Maconochie facts for kids
Photographed in the Imperial War Museum, London
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| Type | Stew |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Scotland |
| Created by | Maconochie Company |
| Main ingredients | Turnips, carrots, potatoes |
Maconochie was a stew of sliced turnips, carrots, potatoes, onions, haricot beans and beef in a thin broth, named after the Aberdeen Maconochie Company that produced it. It was a widely used food ration for British soldiers in the field during the Boer War and in front-line trenches during World War I. There was also a French version called Maconóochie.
Though the stew was tolerable, most soldiers detested it. As one soldier put it, "warmed in the tin, Maconochie was edible; cold, it was a man-killer." Others complained about how the potatoes appeared to be unidentifiable black lumps. The congelation of fat above indistinguishable chunks of meat and vegetables led one reporter to describe it as "an inferior grade of garbage"
Some product versions that contained turnips were said to possess an unpleasant smell when combined with beans. On the other hand, Barbara Buchan from Fraserburgh Heritage Centre said that they have some records of affirmative responses about the product.
