1. 🧂 Salted Meat & Hard Biscuits
On long voyages, fresh food would spoil quickly, so sailors often relied on salted meat and hard biscuits. These biscuits were so tough that they had to be soaked before eating! For centuries, this menu was the unchanging flavor of the open seas.⠀
2. 💰 Salt = Money
Salt on ships wasn't just for preserving meat and fish—it was also used as a means of exchange. At times, sailors traded salt for supplies. In fact, the word “salary” comes from the Latin word salarium, meaning “salt money.”⠀
3. 🍋 The Importance for Vitamin C
Due to the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables, sailors frequently suffered from scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. Symptoms included bleeding gums, fatigue, and even death. Ships began to carry barrels of lemon juice, which largely solved this issue.
4. 🍞 What Is Hardtack?
Common in the British navy, “hardtack” was a rock-hard bread made from flour and water. It was infamous for its resistance to mold, insects, and breaking! Sailors often had to soak it in soup just to make it edible.⠀
5. 🍳 Cooks: The Unsung Heroes of the Ship
On long sea journeys, a good meal was often the key to keeping spirits high. Cooks had to prepare filling and energizing meals with very limited ingredients. They were often among the most respected members of the crew.⠀
6. 🌍 Modern Ship Meals
Today, on large ships sailing international waters, menus are prepared according to the crew’s nationalities. Frozen foods, canned goods, and fresh produce are stored in special cold rooms. It’s now possible to enjoy global cuisine even while at sea!⠀
