If it is true, as Napoleon said, that an army moves on its stomach, then some Army reservists at Fort Meade will soon be soldiering in style.

Sgt. 1st Class James Duff, a food service specialist with the 200th Military Police Command, will be reporting for duty at Fort Meade this month. This is the mess-hall equivalent, I gather, of having Maryland sharpshooter Greivis Vasquez show up on your pickup basketball team.

Duff is on a roll. Last week he managed a team of 12 that picked up a potful of medals - four gold, 11 silver and seven bronze - at the U.S. Army's Culinary Arts Competition at Fort Lee, Va. They finished fifth in a field of 12 teams.

Among the meals that garnered medals for Duff's team was one that featured a filet of sole appetizer, a loin of lamb wrapped in sausage, and a strawberry consomme served on chiffon croutons with an oatmeal lace cookie and salted melon. This meal, by the way, was prepared using a CK, or containerized kitchen, the kind of field equipment Army units usually haul around behind a truck.

Duff's Army Reserve Culinary Arts Team had made a pretty good run for the top honor of being named IOY, or Installation of the Year. This honor, I was told, usually goes to big, active-duty operations, such as the one from Fort Bragg. N.C. During the course of our conversation, Duff explained various facets of the Army's annual cooking competition. From time to time, I had to stop him to have him explain what various abbreviations meant.

Duff and members of his team are in the U.S. Army Reserve. They live throughout the United States and meet for AT, or annual training. Duff resides in Lincoln, Neb. He said the full roster of the team numbers 20, representing 17 states. Eight members of the team were not able to attend the Fort Lee contest because they were deployed for overseas duty.

Duff started getting ready 12 months ago for this year's competition by organizing a series of training and planning sessions. The team met twice at Fort Meade, once for a cook-off to pick new members in the fall, and then again in June.

The poached sole appetizer served at the field kitchen event was "right out of Escoffier," Duff said, referring to the 1890 cookbook that is a classic of French cooking. The lamb loin also turned out well, he said. "Those field ovens can get up to 600 degrees," he said.

Duff was especially proud of the dessert. The chiffon crouton was "dipped and cooked like French toast," he said. It was followed by a layer of ricotta, the oatmeal lace cookie and the salted melon, he said. When the warm strawberry consomme was added, it melted all the components. "You got sweet, savory, bitter tastes," he said. "It hit all the senses."

Duff, 42, said he has been working in restaurants since he was a teenager.

"When I was 13, I was washing dishes at Shoemaker's Truck Stop in Lincoln, Neb.," he said. From there, he went on to work at various restaurants, including McDonald's, Burger King and Bonanza. He eventually became a self-employed trouble-shooter, visiting struggling restaurants and recommending changes. After joining the Army Reserves in 2002, he put his culinary training to use, picking food service as his MOS, or military occupational specialty. Along the way, he won a Philip A. Connelly award, an honor the Army and the International Food Service Executives Association bestow on promising Army cooks.

This is the third year that Duff has participated in the competition at Fort Lee. The competition, now its 35th year, started as a contest for Army cooks but in recent years has expanded to teams from all branches of the military. Its purpose, as its Web site states, "is to showcase the talents of military chefs from around the globe in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces."

When I asked Duff who got to eat his field kitchen lunch of sole, lamb and strawberry consomme, he said, "The first 80 people who got in line." The competition, I learned, is open to the public, and folks queue up early in the morning to buy the $4.25 lunch tickets.

Duff did tell me that there was a VIP table, where several generals dined. Rank has its privileges.

When I think of Army food I think of MREs, the Meals Ready To Eat that have a shelf life of three years and have to be able to withstand being parachuted in from 2,000 feet.

Now I guess when I think of Army food, I will have to think about strawberry consomme.

Duff was cagey when I asked him how the food he cooked at the competition will compare with the meals he will prepare for the next 60 days at Fort Meade.

"There is a standard Army menu card," he said "I don't think you have to take anything away from it. But I think you can add things to it to make meals exciting."

Soldiers: Get ready to dine.

