FRENCH ARMY RATION PACK REVIEW | ASSESSING THE FRENCH MILITARY EATING EXPERIENCE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ย. 2024
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In this video your host spends 2-days in the splendours of the English woodlands in early Spring, dining entirely on a privately sourced French Military 24-hour ration pack.
Previous ration pack video below:
Spanish Military Ration Pack: • SPANISH MILITARY RATIO...
French Army Ration Pack: • FRENCH ARMY RATION PAC...
Lithuanian Army Ration Pack: • LITHUANIAN ARMY RATION...
British Army Ration Pack: • BRITISH ARMY RATION PA...
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If you have a question to pose The Chap's Guide, please send it to: ash@chapsguide.uk
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#chapsguide #ashjones #mensstyle
the Mexican salad is eaten cold, it is specified on the box in English (we do not cook the salad even across the Channel);)
The reason your dish is not hot enough is because you removed the whole cover before heating it.
You're supposed to open just a little at first during the cooking, and open it just before eating.
The French are experts in tinning food, especially fish. I stock up with a range of different flavours of tinned sardines, mackerel etc and meat pate when we have holidays in France. They make excellent snacks and the range of flavours is much wider than we see here.
España y sobre todo Galicia, es referente mundial en conservas de pescado.
Si tienes oportunidad, te recomiendo que pruebes las conservas españolas: atún, bonito, melva, sardinas, mejillones, berberechos etc. Te sorprenderán.
Un saludo
I personally like your humble style, cordial discourse about gentlemen's topics and rather raw takes. If you become very successful on TH-cam, please stay this way. This is real and genuine, not a studio production. Thank you for everything! Love your channel, criminally underrated and hope more people find it.
Thank you sir, your kind words are very motivational.
You should not be so sarcastic with your comments before tasting it. Like the rillettes de maquereaux Macquerel and not tuna ) it is from a famous french brand located in Brittany . Hénaff their products have nothing to do with cat food ! .French army uses consultants like Michelin starred chefs to elaborate and monitor the menus and recipes the boxes are organised to provide 2 three courses menus ( eg patē on cereal toasts,main course,dessert or soup,main course,dessert and a breakfast the rest being energy or sweet snacks for along the day when needed
The jam is to be spread on a biscuit as a breakfast treat or as a dessert .
There is no need for Tabasco in French MRE meals as they are self sufficient in seasoning and flavours
Very nice video :)
I have to say, after 10 years in the french army, you're the 1st person I see use that "spoon" 😂
You were missing the "tatou" knife which is given to soldiers as part of the basic military package.
I'm definitly going to the woods this week end after watching this.
Best of luck to you and your channel!
there is a lot of sugar because soldier need instant energy on the field and hyper caloric. You don't need to fully open the can, just a little to prevent them to explode while heating.
Also they are made to avoid diahrrea who can be problematic while in combat. If you eat too much of those ration, you will be constipated.
French Soldier got the TATTOO knife ( or le bivouac ) in their package who is a kind of multi tool to eat and to quick repair the famas on the field if needed.
On the box of Mexican salad it is written that it is eaten cold. On a can you have to fold down the tab to pierce then pull otherwise it will stay in your fingers.
When I was on exercise with French troops, I fondly remember they had 0,2 litre of red WINE with it. Shame it's no longer there 😊
Ah yes, those were the days
Yes and a pack of ciggies
And a small bottle of brandy
The French ration pack is somewhat hefty compared to the ones of other nations. Partly because they are still using canned food, which the French army pioneered the use of in Napoleonic times. Nice vid, Ash. Not tempted to use a bivvy bag again, eh? 😉
I prefer the soft life these days.
the mexican salad is supposed to be eaten cold 7:36 (consommer froid)
i am impressed. i clicked on your video by mistake and couldn't stop watching it. lovely place to have a little shed. you are very lucky indeed and so glad you are sharing it with us.. i will definetly watch more of your videos and will recommend you to other.
