Along with sailing and sampling adult beverages, many of us enjoy eating, too. Do you consider meals aboard similar to camping (i.e. hot dogs and canned food) or is the galley an extension of your home kitchen? Do you take the time to prepare fine cuisine while vacationing on your boat? Do you count on catching fresh fish or crab from the sea for sustenance? How much thought and planning goes into your cruise preparation? And perhaps most important, who does the cooking? (Discussion topic and quiz by Trevor MacLachlan)
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Bad place for a Diet
No one goes hungry and most usually end up gaining a few pounds when on a week cruise. Many of the more complicated dishes get started or prep at home and finished on the boat. The canned stuff is stored just in case our 3 hours tour goes arye.
No one goes hungry and most usually end up gaining a few pounds when on a week cruise. Many of the more complicated dishes get started or prep at home and finished on the boat. The canned stuff is stored just in case our 3 hours tour goes arye.
Galley Wench
For years, my wife has happily gone by the title of “Galley Wench”. She loves to cook so we seldom eat out when cruising. She has the boat stocked with all of the basic cooking requirements so that we only need to load the perishable stuff to head out. Earlier this year we competed in a 65-mile race around Whidbey Island and although we may not have won the race, we were definitely the best-feed crew out there. For lunch, we had fresh chicken fajitas. Dinner was a scratch lasagna cooked on board with salad, home made French bread and wine. For breakfast, we had crab and shrimp quiche. Live is good! When we were looking for a new boat, I gave the Galley Wench full veto power on any boat if the galley was not to her standards. My daughter has titled herself the GWIT, Galley Wench in Training.
For years, my wife has happily gone by the title of “Galley Wench”. She loves to cook so we seldom eat out when cruising. She has the boat stocked with all of the basic cooking requirements so that we only need to load the perishable stuff to head out. Earlier this year we competed in a 65-mile race around Whidbey Island and although we may not have won the race, we were definitely the best-feed crew out there. For lunch, we had fresh chicken fajitas. Dinner was a scratch lasagna cooked on board with salad, home made French bread and wine. For breakfast, we had crab and shrimp quiche. Live is good! When we were looking for a new boat, I gave the Galley Wench full veto power on any boat if the galley was not to her standards. My daughter has titled herself the GWIT, Galley Wench in Training.
I do all the cooking and cleaning for the most...
part. I like to prepare meals rather than something from a can or package. I would consider our galley an extension of our home kitchen. During our two month long cruises, even though we eat well, I end up losing some weight just due to boating activities. I also prefer basic meals rather than fine cuisine. Fresh crab, oysters, clams, fish, sea snails, etc., plus blackberries, black caps, wild onions, salmon berries, huckle berries help to spice up meals with wild flavor. Terry
part. I like to prepare meals rather than something from a can or package. I would consider our galley an extension of our home kitchen. During our two month long cruises, even though we eat well, I end up losing some weight just due to boating activities. I also prefer basic meals rather than fine cuisine. Fresh crab, oysters, clams, fish, sea snails, etc., plus blackberries, black caps, wild onions, salmon berries, huckle berries help to spice up meals with wild flavor. Terry
We have a force 10
2 burner with oven (haven't used the oven yet) and a Magma round grille that I love! Between the 2 not much can't be created with just average culinary skills... hot dogs, burgers, steaks, fish, kabobs, chops. I tend to like to spend more time on the hook then go marina hopping. all in all we make meals just like at home. Denise
2 burner with oven (haven't used the oven yet) and a Magma round grille that I love! Between the 2 not much can't be created with just average culinary skills... hot dogs, burgers, steaks, fish, kabobs, chops. I tend to like to spend more time on the hook then go marina hopping. all in all we make meals just like at home. Denise
Meals
We try to customize our culinary efforts to the season. Fall and winter it is warm bread from the oven, chili, soups, and gumbo. Spring is the seafood time, shrimp ettoufee, chowder, and crabcakes. Sometimes it is shrimp alfredo, others ist is a seafood caserole. Summer is salad time. We have dock events with all kinds of cold and hot appetizers. Breakfast in the fall on the boat... blueberry pancakes and hot boat coffee!!!
