Friday, June 4, 2021

Kylie Cooks the World: Antarctica Hoosh

 

Hoosh, is a porridge or stew of pemmican and water, often thickened with crushed sledge-biscuits.  I learned much about the history of Hoosh and Antarctic cuisine from Jason C Anthony in his book Hoosh [2012].  In it, he says the British referred to it as “a meat stew of the ravenous.”  

 

I especially enjoyed learning of The Secret Society of Unconventional Cooks and their "championships".  Though a good cook, I feel I could belong to this crew; of course, we all make mistakes. One of my favorite household phrases when a mistake is made, an injury has occurred or a failure is experienced is, "It's the price of adventure."   I say it a lot in the kitchen.

Back to Hoosh… 

Recipes would really be based off rations at the time.  Throwing it all in a pot and heating it to boiling to serve as a hot meal, warm the body and provide nourishment.  It was not really meant for taste (nor did I read much about it over-achieving this mark and satisfying the culinary palate), but the heat and sheer warmth made it satisfying. 
 

So, if you're looking for simple experimental “travel” based off history and to have a little adventure, well here you go.  If you're looking for a dinner of delicacies for Thursday night that appeals to all—this may not be your best option.   Again, I went to CoolAntarctica.com for a suggested recipe, but offer a few extra ideas. 

 

Hoosh  [Serves 2] 

4 oz pemmican  

5 oz sledging biscuits  

1 c water, melted from snow or ice cubes if you wanna have a bit more fun  

 

Depending on your time and sense of adventure level…  

Boil the water, add the pemmican—breaking it up with a wooden spoon and crumble your biscuits into the pot.  Stir, as it again comes to a boil, and serve hot. 

 

Or, in The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, they tell of making Hoosh with tea instead of water.  I would use unsweetened as sugar was scarce, and doubtfully used except on a very special occasion if it were still available.  

 

You can also spark up your campfire skills and cook it over the fire outside or over your camp burner.  Couple it with a cup of hot (powdered) milk or cocoa to experience a treat these explorers had on special occasions.    

 

While we won't thicken our hoosh with seal's blood or seaweed or have to chisel frozen seal meat from the carcass leaving the camp in bloodied disarray, we can still have some fun aspects of the charm of these adventurous people.  

 

So, get out the cookbook and read and savor one single reading of a recipe discussing each person's idea to make that recipe better in a kitchen one day as the 22 men did on Elephant Island, anxiously awaiting to see if Shackleton had survived his escape and rescue attempt of the men (spoiler alert—he did in an amazing seventeen day battle with the seas, elements, and uncharted mountainous ice hikes all to get to a whaling station and make multiple attempts to save them for 100 days). 

 

Or bring out a canned food item and slowly read the label aloud due to no other reading material being available as they would on Nordenskjold’s Antarctic expedition.

 

Or you can sing songs or hum tunes as they would have for the excitement and anticipation of a meal after months of conversation was exhausted like the Northern Party led by Victor Campbell during their unplanned and unprepared for winter stay.  They were unable to make it on the Terra Nova from their separate assignment on Robert Scott’s expedition, and the six men survived in an ice cave they dug, approximately 12’x9’x5.5’.

 

Or you can scoop the hoosh in to dishes and play Shackleton’s psychological game of "Shut Eye" to assign each person their portion, as they sometimes did to avoid grumblings of favoritism in rations.  Scoop the ration into a dish, ask the blindfolded person to name who’s dish it is and hand them out so no one can say they are purposely getting shafted on their rations.

 

Whichever your choice, Go Big or Go Small, let’s at least go somewhere, even if we are only “travelling” in our kitchens! 


For more fun facts on Antarctica and food facts, check out this episode on my podcast "Miss Kylie's Peculiar Guide for Ladies (and Gentlemen) in the Art of Cookery and Household Management" https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/NvpOBW1SRyb

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