This kind of reviewing military MRE is real nice love it mate keep continue. :)
You shouldn't have heated the salade Mexicaine because on the lid of the tin one sees written
(at 31.31)"À consommer froid" which means "to be consumed cold"
I think a major part of the problem is you are not prepared for the ration.... the spoon in there is an emergency spoon, in the French army I always had a fork and spook in the pouch with my rifle cleaning kit... standard in the field... not a good idea to open the tin completely, you just lift the tad to crack the seal, then cook it like that... and you loose all the hear with the cooker up in a table, must effective way to use it is to put the fuel tab in a 5cm deep cup size hole in the ground and put the tin on top, heated up in no time
I really enjoyed this video Ash, it brought back a lot of memories for me.
We had our MRE rations which we thought were horrendous, yet so many others wanted to trade for.
We were all trading!
I remember the best British ones, the holy grails, were Yorkshire pudding with beef, and bread pudding with custard tins.
They were gold...!
The Italian rations had horsemeat and were generally avoided. I never had a French one, but this looks damn posh.
I concede my experience was from circa 1991.
A spoon or fork?
We had a little pack with a tin spoon and metal cup.
Most of the time we ate dried rations without even rehydrating them.
My memory of a great meal was a load of boiled eggs while training and thinking how lucky we were!!
Anyway.
Thanks for taking me back to so many of these memories related to such a simple thing as rations!!
My pleasure. The food was good, even though some elements were lacking.
Quand on ouvre une boîte de conserve on met la goupille en avant ce qui fait entrée l'air dans la conserve et après tu tires en arrière tu n'as pas l'air très futé
Oh Ash, it was written on the mexican salad meal to consume cold haha! I hope it didn't taste too bad heated. These ration pack reviews remind me of the MREs I ate in the USMC. I can smell them while watching this video. Cheers!
I have some USA MREs scheduled for my next ration pack review thanks to a very generous viewer from Stateside. I've very much looking forward to the experience.
Yes, « à consommer froid » meant cold. I want to try it warm though now, just being curious !
appreciate this is an old video. we survived on these on the first deployments to Croatia as the cold war ended and the Former Yugoslavia broke up. sanctions restricted Military imports to the UN peacekeepers, The French were the only country to side step the sanctions and get rations in for the UN peace keepers.
This being a FR ration pack, I'm almost slightly surprised that cigarettes aren't included... Almost! I've had cigarettes from an old MRE pack before and my goodness.. Gave me the shakes, big time!
I've only just discovered this channel when I was researching mod fashion (forgive me!), this wasn't the sort of video I expected though it was delightful nonetheless! You're a fab presenter ;)
Since the 1960s cigarettes were no longer distributed. In 1984 some NATO countries used rations which were almost a decade old.
Most amazing ration dinner scene I have seen was a bunch of US military using Tabasco with their ration meals... and Coca Cola of course 🧐
In the older one i think there was some wine or brandy depending on the occasion or the time of the year
This video deserves more views!
Thank you sir. I am pleased that it brought you some joy!
Brilliant!! Love these type of videos as it's like we are there with you :) I would have to be sooo hungry to eat that lunch; it looked awful! Can't believe the ridiculous fork - very much looking forward to the rest of the series. Thanks Ash!
Thanks so much! 😊
The fork is just in case the meals are given in the conext of relief efforts to civilians. Every soldier gets a solid knife, spoon and fork.
WOW ! These are great brands of food ! I buy Larzul, Henaff, Andros, Yabon... very well known brands of food ! Expensive too !
Great review Ash. I think I would’ve preferred those ration packs to a lot of the food I was served on the ship, from my time in the U.S. Navy but, beggars can’t be choosers as they say. I’m looking forward to the next installments of the series
2:14 🙄Ash wearing the old version military green scrim net scarf around his neck... a 1970s & 1980s classic 🧐
Dear Ash, going back on these as I have missed new vids, a couple of questions came to mind:1) Where is the gents room at oak lodge? -the good outdoors? 2) Do you consider it a fire hazard sleeping in the hut with that stove inside? What measures do you take to mitigate the issue? Wouldn't it be better to have a good ol' gas grill outside instead? take care-
Good questions sir, the latrine at Oak Lodge is nature itself, I relieve myself as do the animals that share my woodland environment - namely, outdoors.
