Happy Veterans Day! Fried Liver Fingers (1966)

My uncles—Mike, Charlie, and Dan—are veterans of WWII and all made it home to live long lives. To them, and all who served, I say, “thank you for your service” and wish a Happy Veterans Day. (Insert awkward transition) That said, here’s some treats from ‘Dare to Excel in Cooking: Award Winning Group Recipes of USS Semmes (DDG-18)’. The Semmes, a Charles F. Adams-class destroyer which entered service in 1962, was the winner of the 1966 Ney Award for the “outstanding small mess afloat”. I’m not sure if the Fried Liver Fingers or Oysters Jambalaya helped secure the award, but here they are for the next time you have 20+ of your closest friends headed over. Oh, and the wonderful illustrations around the edges are courtesy of the Navy-Marine Corps Recipe Service and can be found throughout ‘Dare to Excel in Cooking’ (by Darrell Miles [LT, (SC), USN] and William Bigley [CS1, USN], 1966). Finally, a few words about the recipes contained in the cookbook from David F. Emerson, Commanding Officer of the USS SEMMES (whom I picture looks like Tom Atkins in LETHAL WEAPON): “Please note that the recipes are for food for strong young Americans who work in the open air; there are no dainty items here to divert a Continental palate”. (Click image for full size picture)— Dan Taylor

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