We try to customize our culinary efforts to the season. Fall and winter it is warm bread from the oven, chili, soups, and gumbo. Spring is the seafood time, shrimp ettoufee, chowder, and crabcakes. Sometimes it is shrimp alfredo, others ist is a seafood caserole. Summer is salad time. We have dock events with all kinds of cold and hot appetizers. Breakfast in the fall on the boat... blueberry pancakes and hot boat coffee!!!
Nancy and I have an agreement. If I do
the cooking she will do the clean-up.Accordingly I make as small a mess as I can. In the summer time very simple meals, canned meats and potatoes or pasta and veggies, Breakfast is always bacon,eggs and muffins from the oven. We just don't go out in very hot weather. Lunch is left over muffins and canned sausage and fresh fruit. Tea is served on request at anytime but after the anchor is set we pull a cork. When the weather gets cool then we have pies, cakes and cassaroles topped with biscuits
the cooking she will do the clean-up.Accordingly I make as small a mess as I can. In the summer time very simple meals, canned meats and potatoes or pasta and veggies, Breakfast is always bacon,eggs and muffins from the oven. We just don't go out in very hot weather. Lunch is left over muffins and canned sausage and fresh fruit. Tea is served on request at anytime but after the anchor is set we pull a cork. When the weather gets cool then we have pies, cakes and cassaroles topped with biscuits
We prepare two lists,
One includes the charts, gas for the generator, spare dock lines and all other boat stuff but the most imprtant one includes provisioning and a meal menu. As a matter of fact we are getting ready to head down the coast for six days and our menu list looks like this; 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners (we intend to eat out the other two). For lunches we have Chili, Hot dogs, ham and cheese sandwiches and soup, tuna fish salad, Baked potato with all trimings and pork sandwiches. For dinners we have Pork roast, Yellow rice and shrimp, Steaks on the grill and baked potatoes and Mahi-Mahi on the grill with veggies. For breakfast we are talking pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, juice, cereal, coffee, etc. As far as cooking we will pre-cook all we can at the house and vacum package and freeze most so all we have to do is re-heat at the boat. For lunches we will make the sandwiches and prepare the salads and reheat the rest. For dinner we will cook the rice and shrimp and the steaks and reheat the rest but breakfast we will cook from scratch with perhaps the exeption of the bacon. For dessert cookies and some sort of cake will do. A case of beer, a bottle of rum and 4 to 5 bottles of wine will complete our provisions. The freezer part of our refrigerator is quite small so by pre-freezing cooked foods we extend their life . Beer and water bottles will go on a cooler filled with ice. That s good for two days but as food supplies are consumed beer will tak their place in the fridge. Who cooks? We both do, I mostly do the grilling and breakfasts and we both share in the reheating chores. We have a 2 burner with oven oven propane stove, a microwave oven and a force 10 grill on the rail at our disposal. With the generator we can run the microwave at anchor, it also runs the coffee pot. We mostly use disposble plates and try to keep the usage of pots and pans to a minimum as to minimize the washing. Hey we paid our dues roughing it in small trailerables with a small one burner stove and ice cooler so now it's time for the High Life, the beer, thats it.