Recipe search   Search over 3,000 recipes in our archive
Keywords:  
Or choose a date:   Choose ... All to April '02 March 17, 2010 March 10, 2010 March 3, 2010 Feb. 24, 2010 Feb. 17, 2010 Feb. 10, 2010 Feb. 3, 2010 Jan. 27, 2010 Jan. 20, 2010 Jan. 13, 2010 Jan. 6, 2010 Dec. 30, 2009 Dec. 23, 2009 Dec. 16, 2009 Dec. 9, 2009 Dec. 2, 2009 Nov. 25, 2009 Nov. 18, 2009 Nov. 11, 2009 Nov. 4, 2009 Oct. 28, 2009 Oct. 21, 2009 Oct. 14, 2009 Oct. 7, 2009 Sept. 30, 2009 Sept. 23, 2009 Sept. 16, 2009 Sept. 9, 2009 Sept. 2, 2009 Aug. 26, 2009 Aug. 19, 2009 Aug. 12, 2009 Aug. 5, 2009 July 29, 2009 July 22, 2009 July 15, 2009 July 8, 2009 July 1, 2009 June 24, 2009 June 17, 2009 June 10, 2009 June 3, 2009 May 27, 2009 May 20, 2009 May 13, 2009 May 6, 2009 April 29, 2009 April 22, 2009 April 15, 2009 April 8, 2009 April 1, 2009 March 25, 2009 March 18, 2009 March 4, 2009 Feb. 25, 2009 Feb. 18, 2009 Feb. 11, 2009 Feb. 4, 2009 Jan. 28, 2009 Jan. 21, 2009 Jan. 14, 2009 Jan. 7, 2009 Dec. 31, 2008 Dec. 24, 2008 Dec. 17, 2008 Dec. 10, 2008 Dec. 3, 2008 Nov. 26, 2008 Nov. 19, 2008 Nov. 12, 2008 Nov. 5, 2008 Oct. 29, 2008 Oct. 22, 2008 Oct. 15, 2008 Oct. 8, 2008 Oct. 1, 2008 Sept. 24, 2008 Sept. 17, 2008 Sept. 10, 2008 Sept. 3, 2008 Aug. 27, 2008 Aug. 20, 2008 Aug. 13, 2008 Aug. 6, 2008 July 30, 2008 July 23, 2008 July 16, 2008 July 9, 2008 July 2, 2008 June 25, 2008 June 18, 2008 June 11, 2008 June 4, 2008 May 28, 2008 May 21, 2008 May 14, 2008 May 7, 2008 April 30, 2008 April 23, 2008 April 16, 2008 April 9, 2008 April 2, 2008 March 26, 2008 March 19, 2008 March 12, 2008 March 5, 2008 Feb. 27, 2008 Feb. 20, 2008 Feb. 13, 2008 Feb. 6, 2008 Jan. 30, 2008 Jan. 23, 2008 Jan. 16, 2008 Jan. 9, 2008 Jan. 2, 2008 Dec. 26, 2007 Dec. 19, 2007 Dec. 12, 2007 Dec. 5, 2007 Nov. 28, 2007 Nov. 21, 2007 Nov. 14, 2007 Nov. 7, 2007 Oct. 31, 2007 Oct. 24, 2007 Oct. 17, 2007 Oct. 10, 2007 Oct. 3, 2007 Sept. 26, 2007 Sept. 19, 2007 Sept. 12, 2007 Sept. 5, 2007 Aug. 29, 2007 Aug. 22, 2007 Aug. 15, 2007 Aug. 8, 2007 Aug. 1, 2007 July 25, 2007 July 18, 2007 July 11, 2007 July 4, 2007 June 27, 2007 June 20, 2007 June 13, 2007 June 6, 2007 May 30, 2007 May 23, 2007 May 16, 2007 May 9, 2007 May 2, 2007 April 25, 2007 April 18, 2007 April 11, 2007 April 4, 2007 March 28, 2007 March 21, 2007 March 14, 2007 March 7, 2007 Feb. 28, 2007 Feb. 21, 2007 Feb. 14, 2007 Feb. 7, 2007 Jan. 31, 2007 Jan. 24, 2007 Jan. 17, 2007 Jan. 10, 2007 Jan. 3, 2007 Dec. 27, 2006 Dec. 20, 2006 Dec. 13, 2006 Dec. 6, 2006 Nov. 29, 2006 Nov. 22, 2006 Nov. 15, 2006 Nov. 8, 2006 Nov. 1, 2006 Oct. 25, 2006 Oct. 18, 2006 Oct. 11, 2006 Oct. 4, 2006 Sept. 27, 2006 Sept. 20, 2006 Sept. 13, 2006 Sept. 6, 2006 Aug. 30, 2006 Aug. 23, 2006 Aug. 16, 2006 Aug. 9, 2006 Aug. 2, 