This sounds similar to ice milk, a product sold in the US in the 1950s-70s but today sold as “low-fat ice cream.” I remember it as passable tasting. But others felt less favorable until new formulations made it taste closer to ice cream.hisashi wrote:. . . So condensed milk had long history as a civilian good before used as additional foods for flight crews.
It is said that they sold the first 'aisukurin’ (ice cream) ' in 1869.
Early aisukurin was near to sherbet. Low fat (=cream) and with strong flavor (and yellow color) of egg. So it was possible that WWII militarymen enjoyed this kind of milky sherbet or candy bar if situation was good enough.
Military or not, some food tastes of the past might be better appreciated by comparing them to more usual foods of that time.
- That is what I supposed earlier about condensed milk next to army field rations of salt pork and hardtack.
Food history author Reay Tannahill was cited earlier about the general origin of curry, relative to IJN curry. She wrote that early canned foods of mid-19th century were not so good, sometimes tasting like the tin can as well as food. But in those days, many ordinary people who ate canned food might never have tasted the fresh equivalents -– or never even seen them. (Tannahill, Food in History revised edition, page 313).
Author Katarzyna Cwiertka made the point that many Japanese had never before eaten some of the foods that they got as military rations, and liked them. Also quoted earlier about curry, writer Yamamoto Fumihito compared the soldier or sailor’s daily white rice to his village life back home, where he had to eat poorer cereals.
- It would be similar to how Morinaga Taichiro was amazed by his first taste of candy in America, and inspired to produce it back home in Japan.
Because it is not widely exported like beers and whiskeys, the innovation of many ice cream flavors in today’s Japan is not so well known. However, I suspect the more unusual flavors are too much emphasized in English-language mention, implying that all of them are popular with all Japanese.
These look like bottled soft drinks (ramune?) although not close or clear enough to see any label. The setting could be another shubo but not enough of it can be seen to tell.Peter H wrote:Canteen pic
In those days, were there other Japanese sodas besides ramune?
- Other American ones such as Moxie and Royal Crown were common through the first half of the 20th century . But in time these became second to world-famous Coca-Cola and Pepsi, although they survive as regional brands.
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I imagine that IJA mealtime would be a time for lively talk, if the soldiers get along well. That’s something every serviceman remembers from his barracks life. These men here do not look so animated. But assuming this one is not posed, every photo is only a split-second of whatever really happened.Peter H wrote:Barracks meal
What is the square box at the end of the table? It isn’t like the round shokkan in other photos.
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Some are eating melons, others take a smoking break. The fruit apparently came from the locals seen here,Peter H wrote:From ebay seller, RCWmilitaria: (Troops and pack mules halted for a rest)
One small thing about this photo: it does not look posed or arranged. But possibly the photographer called out to the men, so that they would turn around and look toward his camera. In any case, the pic seems meant to imply good relations with civilians.
-- Alan