Been at home more than usual these days? How many times did you check out the fridge or food pantry and wonder what to fix for a meal? What did you consider a success in these food adventures?
These days of COVID-19, AIC (Adults In Custody) may have more time on their hands just like you. They might use that time to make all kinds of specialty food out of everyday materials purchased from the commissary. You might be surprised by the outcomes of these ventures.
Because prison food is known for being hardly edible (with an average budget of $2 per prisoner/day) prisoners depend on the commissary within the prison. A portion of a commissary is essentially a glorified junk food snack stand – sort of like a convenience 7/11 store – that prisoners can spend real money from their accounts to compliment the bland or sketchy prison diet.
Recently, Visions of Hope stepped up our communications with our AIC partners and within those mini newsletters the request went out for favorite prison recipes. These can be both unique and possibly appalling. Here is a short selection of some.
Correctional Cake
This seemingly sweet treat is made of Oreos, peanut butter and M&Ms. Separating the Oreos, inmates crush the cookie part and mold it with water to create the layers of cake. The Oreo’s interior is used for icing. Peanut butter creates another layer of icing, and M&Ms are used to top the whole thing off.
“The Spread”
The spread, as its name might imply, consists of not only the staples of prison food, but literally anything an inmate might have left over from other cooking endeavors. Ramen noodles come into play by being mixed with spices in a trash bag, and anything else is added: canned tuna, hot sauce, salsa, Doritos and flavored popcorn are common. Hot water is added to “cook” the mixture, and it’s then spread over a newspaper and eaten with a spoon.
IT’S NECESSITY: Inmates do not have a lot of things to look forward to – they have their mail, their visits (stopped due to Covid19) and their food. If any of those things are not right, there could be a problem.
No Bake Cheesecake Graham crackers (or Fruity Pebbles) , lemon juice, vanilla pudding mix, stolen margarine and coffee creamer.
IT’S DEDICATED LEARNING“I learned, as I watched the instant coffee leak out of my hot pot while still ill from the previous night’s failed attempt at mac ’n’ cheese, none of my previous kitchen experience had prepared me for the challenge of cooking food in prison. You may have fed an army or a family, but once locked up, you must learn to make even the simplest things all over again. From killers. I spent a decade learning from them, cooking my meals in my cell most nights of the week.” (D. Genis – former prisoner)
Prison Pizza
Ramen noodles are also a primary ingredient of this dish, being the prison staple that they are. By crunching up the noodles and some crackers in a trash bag, add hot water and mold into a circular shape for the crust. Add whatever toppings you like – cheese spread, summer sausage, salsa. This one could get scary quickly.
IT’S COMPLICATED. As it is on the outside, one type of meal does not fit all. Some inmates require special diets on religious grounds (kosher or halal, for example) or for health reasons (gluten or dairy-free). The rules on special requests vary from state to state and even facility to facility. AIC will adapt where they can.
Jailhouse Tamales
Crunch up a bag of Fritos corn chips and a bag of spicy hot Cheetos (Doritos or any other spicy chip can also be substituted). Mix the chips together into one bag and add enough hot water to create a thick mush. Kneading the bag, drain off any excess water and roll the mix up inside the chip bag into the shape of a traditional tamale. Let sit for about five minutes, remove bag and add hot sauce.
Prison Lattes
Just because you landed behind bars does not mean you have to miss your Starbucks. Except this will be about as far from Starbucks as you can get. Put a carton of milk under running, hot water until the water starts steaming. Add three teaspoons of instant coffee along with a maple syrup packet from breakfast. Serve hot.
THE PROBLEM: you needed hot water to cook with. Tap water barely gets to 170’. Inmates who had money could buy a flimsy plastic hot pot for $18 from the commissary, but that had a thermostat installed that kept it from reaching boiling temperature. You could remove the thermostat or rewire the thing to go around the sensor, but the guards would always figure it out eventually and confiscate your pot. (I lost dozens of them.) Some prisoners did not have the $18. But what they did have was running cold water in their cells, an electrical outlet, nail clippers, a power cord, and the courage to drop a live wire into a cup of water. They call it a “stinger.” Boiling water in seconds. (D. Genis – former prisoner)
Choco Maple No Bakes
1 box Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
1 bag (10 oz.) cocoa w/ marshmallows
1 jar peanut butter
1 4-5 oz. chocolate bar
Approx ¼ cup very hot water
Empty oatmeal into bowl. Put cocoa in cup and add just enough hot water to make a thick gravy-like consistency. Add large scoop of peanut butter. Mix oatmeal and cocoa gravy together. This gets very thick and sticky – add a splash of warm water if needed.
Keeping fingers damp with water, make little ping pong sized balls and let sit for 30-45 min. Should make 4 – 5 doz. – If your cell mate has left them alone.
Melt chocolate bar – (place in plastic bag and put in hot water.) Carefully spread out chocolate on appropriate paper (magazine covers work if you are quick and don’t allow the ink to invade your stuff ) Gently roll the balls over the chocolate and let sit for 1-2 hrs. till firm. Keep watch for theft. (Timothy M. – SRCI)
The DIY recipes in prison aren’t really about the taste—it’s a reminder of humanity, community, and the person you were on the outside. In a situation where you have basically zero control of your life, it gives you opportunities to have some control of your situation, deciding what you buy at the commissary what you’re going to make out of it, how it’s going to taste and who you share it with.
Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.
Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.
Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.
Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.
Romans 12:13 The Message
So, what does this have to do with you? You might think these are examples are “out of sight and out of mind”, but what might be gained by discovering more about these folks?
Soon we will resume our prison visits/presentations and would love for you to come along. The personal gains might surprise you. From what you just read the facts are;
Creativity is contagious
Creativity takes courage
Creativity takes you down new paths
Could these be applied to your own life? Want to make personal discoveries alongside us?
Drop me a note about your interest. Let’s find out how this changes YOU!