The wood stove has been situated in a corner of the lodge that has been prepared with fireproof panels to protect the structure of the hut. It is entirely safe and I also have a CO2 detector in the hut to ensure that there are no dangers posed by invisible gases during the night. The stove is extremely efficient for cooking and heating the lodge and makes life in the woodland an absolute pleasure.
1/ on ne chauffe pas une salade mexicaine ! ...
2/ on relève correctement une languette (clic !) pour perforer l’emballage, avant de tirer dessus ! (sinon on la casse)
3/ pourquoi ouvrir (ou ouvrir complètement) l'emballage de la nourriture à chauffer , quand on la fait réchauffer ? ... (pourquoi ne pas la laisser fermer, ou juste un peu ouverte, pour que ça chauffe mieux ?)
It's all Dutch to me
@@TheChapsGuide Ok !
To open a can with the small tab, you puch it to one side and pull, ant it oppen by itself easilly. It is like a cocke can. You don't just pull it.
Also the mexican salad has a mention "To eat cold", and it is normally not hard for the bar, maybe it is too cold?
Yes you are right about the plastic spoon in the French army ration pack; it is pathetic. However one wonders why these things are included in the ration pack because one of the items in the standard French Army kit is the "Couteau de bivouac" or "Bivouac knife" in English. This is made from stainless steel and is more than just a knife. On the same handle are two other things that one dismantles when they are needed, that is to say a fork and a spoon.
The plastic spoon is in case they lost their given mettalic fork/knife
No wonder the french don't go to war very often, when they know dinner will be cat food to start followed by road kill stew, finished with a sweet cowpat for dessert !!!!
Very interesting and amusing video
I appreciate how absolutely no punches were pulled in your description of ...well, everything.
Going "Ray Mears" are you, haha. I very much like these kinds of videos. Thanks Ash, very much appreciated.
Salade Mexicaine « à consommer froid »
What a wonderful review!
there is no need for several blocks of hexamine to heat a dish, you just have to open the tray a little bit (and not completely) to heat it
there is no more heat loss and the dish is ready to eat in a few minutes
I also like going out into nature. Very calming and quiet. Another A+ Video
Really enjoyed your content once again, a welcome change to all the rubbish that people put on the internet purely to get likes, this actually makes you learn things and feel improvement from viewing, the only other pack I'd love to see is the us army or navy, same for British, does the navy get different ones to the airforce or army? Keep up the great work, looking forward to the rest of the series this weekend.
The salad, like most salads, was supposed to be eaten cold - it said so on the tin and on the box!
Brilliant video! Thanks for sharing! I found the backstory of how you came into ownership of the land particularly interesting!
Great review Ash 🙏🏻
Food, just tastes wonderful, out in the open 👌🏼
I've been enjoying your videos for some time now and I appreciate your civilized ways but I'm even more impressed seeing this other side as well. I too had an amazing country cabin in California costal zone in the 1st State Park. It's like those cars you see in the States that are "Town and Country". I like both finding that too much of either is tiring. Well done Mate! What is your field watch?
Disappointing no salad nicoise and a bottle of Cote du Rhone. I once owned a vintage French Army leather lined canvas bag. Quite a sturdy bit of kit and I am sure constructed to hold a picnic of demi baguette, goat cheese, a bottle or two of Pelforth Brune (certainly what I used it for), leaving some space for the essential packet of Gitanes. Please forgive my French stereotyping. Joking aside, very interesting to see what each nation sustains it's forces with. I always assumed until now these ration packs would be rather bland, a more utilitarian version of the backpacking meals found in outdoor specialist stores. Great to see a presentation from a different perspective than the many bushcraft reviews on TH-cam.
Ash, not wearing a French Wool Beret?
Mange tout Rodders, mange tout😂😂😂
Classic mistake, the mexican salad is supposed to be eaten COLD !! Witten on the box !!
It's disgusting warm...
Yes it is!
spent from 11978 to 1998 in the us army. went from c-rations thru 2 nd generation of MREs. back in 78 i got a excellent steel p-38 can opener. carry it on my house key ring every day. for exactly what you ran into. may i suggest one of the smaller camping (i.e. 1950's style) can openers for another piece of gear kept in oak lodge.
Maybe heat the food with the lid ajar?
