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Although Alexis had only been away from the Crimea for a couple of months, a rash of deaths and replacements in senior positions meant that he would have to develop key contacts from scratch again. Commissary-General Filder had been replaced by Sir George Maclean, who greeted him warmly. The meeting went well; Soyer had put into motion with Filder a scheme to replace the local supplier of dried vegetables, as only one variety was provided and it was much over-dried, killing the taste and nutrition. He had proposed the appointment of a new supplier, Messers Chollet of Paris, charged with the provision of 'cakes' of mixed vegetables containing carrots, turnips, parsnips, onions, cabbage, celery and leeks, with aromatic seasoning. Cakes would be sized for 100 men for 3 days, marked in compartments of ten one day rations per man. Since dry rations were issued for 3 days, this would prevent the soldiers eating their complete three-day vegetable ration in one meal as Soyer had previously observed. Sir George informed him that the new vegetable rations were already arriving and had been distributed to some of the troops, with a very positive reaction.
Alexis was seeking approval to put on a trial demonstration of his new cooker for an assembly of senior allied officers. Simpson quickly showed a genuine keen interest. A Guardsman by pedigree,he suggested the Guards' camp in First Division area as an ideal location to stage the show. Always one to press forward a fresh initiative in a positive atmosphere, Alexis produced his new bread biscuits which he had tried out successfully in Scutari on the Duke of Newcastle. The atmosphere became rather less positive; but a doubful Simpson, who suffered from bad teeth, was eventually coaxed into a test bite, and was surprised to find the Soyer product much softer than he expected, and more tasty than the issue biscuit. What is more, they keep soft for upwards of three months, added salesman Soyer. Lieut Colonel Francis Seymour, commanding the Scots Fusilier Guards, was appointed military coordinator of the Stove Trial Event. Quick to enter into the spirit of this unusual and interesting assignment, he shrewdly arranged the trial for the 27th August, the same day that Lord Stratford de Redcliffe was to present Orders of the Bath to allied recipients of the honour. That way the captive top brass could be moved seamlessly from the presentation in the morning to the stoves in the afternoon. Seymour and Soyer decided to make it a festive occasion, the theme being a running buffet made from army rations prepared on the stoves. The Band of the Coldstream Guards was booked, fresh meat, ox-heads and ox-feet were ordered, carpenters organised to knock up tables and benches. Refreshments and wines for the VIPs were ordered from Messers Crockford at Donnybrook. Two marquees and four tents were pitched and decorated with flags and bunting. The whole was enclosed by rope attached to decorated posts, lending the site the appearance of a proper arena.
The copyright of the article Recipes from Disaster - Conclusion in Crimean War is owned by John Barham. Permission to republish Recipes from Disaster - Conclusion in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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