The Barney Clark............

Another post about food. Comfort food that is.

Back in my sea going days on one of America's 4.5 acres of "movable United States power" one could eat some good food. In fact if one so chose to, you could eat 4 times a day ( 5 if you counted an mid afternoon PB&J; always available 24 hours a day). Without a work out, one had to be careful not to put on a lot of weight. Fortunately for me, sweating during pre-flights in the Persian Gulf in 100 degree heat counts as a work out of sorts.

But I digress.

The most popular meal, I think had to be what was called Mid-rats. That was a slang term for "midnight rations". Basically, in the flyer's wardroom ( normally located in the forward part of the ship just underneath the flight deck and the bow catapults) one could get anything from the grill for about 2 hours from 11pm till 1 am. That usually coincided with the end of the flying day, and after a night arrested landing, on a pitching deck, in the North Atlantic or Pacific oceans, one tended not to go to sleep right away. (At least I did not....).

Anyway....... One of the best treats one could get was the Barney Clark. Named for the recipient of the first artificial heart transplant. ( Sadly, he lived for only 112 days afterwards.) However, with only the sick kind of humor Naval Aviators could produce, we and others gave the name to a special kind of hamburger. The great thing about midrats was that you could get burgers to order or you could get breakfast. The Barney Clark made you not have to choose: a double cheeseburger, topped with bacon and a fried egg over easy or hard, your choice. Top it with mayonnaise, tomato, onions and lettuce......MMM! MMMM! MMM! Good eating and a life time worth of cholesterol in one meal!

A BC had no real nutritional value, but it was good for your soul. At the young age of 25 or 26 we did not think about things like heart healthy foods.....Perhaps we should of, but it seemed kind of silly when the flight deck was trying to kill us at every possible opportunity. I'm getting hungry just thinking about one right now.

I've come to the conclusion that every nation has its own version of the Barney Clark. Sourrain has already talked about one American version: the Krispy Kreme donut. I wonder if she ever had my other favorite nutritionless meal when she was in the US: The Krystal Burger:

That and a six pack makes dinner!

Krystals are very small hamburgers, on steamed buns (hell, I think the burgers are steamed too.....), minced onions and pickles-cheese if you want. Six makes a down right tasty meal. Which will leave you bloated and sleepy ........

In Britain its probably bangers and mash, maybe any type of pub food might qualify. In Germany go to a Christmas markt and eats some sausage on a thick roll. Not sure what you would find in Asia. Just about all Japanese food is heart healthy, same seems to be true for Chinese food. ( Although some kinds of shumai might qualify.....). I wonder if 10 packs of Jacobs Cream Crackers makes the list of "soul food". I've never been to Malaysia, does Nasi Lemak (x10) qualify as nutritionless food?

And speaking of food, I wonder how Sourrain is doing with her list?

I gotta go....this is making me hungry! How about you? What's your favorite good for the soul, not for the body, food?

ja ne,

Skippy-san