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Which it's the Patrick O'Brian list of the world!

Cheese as ...

Cheese as ...
      ... Buttons
            Sarah Scott asks...
            Marian Van Til replies...
            From Victuals and Provisions
      ... Rubber
            California Cheese - Kyle Lerfald
            Goodyear Tires - Marian Van Til
            Goodyear "All Season" Tires - Kyle Lerfald
            Pirelli Tires - David Goldblatt
            Pirelli Tires - Kyle Lerfald
 

Cheese as ...

... Buttons

Sarah Scott asks...

Cheese...didn't sailors carve buttons out of cheese? What do you have to do to cheese to make it that solid? Would they melt in water? in sea water? What kind of cheese would they have been issued?
 

Marian Van Til replies...

Cheese (at least some types) will get rock hard when its moisture evaporates (as in: leave it unnoticed for three to six weeks in your refrigerator in a less-than-airtight wrapping). On the up side, that prevents it from molding, and it remains edible (more or less; if you intend to melt it; with a blow torch; or at least a Bunsen burner).
 

From Victuals and Provisions

We read that the cheese and the beef were capable on occasions of being cut into buttons, which seems to point out that these commodities were of a singularly indigestible nature.
 

... Rubber

California Cheese - Kyle Lerfald

California cheese is second only to Goodyear tires on a cracker.
 

Goodyear Tires - Marian Van Til

Do you serve Goodyears on crackers regularly, Kyle? Maybe you should try washing it down with dark sambuca instead of beer the next time. It may better bring out the nuances in the rubber.
 

Goodyear "All Season" Tires - Kyle Lerfald

Personally, if I must serve ties, I only use steel-belted radial Goodyear "All Season" tires - one has standards to maintain. Usually served on Carr's Water Biscuits with cracked pepper and a light white wine.
 

Pirelli Tires - David Goldblatt

Hmmm. You've always struck me as an import tyre kinda guy. Pirelli perhaps? With a little melted Brie on top all nestled in a Baguette of French bread.
 

Pirelli Tires - Kyle Lerfald

Pirelli have a good "chew," but I find that unless one eats them quickly ... well, one becomes exhausted with the flavor.