Were complex ice-cream recipes on US Navy barges intended for officers?
Short answerNo; recipe choice depended on time, and large quality differences between ranks would create problems.
NotesThe faster recipe produced acceptable ice cream when demand was urgent, while a longer process improved the quality when time allowed. The more elaborate recipe was intended for the ship, rather than being reserved for officers. Once a navy supplies the food, conspicuous differences in quality between ranks can cause problems. Officer dining is described as more formal, with napkins and more rules. The chiefs' mess is recommended in the discussion for combining good food and serving temperature with a less formal dining experience.