Weevils and Toasted Cheese

Two pieces of the Aubrey novels that delighted me.

I'm still trying to work out what toasted cheese is. A regular supper dish in the great cabin. Has anyone cracked the mystery?


Secondly, and I won't spoil it for those of you who are reading the earliest novels, but the story of the weevil has to be one of the best !

I believe toasted cheese is simply cheese on toast and placed in a toaster/broiler (not certain of the extent of cooking technology aboard early 19th century sailing vessels) and allowed to melt and brown. I make it for breakfast myself.

By the weevils story are you referring to Aubrey's joke on Maturin as to which weevil to choose?

Toasted cheese... perhaps with bread but often made when bread has run out on board ship, so there is something else about it! It was served in a silver salver with a lid to keep it hot. Cooked in the galley.

Weevils... yes

The book "Lobscouse and Spotted Dog" (you can look into it on Amazon) has the answer: Toasted bread (whatever is available - toast or ship's biscuit) covered by grated or thinly sliced cheese (whatever's available) and put under a grill (or another sort of heat).

The book seems to be a lot of fun, I might have to get it...