Navy fine dining

O ering all the culinary delight of munching on an asbestos roof tile, the demise of the hardtack biscuit, which for centuries had sustained navies and armies, was a day of celebration.

Made from flour, salt and water, the tooth-breaking hardtack was baked four times to remove moisture and give it a shelf life longer than the British Empire. And when soaked in tea or co ee the weevil larvae would float to the surface, either to be relished as extra nutrition by meat eaters or skimmed o by disdainful pasty-faced vegetarians. An enduring ’tween decks joke was to send hardtack as post cards to loved ones. This 1901 commemorative plaque (estimate: £80-120) inscribed “Lest we forget,” marks the sea-change year when the Royal Navy at last introduced freshly baked bread to reduce the workload of Navy dentists.