Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Mining Meals - Pickaxe Not Included

CantCookStillTry
 Share

Recommended Posts

CantCookStillTry

CantCookStillTry

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

My dude is struggling. I'm posting less because it's not fair on the cooks. But he has resorted to the emergency supplies I have packed him. Cold, from the can. I am going to buy him a tupperware bowl, but with no microwave is there a point lol. 

 

20210511_213621.thumb.jpg.8fce7e885f90a2afd506aba0bff379bf.jpg

 

  • Confused 1
  • Sad 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CantCookStillTry

CantCookStillTry

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Without getting too personal, a reason I'm slowing down is my hub is really disengaged from the food. He really dosen't look forward to it or enjoy it, and he says the feeling is wide spread. Surely that's something that has to be looked at for like.. mental health or something?

They are already doing thankless jobs in the middle of nowhere, away from their familys and busting their butts. 

One of his latest dinners (I thought this looked good for camp food) - and he was entirely indifferent and over it and I am not playing poor him - so many would be so LUCKY to have this meal - I know it's a first world problem, I'm just inexpertly dabbling in the psychology of food and mental health. 

Breaded meat (he didn't/ couldn't tell me what it was), gravy and frozen veg. 

received_305793571090886.thumb.jpeg.a88fce9b246926158955be816a19586d.jpeg

 

 

 

  • Like 3
  • Sad 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shelby

Shelby

Posted
Posted

Yeah, I'd think that the powers that be could plan a special meal of some sort for them to look forward to.  Maybe have people submit ideas and narrow down to the top three meals that people are craving and then have a vote.  

 

Eating a cold can of soup at the end of a long hard day would be disheartening for anyone :( 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1

First eG Blog-Winter 2011

 

Second eG Blog-Summer 2015

 

Third eG Blog-Hunting season Birds and Deer 2016, 2017,2018,2019, 2021, 2022

Link to comment
Share on other sites
blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, CantCookStillTry said:

Without getting too personal, a reason I'm slowing down is my hub is really disengaged from the food. He really dosen't look forward to it or enjoy it, and he says the feeling is wide spread. Surely that's something that has to be looked at for like.. mental health or something?

They are already doing thankless jobs in the middle of nowhere, away from their familys and busting their butts. 

 

I've always heard that submarines have the best food in the US Navy because of the impact on quality of life.  Your husband's mining situation certainly shares some of the isolation factors and depending on the jobs, could possibly be quite hazardous as well.  Very sorry that the meals are failing to provide the sort of morale boost that they could.

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kim Shook

Kim Shook

Posted
Posted

I agree that it would be smarter (not to mention KINDER) of the mining company to feed their employees well.  Isolated from their families, they are well on their way to feeling low and left out of their normal lives.  Institutional food just makes that worse.  Low quality food in this instance screams, "we don't care what you want/like, we know you don't have any choice, so eat it or starve".  It would piss me off for sure.  

  • Like 2

Kim

Kim's Cookbook

What Fresh Hell is This?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
haresfur

haresfur

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, CantCookStillTry said:

Without getting too personal, a reason I'm slowing down is my hub is really disengaged from the food. He really dosen't look forward to it or enjoy it, and he says the feeling is wide spread. Surely that's something that has to be looked at for like.. mental health or something?

They are already doing thankless jobs in the middle of nowhere, away from their familys and busting their butts. 

One of his latest dinners (I thought this looked good for camp food) - and he was entirely indifferent and over it and I am not playing poor him - so many would be so LUCKY to have this meal - I know it's a first world problem, I'm just inexpertly dabbling in the psychology of food and mental health. 

Breaded meat (he didn't/ couldn't tell me what it was), gravy and frozen veg. 

received_305793571090886.thumb.jpeg.a88fce9b246926158955be816a19586d.jpeg

 

 

 

 

Frankly, I have found their food pretty shocking. The company would probably do better serving food so good that people looked forward to their time in the camp.

  • Like 2

It's almost never bad to feed someone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MokaPot

MokaPot

Posted
Posted

IMO, a lot of the meals looked good / tasty enough. I've eaten a lot of cafeteria-type food in my day, so, my expectations are dialed according to that.

 

Maybe @CantCookStillTry's husband is just used to the high quality of what he eats at home.

 

Maybe pack him more shelf-stable snacks? Can he bring in a hot water kettle (for ramen, etc.)?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
patti

patti

Posted
Posted

The guys who work on offshore drilling rigs or production platforms face a similar situation as far as being isolated from the rest of the world, being removed from their families, working physically hard 12 hour shifts and being dependent on food provided by the company. The difference is that they are extremely well fed. One of my brothers worked offshore and raved about the food and the choices they had. I’m so sorry miners aren’t treated as thoughtfully. They do need something to look forward to. 

  • Like 5

Dear Food: I hate myself for loving you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
heidih

heidih

Posted
Posted

@patti as frequently hitting like means you like it all. I li8ke the caring about the riggers. Food can be that beacon of light at end of day before you fall onto your bunk.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CantCookStillTry

CantCookStillTry

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

See this is exactly it and why I slowed down. No the food is not bad, it's not great but I can't SEE any reason why they are all so dissapointed - of course I don't eat it. My husband is literally the unfussiest bloke in the world. He once ate a "Borscht" I tried to make for a solid week (I pureed pickled beets and chicken stock from a cube - thats it 🤢 I assumed it was so gross because I was preggers 😂). 