It looks like the French eat well in while in the field. Nice. I'm guessing they have a decent variety of rations as well. Here in the U.S., our MREs were okay. Spaghetti was pretty good. Beef Stroganoff...my god, I don't event think that was food. Of course, 5 fingers of death....I would not try that on this channel. Great video, Ash. Love your hut--spartan and practical. Although I'd add another bedroll. At my age, it's all about comfort.
I love the way your welsh heritage comes out when you swear Ash 😂
Muy bueno el video saludos desde Uruguay
So nice to see this review ! Thank you
A french soldier in the field has a knife.
Great video. Enjoyed watching this. Thank you Ash
Glad you enjoyed it!
The fish pate is mackerel
don't know why my second Q was stricken out-hope you can read it. take care...
Have you tried a Spanish or Italian ration pack? I’ve heard the Spanish is very good, but I’ve not had any luck getting ahold of either.
I tried a Spanish pack in 2022. An excellent ration. US ration pack coming soon!
@@TheChapsGuide as a former US soldier, my thoughts and prayers will be with your taste buds and digestive system.
Some of your reactions are priceless!
What a joke. An englishman judging french food.
Sir, I may say i enjoyed watching your video and i would like to give you some hints to deal with this MRE))) First of all the plastic spoon is never used)))) luckily soldiers are provided with a kit of metal cutlery (spoon, fork and knife), you were really bold to use this plastic whatever it is))))). As you noticed the menu is written in your language on the cardboard box, you would maybe have noticed that your "diner" was to be eaten... cold!!!! it is written on the can "do not cook", anyway i liked the fact that you appreciate it warm as well)))) Concerning cooking: you should first of all grind a little piece of the solid alcohol stone inside your cooking tool (after having fold it in four sides...) and then you will use less matches to lit it, then instead of entirely removing the lid, leave it ajar so you will cook faster your meal. As you have noticed there is a number on the cardboard box, this number refers to the type of menu (and there are plenty) that to include special menus for Muslims and Jewish soldiers. I hope you enjoyed your stay in your hut, i confess i liked seeing you eating our french MRE))))) Best regards)))
I'm always on a learning journey with these packs - I have an American MRE next, so hopefully that should be a serious contender for the top slot!
I had never heard of muesli before this video. I had to go Google what it was with the best guess spelling "muslee"..
Although, the Wikipedia article suggested that granola is just toasted muesli.
Loved it! Thanks!
Good tea is my no. 1 survival item. Warms up the body and soul even on the darkest night in the woods. Chap's guide for a proper English tea next time perhaps? :)
Excellent review!
Usually we brings our own flatware to eat, you can use the lid if you got no others choice tho. The plastic spoon is more for pow. Glad you appreciate the meal despite the fact that’s not the greatest one we got here. I think we can consider ourselves lucky compared at some mre we can found in eastern Europe.
You put the jam on the biscuits...same with the pate...
I think the lad is old enough to eat the MRE how ever he wants..
Pure English arrogance.... comparing this ration to the british one saying it’s on a par 😂🤣
Nice. But im confused. Oak Lodge looks cozy… but where’s the dunny? That’s NZ for toilet. Just thinking also, you should probably have a smoke detector in this lodge as well
Ash nice of you to include us on your bachelor getaway weekend. The French rashon pack looked heavier than the British one in many ways. I really like your camp. What watch did you choose for your outing? I finally got me a scarf like yours had to find it on eBay I believe it was shipped from England. I really like the way it holds the heat in. Have a great weekend. Cheers Ron
The scrim scarf is a true classic of British military style and works a treat. The watch in question is a Lorus Titanium fieldpiece, fully reviewed in Wednesday's upcoming video.
Quite ironic you're craving French food and get an asian and a mexican dish in the box.
There are risks in not understanding the written language on the packaging. The Mexican salad should be eaten cold. Ahah...
Nice work mate.
I suggest you not remove the tin lid all the way next time. It helps in the cooking provess
A British review of a French army ration pack made by a guy who expects enough energy from it to crack open a German tank but can't muster up the wits to open a reluctant can of food with his , STANDARD ISSUED COMBAT KNIFE ( yes the French army get outfitted with knives ....mindboggling right ! ) .... I'd say the metal can meals cut out the need for a kettle dangling on the backpack so as British soldier can soggy up dehydrated sacs of inedible cardboard food with hot water ....
