 2 teaspoons finely chopped shallots, and 1 garlic clove, chopped and crushed.

In a skillet, sauté 1/4 pound mushrooms, finely minced, in 2 tablespoons olive oil until they are almost black. Add to bread crumb mixture and toss well. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the mushroom-bread mixture onto each tomato half; sprinkle with olive oil.

Arrange the tomatoes in a buttered shallow baking dish. Bake in a very hot oven (450° F) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tomatoes are soft and the tops are browned. For each serving, place two tomato halves on a plate and top each with a fried egg. Garnish with fried parsley. Serves 6.

(To make fine fresh bread crumbs, cut crusts from bread and tear into small crumbs, or blend torn bread pieces in a blender until crumbs are as fine as desired.)

Telegraph Ship

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

Telegraph Ship
A telegraph ship whil'st working a cable,
To get out of the way is clearly not able,
So three lights she carries all through the whole night,
Two of them red and the middle one white;
Her signals by day with the night will compare,
She has two of them round and the middle one square.

Scrambled Eggs Rothschild

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

The next recipe in the Library's copy of The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America is for another egg dish, Scrambled Eggs Rothschild:

The friendly scrambled egg becomes an international sophisticate.

Shell 1 pound cooked shrimp.  Reserve the meat and dry the shells in the oven for a short period.  Pound the shells in a large mortar having a heavy pestle, adding gradually 2 tablespoons heavy cream, until they are broken up as finely as possible and blended to a smooth paste.  Rub the mixture through a very fine sieve, combine it with 12 eggs, beaten, and season with salt and white pepper to taste.  Cook the egg mixture in a double boiler over hot water until it is smooth and creamy.  Pour the mixture into a timbale mold and arrange a small bunch of cooked asparagus tips in the center of the mold.  Arrange the reserved shrimp meat around the rim of the timbale and garnish with thick slices of black truffles.  Serves 6.

At Anchor

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

This week we're offering another instructive rhyme from Nautical Nursery Rhymes by Billy Ringbolt, which resides in the Peterson, Peter H. (Capt.) Papers, (SAFR 18665, HDC 571):

At Anchor

A vessel which at anchor rides,

Hoists a light which shows all sides,

And for a mile is seen at night,

(If weather is fine) when burning bright.

Omelette Aux Fines Herbes

(by Heather Hernandez, Technical Services Librarian)

The next recipe in the Library's copy of The captain's table : 18 recipes for famous dishes served aboard the S.S. United States and S.S. America is for one of my favorite dishes. I make it a little different from the recipe; I make an omelette, slide it onto a heated plate, then sprinkle whatever I'm adding to it over the top, or sometimes will put the additions onto the heated eggs a few seconds after they've been poured into the pan. And I don't use a fork when making omelettes, but sometimes a spatula--I learned my omelette technique from the "The Omelette Show" episode of The French Chef with Julia Child.

But I'm not the only omelette fan; above the recipe is a portrait with the following caption:

"Nothing pleases us more than to discover one of our very favorite recipes beautifully prepared at sea. Preferring simple food ourselves, we enjoy having omelettes and serve them often to our friends. Here is an egg dish with a delicious flavor." Duke and Duchess of Windsor, internationally known connoisseurs of fine food and wine and frequent travelers on United States Lines.

The recipe:

Omelette Aux Fines Herbes

Beat 6 eggs with fork just to mix whites and yolks thoroughly. Add salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbes--parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon. In omelet pan, heat 4 tablespoons butter until it sizzles and gives off nutty aroma. Pour in beaten eggs; stir rapidly 15 seconds or until heated through and cook a little longer. When mixture sets on bottom of pan, roll it with fork and slip onto warm serving dish. Pour over it 1 tablespoon melted butter, mixed with 1 tablespoon of the chopped herbes. Serves 3.