HOW MUCH FOOD!

That a question I have been asked again and again, how much food did you order?
As a augmenter I often have to order food for ship that I will not be here to cook. More than once I have had to order enough food for 1 month or even 2 months. That's allot of food. just for example, I order at least 30 lbs of bacon for each month, and then I always have extra just in case that runs out. Coffee is another, I have at least 2 pounds of whole beans for each day.

You have to be able to figure out the average amount of each thing you will use, and then add another 10% just to be safe.
For another example. We made lasagna the other day. when I make it I use ricotta cheese and real mozzarella cheese. Now underway that goes like wildfire. We will have from 30 to 45 persons on board and I have to make at least 35 portions, because not everybody will eat at mealtime. Some are sleeping and will eat later at night. Well I will need 5-7 lbs ground meat. 2 tubs of ricotta, a whole bag of mozzarella and tomato sauce and noodles. and that's a dish i can make every two weeks and they will like it. So if I'm gone for two months and I make it 4 times that's 20 to 30 lbs of burger alone!

Another is biscuits and gravy, my wonderful wife taught how to make the gravy, I can tell you it has flour bacon grease and milk in it. but she always makes it better than me. but for the crew Ill use a gallon of milk each time, and that a once a week thing, sometimes twice. so there is 8 gallons of milk just for that. Not including the whole, 2% and fat free the crew drinks each day. That's why i get about 30 gallons of milk each time.

So you see its not just the cooking, I have to order enough food and figure how to store it and make sure I don't run out. No grocery store in the ocean to stop at.

Till next time
May your potatoes never sprout, and your pasta never stick.