One includes the charts, gas for the generator, spare dock lines and all other boat stuff but the most imprtant one includes provisioning and a meal menu. As a matter of fact we are getting ready to head down the coast for six days and our menu list looks like this; 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners (we intend to eat out the other two). For lunches we have Chili, Hot dogs, ham and cheese sandwiches and soup, tuna fish salad, Baked potato with all trimings and pork sandwiches. For dinners we have Pork roast, Yellow rice and shrimp, Steaks on the grill and baked potatoes and Mahi-Mahi on the grill with veggies. For breakfast we are talking pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, juice, cereal, coffee, etc. As far as cooking we will pre-cook all we can at the house and vacum package and freeze most so all we have to do is re-heat at the boat. For lunches we will make the sandwiches and prepare the salads and reheat the rest. For dinner we will cook the rice and shrimp and the steaks and reheat the rest but breakfast we will cook from scratch with perhaps the exeption of the bacon. For dessert cookies and some sort of cake will do. A case of beer, a bottle of rum and 4 to 5 bottles of wine will complete our provisions. The freezer part of our refrigerator is quite small so by pre-freezing cooked foods we extend their life . Beer and water bottles will go on a cooler filled with ice. That s good for two days but as food supplies are consumed beer will tak their place in the fridge. Who cooks? We both do, I mostly do the grilling and breakfasts and we both share in the reheating chores. We have a 2 burner with oven oven propane stove, a microwave oven and a force 10 grill on the rail at our disposal. With the generator we can run the microwave at anchor, it also runs the coffee pot. We mostly use disposble plates and try to keep the usage of pots and pans to a minimum as to minimize the washing. Hey we paid our dues roughing it in small trailerables with a small one burner stove and ice cooler so now it's time for the High Life, the beer, thats it.
Don't forget to post your favorites
There is a Recipe section to post your favorite ones under the Resource tab
There is a Recipe section to post your favorite ones under the Resource tab
we have a sparse galley but....
we have a very simple galley it consists of an outdoor 2 burner propane stove, and our magma spaceship BBQ, however a typical menu on our weekend excursions is...steak on the grill with baked potatoes (pre cooked just reheat) Salad, I like to use the bagged salads..and ad canned fruit on top then salad dressing its quite good. Fresh fruit, deli sandwiches for lunch or burgers, cereal, sometimes canadian bacon on a bun for breakfast, often we eat better on the boat then at home, everything tastes better on the boat. I am planning lobster tails for the labour day weekend menu. Spoty
we have a very simple galley it consists of an outdoor 2 burner propane stove, and our magma spaceship BBQ, however a typical menu on our weekend excursions is...steak on the grill with baked potatoes (pre cooked just reheat) Salad, I like to use the bagged salads..and ad canned fruit on top then salad dressing its quite good. Fresh fruit, deli sandwiches for lunch or burgers, cereal, sometimes canadian bacon on a bun for breakfast, often we eat better on the boat then at home, everything tastes better on the boat. I am planning lobster tails for the labour day weekend menu. Spoty
Domino's Delivers!
Luckily for us, we have a Domino's Pizza nearby and they deliver right to the boat. So after doing the Lake Lanier two step all day (average about 50 tacks in three hours)the last the crew is thinking after grinding winches all day, is for someone to stoke up the gas grill and cook a meal. Its the time it takes to cook a meal that presses us to get a pizza. We call ahead while we are stowing our main on the way to the dock, so its only a 5-minute wait. A pizza is quick, tasty and all we waste are the paper plates. Bob Catalina 30 Breezin II
Luckily for us, we have a Domino's Pizza nearby and they deliver right to the boat. So after doing the Lake Lanier two step all day (average about 50 tacks in three hours)the last the crew is thinking after grinding winches all day, is for someone to stoke up the gas grill and cook a meal. Its the time it takes to cook a meal that presses us to get a pizza. We call ahead while we are stowing our main on the way to the dock, so its only a 5-minute wait. A pizza is quick, tasty and all we waste are the paper plates. Bob Catalina 30 Breezin II
I looked in the receipe rescources site for
quick breads. There are no receipes listed . I shall remedy that soon . But now for those with a minimal galley I suggest you try these. Pancakes and muffins are nearly the same receipe just a little more liquid in pancakes. 1 Cup of all purpose white flour 1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats or corn meal or one half cup of rye flour and one half cup whole wheat flour. 1 tablespoon of baking powder. 1 teaspoon of salt 1 large egg 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of liquid fat Here is where the variety starts. You may add: 1 cup of diced sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup of diced ham and a shot or two of tabasco or you may add 1 cup of dried cranberries or raisins or 1 cup of fresh fruit like berries, diced apple or peaches or you may add diced veggies With the fruit add a little sugar I have used cooked sausage dice, jalapinos diced . They eat just as good cold in the cockpit for a snack as for breakfast or supper.