2006 July 26, 2006 July 19, 2006 July 12, 2006 July 5, 2006 June 28, 2006 June 21, 2006 June 14, 2006 June 7, 2006 May 31, 2006 May 24, 2006 May 17, 2006 May 10, 2006 May 3, 2006 April 26, 2006 April 19, 2006 April 12, 2006 April 5, 2006 March 29, 2006 March 22, 2006 March 15, 2006 March 8, 2006 March 1, 2006 Feb. 22, 2006 Feb. 15, 2006 Feb. 8, 2006 Feb. 1, 2006 Jan. 25, 2006 Jan. 18, 2006 Jan. 11, 2006 Jan. 4, 2006 Dec. 28, 2005 Dec. 21, 2005 Dec. 14, 2005 Dec. 7, 2005 Nov. 30, 2005 Nov. 23, 2005 Nov. 16, 2005 Nov. 9, 2005 Nov. 2, 2005 Oct. 26, 2005 Oct. 19, 2005 Oct. 12, 2005 Oct. 5, 2005 Sept. 28, 2005 Sept. 21, 2005 Sept. 14, 2005 Sept. 7, 2005 Aug. 31, 2005 Aug. 24, 2005 Aug. 17, 2005 Aug. 10, 2005 Aug. 3, 2005 July 27, 2005 July 20, 2005 July 13, 2005 July 6, 2005 June 29, 2005 June 22, 2005 June 15, 2005 June 8, 2005 June 1, 2005 May 25, 2005 May 18, 2005 May 11, 2005 May 4, 2005 April 27, 2005 April 20, 2005 April 13, 2005 April 6, 2005 March 30, 2005 March 23, 2005 March 16, 2005 March 9, 2005 March 2, 2005 Feb. 23, 2005 Feb. 16, 2005 Feb. 9, 2005 Feb. 2, 2005 Jan. 26, 2005 Jan. 19, 2005 Jan. 12, 2005 Jan. 5, 2005 Dec. 29, 2004 Dec. 22, 2004 Dec. 15, 2004 Dec. 8, 2004 Dec. 1, 2004 Nov. 24, 2004 Nov. 17, 2004 Nov. 10, 2004 Nov. 3, 2004 Oct. 27, 2004 Oct. 20, 2004 Oct. 13, 2004 Oct. 6, 2004 Sept. 29, 2004 Sept. 22, 2004 Sept. 15, 2004 Sept. 8, 2004 Sept. 1, 2004 Aug. 25, 2004 Aug. 18, 2004 Aug. 11, 2004 Aug. 4, 2004 July 28, 2004 July 21, 2004 July 14, 2004 July 7, 2004 June 30, 2004 June 23, 2004 June 16, 2004 June 9, 2004 June 2, 2004 May 26, 2004 May 19, 2004 May 12, 2004 May 5, 2004 April 28, 2004 April 21, 2004 April 14, 2004 April 7, 2004 March 31, 2004 March 24, 2004 March 17, 2004 March 10, 2004 March 3, 2004 Feb. 25, 2004 Feb. 18, 2004 Feb. 11, 2004 Feb. 4, 2004 Jan. 28, 2004 Jan. 21, 2004 Jan. 14, 2004 Jan. 7, 2004 Dec. 31, 2003 Dec. 24, 2003 Dec. 17, 2003 Dec. 10, 2003 Dec. 3, 2003 Nov. 26, 2003 Nov. 19, 2003 Nov. 12, 2003 Nov. 5, 2003 Oct. 29, 2003 Oct. 22, 2003 Oct. 15, 2003 Oct. 8, 2003 Oct. 1, 2003 Sept. 24, 2003 Sept. 17, 2003 Sept. 10, 2003 Sept. 3, 2003 Aug. 27, 2003 Aug. 20, 2003 Aug. 13, 2003 Aug. 6, 2003 July 30, 2003 July 23, 2003 July 16, 2003 July 9, 2003 July 2, 2003 June 25, 2003 June 18, 2003 June 11, 2003 June 4, 2003 May 28, 2003 May 21, 2003 May 14, 2003 May 7, 2003 April 30, 2003 April 23, 2003 April 16, 2003 April 9, 2003 April 2, 2003 March 26, 2003 March 19, 2003 March 12, 2003 March 5, 2003 Feb. 26, 2003 Feb. 19 2003 Feb. 12, 2003 Feb. 5, 2003 Jan. 29, 2003 Jan. 22, 2003 Jan. 15, 2003
Taste recipes: Pasta salad with smoked chicken | No-Fail Sour Cream Chocolate Cake |
Popular searches: Blueberries | Ribs | Grilled shrimp | Recipes from local chefs