Thats why I think it must be a psychological thing? Something about eating alone - thats another thing, I think the food would taste better if they ate socially - or at least wouldn't make the miserable. 

Interstingly though the camps google reviews - yup thats a thing - all comment on the food being below par for a camp. 

And yes - oil rig workers eat like kings and queens - check out jaime oliver the rig chef of insta if you get the chance. He's currently out of action but ... just wow. 

 

Sorry for ramble

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CantCookStillTry

CantCookStillTry

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I will also add I do pick and choose what to share, because I truly believe its not the chefs fault at all. So I share the better or funnier meals 😂. 

I also have sent him now with emergency food, I pack Ramen suprises from the Asian Grocery (stock up when in town), tinned soup as you have now seen and jerky. Any other suggestions? When he is on site and is back at camp he has no access to anything to heat food ... unless I invest in a mini microwave 🤔. 

Also. I don't wanna provide food 😂 Breakfast, lunch and dinner is part of the salary and he dosen't eat breakfast. We're throwing away money here 😂. Some nights when he grabs a sandwich, or jelly and cereal because you can't mess that up. 

 

He is not starving, he is not being mistreated. The chefs are trying their best. Thats why I think it must be a "In your head thing" at least 50% of the time - some times it is just shocking lol. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Why don't miners eat socially?

 

Covid?

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kayb

kayb

Posted
Posted
22 hours ago, haresfur said:

 

Frankly, I have found their food pretty shocking. The company would probably do better serving food so good that people looked forward to their time in the camp.

 

It hasn't looked exceptionally appetizing.

 

12 hours ago, CantCookStillTry said:

See this is exactly it and why I slowed down. No the food is not bad, it's not great but I can't SEE any reason why they are all so dissapointed - of course I don't eat it. My husband is literally the unfussiest bloke in the world. He once ate a "Borscht" I tried to make for a solid week (I pureed pickled beets and chicken stock from a cube - thats it 🤢 I assumed it was so gross because I was preggers 😂). 

Thats why I think it must be a psychological thing? Something about eating alone - thats another thing, I think the food would taste better if they ate socially - or at least wouldn't make the miserable. 

Interstingly though the camps google reviews - yup thats a thing - all comment on the food being below par for a camp. 

And yes - oil rig workers eat like kings and queens - check out jaime oliver the rig chef of insta if you get the chance. He's currently out of action but ... just wow. 

 

Sorry for ramble

 

I would suspect given the setting/situation -- you have no choices other than what the camp offers -- is enough to put one off his food. My son-ni-law worked as a deck hand on the river boat for a while, 30 days on, 30 days off. He said the food was wonderful. Now, it was heavy on the meat and carbs, nothing fancy at all, but typical heavy Southern cooking. 

 

I get as tired eating with the same people (or lack of them) as I do of the food.

 

  • Like 3

Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
On 4/25/2021 at 5:36 AM, CantCookStillTry said:

I will try that! Although that toe he always sneaks in.. (I also think he is doing it for sh!ts and giggles at this point).. has no nail 😂. 

 

As of this morning* nor does mine.

 

*technically, afternoon

 

  • Like 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CantCookStillTry

CantCookStillTry

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

These are some recent dishes. Pork and a sweet chilli potato bake with veges. Apparently the potato bake was great, I struggle to marry those flavours in my head. 

received_541343346878776.thumb.jpeg.5087fd05d90e1e91d21e33c6e8900e71.jpeg

 

And roast lamb and sweet potato chips (sweet pototo chips are his favourite thing). 

received_537801057398604.thumb.jpeg.1aae41e22e398171ff258ed41adee39a.jpeg

 

I toetally only got back on to share these for one reason 😂🤦‍♀️. 

Maybe he's on to me.... trying to get me out of my depressive slump 😂. 🦶

  • Like 3
  • Haha 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
CantCookStillTry

CantCookStillTry

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Hello Strangers. 

I have a reason to post. The mine is short staffed with a shortage of powder monkeys. My husband has offered himself as tribute, which means he is not coming home - boo 🙄. BUT it means he gets to experience the opposite crews chefs 🤔 and give me some content. 

First Night looks like anyones guess but its veg, sweet tayto fries, gravy, and under that, a steak. The steak is from the hot box, apparently first time he's seen that, and was apparently very very good. 

Don't judge a book by its cover. 

 

received_2799223510300046.thumb.jpeg.eb70a538f1282cf8bb6e3dcf16203be9.jpeg

 

Ok ok still looks like slop. But it's tasty!

  • Like 11
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

Pray tell, what is a powder monkey?

 

I should hazard a powder monkey is someone who transports blasting powder, as opposed to baking powder.

 

  • Like 1

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Link to comment
Share on other sites
liuzhou

liuzhou

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I should hazard a powder monkey is someone who transports blasting powder, as opposed to baking powder.

 

 

Yes.

 

Quote

ˈpowder-ˌmonkey

a.a A humorous term for a powder-boy on board ship. Also fig. Now also (U.S.) a term for a member of a blasting crew; = powder-man c.

OED

 

Quote

ˈpowder-boy

A boy employed on board ship to carry gunpowder from the powder-room to the guns; a ‘powder-monkey’.

OED


 

Quote

ˈpowder-man

†a.a ? A dealer in gunpowder. Obs. b.b A man who supplies the guns with powder on board a man-of-war. c.c One who attends to the powder used in blasting operations, etc.

OED

 

Edited by liuzhou (log)
  • Like 2

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...