bernie_VKpit Posted August 29, 2013 Author Share Posted August 29, 2013 I agree. I volunteered on Boston food truck at the beginning of the year (at camp) what a work out. Unloading tractor trailer full of food. Cooking for 200 people (4times a day) and than cleaning up, breaking down box etc. They all deserve a lot credit for what they do for the kids and staff. You deserve a lot of credit for what you do for the kids and staff! Thanks a bunch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernie_VKpit Posted August 29, 2013 Author Share Posted August 29, 2013 Not only is it a question of unending production to ready 800 meals per day, but that in ever changing venues and with little or no sleep, these volunteers produce such wonderful, nutritious and varied meals far beyond PB&J. Add the weather conditions and personalities (carnivores, vegens, vegetarians, chunky-only, smooth-only, strawberry, grape, allergic to nuts, allergic to people) and you see why I think the food crews should all be up for canonization! Not only that, but in addition to everything you described, in some instances they also have to go buy the food at the local Costco, Sam's Club, etc.. At least this is how it was 20 years ago. Im sure its different now days with food purveyors like Sysco delivering food to locations where drum corps are staying for a period of time (few days at least?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drilltech1 Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 (edited) Not only that, but in addition to everything you described, in some instances they also have to go buy the food at the local Costco, Sam's Club, etc.. At least this is how it was 20 years ago. Im sure its different now days with food purveyors like Sysco delivering food to locations where drum corps are staying for a period of time (few days at least?). Usually they still have to go out daily to get the tangibles of milk, bread, butter, and of course, more PB&J. Some day, a better article on DCI web might feature the real story of what it means when the Carrot Crew of the Food truck comes into a grocery store in some town along tour and wipes out the store's supply of bread, milk and cheese. The local reaction ain't always pretty. Been there, done that. The flip side of this (no pun plannned but discovered along the way) is how many on tour become open to new dining possibilites given the great recipes the food crews use, the soups and casseroles they make from the left-overs, or the unique approach someone takes to a usual favorite. i can't tell you how many kids who said they hated this or that veggie loved my meatloaf special recipe which always included those same. Never any left-overs there when we would pinch hit to give the food crew a night off..:rolleyes:/>/> Edited August 29, 2013 by drilltech1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2muchcoffeeman Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 the real story of what it means when the Carrot Crew of the Food truck comes into a grocery store in some town along tour and wipes out the store's supply of bread, milk and cheese. The local reaction ain't always pretty. Been there, done that. Same can be said of laundry days, especially in smaller towns, and the monopolization of every washing machine by the members of the corps. The locals are not amused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 Bottom line: If all the corps techs and all the corps food service staff went on strike at the same time, who do you think the corps members would miss first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kip Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 After a quite few years of McD's and Burger King for lunches and dinners for the parade-only corps my brother and I belonged to in the late 70's, we moved-up to the local big touring corps who had also been feeding their kids that way, and supplemented with the traditional PB&J's and cereal out of one of the parent's Winnebago's. The expense to the corps and the kids was crazy (even back then, a run for 300-400 burgers, fries, and drinks cost a bunch), so my dad bought the corps a school bus, ripped out all the seats, installed a huge propane griddle, stove top, an oven, a couple of coolers, storage racks, and a big ole double-sink with running hot/cold water (all with his own money). He took time off to join us on tour (well, back then it was first tour and second tour) for the next 4 summers - he drove the bus, slept on gym floors, woke up early to have breakfast ready for us, made our lunches, dinners, and nighttime snacks, washed all the pots and pans after each meal, made the runs to the grocery store every other day or so, and then would hit the floor again after everything was cleaned-up, well after lights-out. He was a trained chef with an army cook background - so the meals were always great, and he knew how to make a lot of it at one time. Of course, not everyone likes everything that's served (me included, as I had been eating "his food" my entire life), so there was always a PB&J table setup off to the side. I still run into old corps friends all these years later who ask about him, and share their memories of how well they ate and how great his food was, and how he seemed to do it ALL; he was an iron-man. I know that he loved it, but I didn't realize just how much it meant to him until a good friend of his from later in life was reading his eulogy - he told the stories of those drum corps years that my dad had shared with him (apparently quite a few times), and wanted to let us all know how fondly he looked back at those times, and that my dad loved the chance to do what he could for all of us drum corps kids; they were some of the happiest years of his life... and mine. So, yes - PB&J, drum corps, and my dad. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernie_VKpit Posted August 29, 2013 Author Share Posted August 29, 2013 After a quite few years of McD's and Burger King for lunches and dinners for the parade-only corps my brother and I belonged to in the late 70's, we moved-up to the local big touring corps who had also been feeding their kids that way, and supplemented with the traditional PB&J's and cereal out of one of the parent's Winnebago's. The expense to the corps and the kids was crazy (even back then, a run for 300-400 burgers, fries, and drinks cost a bunch), so my dad bought the corps a school bus, ripped out all the seats, installed a huge propane griddle, stove top, an oven, a couple of coolers, storage racks, and a big ole double-sink with running hot/cold water (all with his own money). He took time off to join us on tour (well, back then it was first tour and second tour) for the next 4 summers - he drove the bus, slept on gym floors, woke up early to have breakfast ready for us, made our lunches, dinners, and nighttime snacks, washed all the pots and pans after each meal, made the runs to the grocery store every other day or so, and then would hit the floor again after everything was cleaned-up, well after lights-out. He was a trained chef with an army cook background - so the meals were always great, and he knew how to make a lot of it at one time. Of course, not everyone likes everything that's served (me included, as I had been eating "his food" my entire life), so there was always a PB&J table setup off to the side. I still run into old corps friends all these years later who ask about him, and share their memories of how well they ate and how great his food was, and how he seemed to do it ALL; he was an iron-man. I know that he loved it, but I didn't realize just how much it meant to him until a good friend of his from later in life was reading his eulogy - he told the stories of those drum corps years that my dad had shared with him (apparently quite a few times), and wanted to let us all know how fondly he looked back at those times, and that my dad loved the chance to do what he could for all of us drum corps kids; they were some of the happiest years of his life... and mine. So, yes - PB&J, drum corps, and my dad. Amazing story Kip. Thank's so much for adding your thoughts about your dad...a true unsung hero! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernie_VKpit Posted August 30, 2013 Author Share Posted August 30, 2013 Does anyone else have food cook stories that they can share? Or just drum corps food stories? I still to this day cannot drink Tang. Does it still exist? Ha ha ha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drilltech1 Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 (edited) Does anyone else have food cook stories that they can share? Or just drum corps food stories? I still to this day cannot drink Tang. Does it still exist? Ha ha ha! You were an astronaut??? Yup, check the dollar store. Tang is still for sale. Within the first dozen years of DCI and somewhat prompted by SCV's Miss Amana purchase and the Troopers' literal Chuck Wagon, DCI tried several food crew cook-offs and even a recipe book. (Commercial: Glassmen have a recipe book for sale.) With all the nutrition information and changes in American eating since then, especially for those on tour, it may be the time again to try this for the next championships. Pat's Lemonade and Ice Tea recipes... Taco Salad... How to keep Greek Yogurt from wilting during the Texas tour... Swamp tour delights and other Cajun eatin's Indiana Soy bean salad and what not to do with tofu on tour... French food, Indonesian food, Twianese versions, japanese sushi, Irish bangers and mash, and how to keep your foreign members from feeling homesick. Just don't ask the English kids for recipes or you'll get kidney pie. Michael Boo's favorites (just in case you wanted to get asked to co-blog, if that's even legal in Indiana) What to eat if you want to look like Carolina Crown slims and maintain your tour weight all winter long and after Age-out String beans, marshmellows and what not to serve during DrumBattle days... The list is endless... Edited August 30, 2013 by drilltech1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kansasDC Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Best meal my wife ever made for a drum corps was a Chicken Parmesan dinner for 220 on the night of my birthday in Houston. She started working on it while we still at our housing site, then completed it in the parking lot at the stadium. It included the chicken parm, pasta, Italian salad, and garlic bread for all, plus seconds. The smiles on all the members' and staff members' faces were priceless. Another great one was the pasta bar she did in the packed parking lot at the first DCI show in Lebanon, IL that same year. She had six different types of pasta and five different sauces all spread out buffet style. YUM! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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