![]() ![]() As one prisoner put it, “It’s all about taste contrast.” Spreads have been the subject of such books as Prison Ramen, Commissary Kitchen, Cooking in the Big House, The Convict Cookbook, Jailhouse Cookbook: The Prisoner’s Recipe Bible, From the Big House to Your House: Cooking in Prison and The Prison Gourmet. When commissary food is prepared as a group meal for a prisoner and his friends, such “spreads” can be very elaborate. Many years ago, Florida prisons set up barriers to prevent prisoners working in the kitchen from seeing who they served, ending preferential treatment as meals were given out. As in any institutional setting, there is a serving line that kicks out a tray containing food of dubious quality and sometimes unidentifiable origin. When not making a goulah, the only other option is to go to the chow hall. In Florida they’re called goulash or goulahs. What these dishes are called varies with location in some facilities they’re known as swoles. More elaborate meals can be made using ramen, by mixing it with various other ingredients. Ramen soups are a staple food among prisoners (as well as poor college students), and even serve as a type of currency in prisons and jails. The poorest prisoners are often content with a “butt naked” ramen noodle soup.įor the uninformed, a butt naked soup contains nothing more than the soup noodles and seasoning pack. The latter occurs only if the prisoner has money to buy food items from the commissary or can hustle up something to eat. The answer to the question “what’s for chow?” is often determinative of whether a prisoner goes to the dining hall or eats out of his or her own pantry. Another is that prisoners are limited to eating the fare provided in the dining hall (commonly called the chow hall or mess hall), or what they can buy from the commissary they lack the food choices that most people take for granted. A primary reason for that difference is the fact that prison and jail schedules revolve around meal times. ![]() The role of food is more pronounced for prisoners than for those who are not incarcerated. It may sound trite, but food feeds not just the body but also the soul. Social bonds are made as we break bread with those who sit and dine with us at the meal table. It not only provides the nutrition necessary to sustain our existence, it feeds the sense of community we all crave. Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on G+ Share with emailįood plays an integral role in our lives. ![]()
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