We are back! I’m so sorry for this unannounced little 2-week hiatus. I had to catch up with life and two new puppies among other things like hard deadlines in my work. But we’re back now!
A small respite, a little banter, and some chocolate!
One of the biggest problems that soldiers (at first, in the Greco-Italian war) and partisans faced with their shoes (when they had them) was the way they were made. The standard issue boot had a lot of nails in the sole which, through the wear and tear of constant use, loosened up and created cracks in the sole. Through there, water and snow entered the inside. The lack of constant change of wrappings and a moderate knowledge of how to prevent frostbite was devastating. (You can see photos of these boots and the nails, etc, at my patreon!)
As for the chocolate Fotis is given, it is this one! This is the version of high concentration in caffeine, not anything else as we talk about in the next page ;) Inside the pieces were cut in little triangles, like you would in a cake.
Next update will be on Monday, April 18! But you can see it right now if you are my patron!
I'd like some German chocolate. American chocolate is garbage. Also, fear of angry women definitely surpasses fear of pain. We were scolded for going outside barefoot as kids because chestnut burs broke off in our feet. Mom had to pry them out with tweezers (while scolding us).
An excerpt: "Forrest Mars got the idea for the product (M&Ms) after encountering Roundtree’s Smarties while in Europe during the Spanish Civil War.
While abroad, Forrest Mars Sr. noticed British soldiers eating small, pill-sized candies called Smarties, made of a chocolate center and a hard candy shell. He was shocked to see that the candies held up in the summer heat, and that they were small and easy to transport." From here: https://wisdombiscuits.com/which-came-first-mms-or-smarties/ The US company simply trademarked the name there in 1949, preventing Roundtree (the maker of Smarties) from doing so. Apologies Tantz!!!!!!
Not sure where you got that info Bravo- Smarties were introduced under that name by Roundtree in the UK in 1937 and had been sold as chocolate beans since 1888 :)
The German chocolate was also bitter and to some tasted like black coffee. That's why the American chocolate ration was preferred. It was milk chocolate made by Hershey. British chocolate was by Cadbury and also "smoother" than German chocolate, which became more rare as the war went on and cacao imports dwindled.
The taste is not outstanding, but it contained quite a lot of caffeine. A real addictive. And it is still available today in the EU, I think. Without swastika and eagle, but still in the same round design and with caffeine, as a trucker chocolate.
The Hershey bars were originally so much goo when shipped in the unrefigerated cargo holds to the Pacific and ended up used to make cocoa. So M&M sold its candy to the War Department so wouldn't have to end production because of rationing. (Same with Hershey and their bars)
The doodler at 11:21AM, June 17, 2023
See, I would assume that stuff was a can of dip, but Evil, and missed out on some chocolate!
Tantz_Aerine at 12:48PM, June 17, 2023
Someone was bold enough to explore it. XD
Banes at 9:04AM, April 6, 2022
GIMMEDAT! Um...I mean, please. Thank you. Yes.
Tantz_Aerine at 12:44PM, April 6, 2022
*hands it to you with caution*
usedbooks at 12:57PM, April 4, 2022
I'd like some German chocolate. American chocolate is garbage. Also, fear of angry women definitely surpasses fear of pain. We were scolded for going outside barefoot as kids because chestnut burs broke off in our feet. Mom had to pry them out with tweezers (while scolding us).
Tantz_Aerine at 2:22PM, April 4, 2022
I'm biased I like Greek chocolate the most, but I'll take any European one, I have to say! (and agreed on angry women)
Ozoneocean at 2:58AM, April 4, 2022
Poor guys look so bitterly cold!
Tantz_Aerine at 3:06AM, April 4, 2022
They are. XD
Ozoneocean at 2:58AM, April 4, 2022
Pshaw! M&Ms were a copy of Smarties :P
Tantz_Aerine at 12:45PM, April 6, 2022
Don't apologize I've been reading it all. XD
bravo1102 at 6:55AM, April 4, 2022
Thank you, never saw that. Thank you very much! I knew about lobbying the War Dept to ship them to the Pacific though. Duly noted, thanks again!
Ozoneocean at 4:43AM, April 4, 2022
An excerpt: "Forrest Mars got the idea for the product (M&Ms) after encountering Roundtree’s Smarties while in Europe during the Spanish Civil War. While abroad, Forrest Mars Sr. noticed British soldiers eating small, pill-sized candies called Smarties, made of a chocolate center and a hard candy shell. He was shocked to see that the candies held up in the summer heat, and that they were small and easy to transport." From here: https://wisdombiscuits.com/which-came-first-mms-or-smarties/ The US company simply trademarked the name there in 1949, preventing Roundtree (the maker of Smarties) from doing so. Apologies Tantz!!!!!!
Ozoneocean at 4:26AM, April 4, 2022
Not sure where you got that info Bravo- Smarties were introduced under that name by Roundtree in the UK in 1937 and had been sold as chocolate beans since 1888 :)
Tantz_Aerine at 3:06AM, April 4, 2022
I did like Smarties better XD
bravo1102 at 2:37AM, April 4, 2022
The German chocolate was also bitter and to some tasted like black coffee. That's why the American chocolate ration was preferred. It was milk chocolate made by Hershey. British chocolate was by Cadbury and also "smoother" than German chocolate, which became more rare as the war went on and cacao imports dwindled.
Othosmops at 7:02AM, April 4, 2022
The taste is not outstanding, but it contained quite a lot of caffeine. A real addictive. And it is still available today in the EU, I think. Without swastika and eagle, but still in the same round design and with caffeine, as a trucker chocolate.
Tantz_Aerine at 3:05AM, April 4, 2022
That's right! But Fotis is a chocolate fan and makes no discriminations. XD
bravo1102 at 2:33AM, April 4, 2022
Bet you it melted in your hands and wasn't satisfactory for use in tropical climates. Put a hard candy shell around it-- M&Ms.
bravo1102 at 4:18AM, April 4, 2022
The Hershey bars were originally so much goo when shipped in the unrefigerated cargo holds to the Pacific and ended up used to make cocoa. So M&M sold its candy to the War Department so wouldn't have to end production because of rationing. (Same with Hershey and their bars)
Ozoneocean at 3:38AM, April 4, 2022
It gets super hot enough in Athens to Qualify XD
Tantz_Aerine at 3:06AM, April 4, 2022
True! Though I'm not sure you'd want chocolate in super hot climates without a lot of water. I don't know of course, just imagining.