I'm actually surprised there's no white flag joke in this video ......Although there's a LOT of dishonest flag weaving here
I take it you are French sir?
@@TheChapsGuide yes sir ..Although there's absolutely no language barrier for me
@@TheChapsGuide You realise there are theatres of operation where clean water is not available right ? I mean who has time to filter water through a hamac full of local mud before eating , or worse , dig a hole in the desert ...How about places where bacteriological weapons have been spread ? Where nasty isotopes fill the air ?
I had 'Beef' in Paris once. It was definitely not Beef! Probably Horse meat! Really like these style of videos 👍
Splendid!
very interesting i have have to look up the other 2 vid"s Glad to see no shirt and tie in the woods Did you say getting ready to retreat - after consuming French army rations? haha
You're very apprehensive regarding dishes that aren't straight up meat and potatoes. Can't imagine your take on Thai food.
Getting ready to retreat.... or go into battle. 🤣
une bonne tête de vainqueur !
Mix the muesli in the bag!
A touch of a Welsh twang
Aberdare
Dear Sir, the jacket you are wearing looks absolutely fabulous. I have been looking for such a jacket for a very long while. Would you please mind to provide some details of it, and perhaps suggest where I might find one to purchase . The video is excellent and very entertaining. I really envy your position. How lovely is England.
It’s from Costco. £16. It’s a really great coat.
Hi Ash, nice video. I must admit, I was laughing quite a bit while you were working up that asian dish. Can I ask which model field watch made the trip with you?
Lorus Titanium - full review on Wednesday’s video.
If your matches get wet put them in your hair for a few minutes before striking them
Given how tepid and unappetizing the food looked, I trust that Oak Lodge has adequate latrine facilities suitable for the outdoor Chap?
Not really, but fortunately the French nosh lodged firmly in my colon.
@@TheChapsGuide Well the French have been known to enjoy a good blockade . . .
BitB are great (I'll be living on it next weekend). I do miss Babies heads from compo. I do not miss the Chicken curry and rice😂.
Shit!! I would be estatic if my family went away for 13 days!!
very interesting story!
Gee no nice bottle of red wine or cognac? 😄
Have you done a US Army Ration pack?
Not yet.
@@TheChapsGuide I know some of their packs are FRH. I tried one once. Real weird how it heats itself up.
I see the French ration pack has matches - does it include a few packs of Gauloises ciggies too?😄
I agree with you on the Eiffel Tower. Its impressive from a distance, but uninspiring close up. Also, do not use the Louvre as a landmark when you have imbibed. #askmehowiknow
Uninspiring ?
@@Lostouille yes as in not to inspire. Want an inspiring experience in Paris? Walk through the gates of Fort de Nogent.
Wtf you talk about Eiffel tour is the most beautiful see place in our capital city , it is inspiring a lot of photographers/artists etc . And I already now Nogent fort , it's just a small military building for FL
Love Oak Lodge!
Uncle Sam ration pack at some point, perhaps? I expect great things of it. Certainly better bloody cutlery.
I think you need to give the Australian Army pack a go Ash!
Ho trovato molto interessante questo video .Non conoscevo questo argomento.
Hey Pal, as I always say, "Fat is flavor!"
How about eating the german army ration pack for the next video???
It’s awful
If you can get hold of one, the Arctic ration pack is well worth a visit. It’s kept many a royal marine warm in Norway!
Interesting story about the previous owners of the land that Oak Lodge is situated on. Our home has had 3 generations of my wife’s family pass away in it and I understand what you say. Have to say our home is warm, friendly and inviting.
As always Ash, outstanding vlog.
I think you are the only one who say French ration is so so ! May be , you spent too much time in comfort
It is good - but simply not at the level of the USA & UK ration packs.
@@TheChapsGuide it’s like saying a Nissan is better than a Ferrari ! 🙃
"t´s as good as the british ration pack". Is this a parody of a bu..hurt brexteer?
Canadian rations the best in nato
Those rats too heavy....