Part 6/9:
Delving deeper into culinary practices on ships, historians often reference the rations served in the British Navy, revealing a diet limited but varied enough to sustain the crew. Samuel Pepys, a critical figure in British naval history, kept records detailing what sailors consumed, including salted beef, beer, and biscuits, with later rations including supplies aimed at preventing scurvy.
Interestingly, while sailors consumed hardtack as a staple, many prepared it creatively. Renowned dishes like burgoo were essentially oatmeals with added fat, while others like skillygallee transformed hardtack into a kind of stew.