quick breads. There are no receipes listed . I shall remedy that soon . But now for those with a minimal galley I suggest you try these. Pancakes and muffins are nearly the same receipe just a little more liquid in pancakes. 1 Cup of all purpose white flour 1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats or corn meal or one half cup of rye flour and one half cup whole wheat flour. 1 tablespoon of baking powder. 1 teaspoon of salt 1 large egg 1 cup of milk 2 tablespoons of liquid fat Here is where the variety starts. You may add: 1 cup of diced sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup of diced ham and a shot or two of tabasco or you may add 1 cup of dried cranberries or raisins or 1 cup of fresh fruit like berries, diced apple or peaches or you may add diced veggies With the fruit add a little sugar I have used cooked sausage dice, jalapinos diced . They eat just as good cold in the cockpit for a snack as for breakfast or supper.
Galley Wench
We are tinkering with our Alcohol Kenyon stove/oven.It is not working up to par right now. We suspect a clog somewhere. So instead of warm food its fresh deli coldcuts and cheeses on rolls right now and lots of fresh fruit. I make a mean shrimp ettoufee and gumbo from scratch and would love to try this on the boat sometime soon. Hope to see some good galley recipes posted! B/Seadance
We are tinkering with our Alcohol Kenyon stove/oven.It is not working up to par right now. We suspect a clog somewhere. So instead of warm food its fresh deli coldcuts and cheeses on rolls right now and lots of fresh fruit. I make a mean shrimp ettoufee and gumbo from scratch and would love to try this on the boat sometime soon. Hope to see some good galley recipes posted! B/Seadance
Seadance, cold chicken fat from a well
seasoned roast chicken makes the best biscuits and pastry crust you can ever get. Keep the fat in the fridge until you are ready to use it and work it into the flour/salt/baking powder mix as quickly as posible add the liquid shape and bake. Cold hard poultry fat makes better shortening than crisco. More flavor. You have made ham and cheese muffins, try dried cranberries and pecans add a little sugar and leave out the tabasco.
seasoned roast chicken makes the best biscuits and pastry crust you can ever get. Keep the fat in the fridge until you are ready to use it and work it into the flour/salt/baking powder mix as quickly as posible add the liquid shape and bake. Cold hard poultry fat makes better shortening than crisco. More flavor. You have made ham and cheese muffins, try dried cranberries and pecans add a little sugar and leave out the tabasco.
Home made bread
We cook and eat better on Dragonfly than at home. I have a bread recipe on our website...along with pork chops and a link to Key Lime Pie. http://home.att.net/~dragonflyb331/ Our criteria was a good bread, few ingredients, and easy to make one loaf. 1 cup flour 1 ½ tsp. yeast 1 tsp. sugar ½ tsp salt 1 cup water 1 tablespoon margarine 1 ½ to 2 cups additional flour Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the margarine to the water and heat in the microwave to 125 degrees to melt the margarine. Combine water/margarine with dry ingredients. Add additional flour until it starts to make a ball. Dump onto a floured cabinet and kneed in additional flour until it the dough is soft and silky, but not sticky. Put back into the bowl and let rise until it doubles. We heated the oven to 100 degrees, turned it off and place the bowl inside. It took about half an hour. Punch the dough down and dump out onto the floured cabinet. Form into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan. Let rise until it doubles again. We put it back into the warm oven for another 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Suz often adds and egg. We also substitute olive oil for margarine, add garlic, dried onions and Italian seasoning for Italian bread to go with spaghetti. See our web site for more details and bread options. Mark
We cook and eat better on Dragonfly than at home. I have a bread recipe on our website...along with pork chops and a link to Key Lime Pie. http://home.att.net/~dragonflyb331/ Our criteria was a good bread, few ingredients, and easy to make one loaf. 1 cup flour 1 ½ tsp. yeast 1 tsp. sugar ½ tsp salt 1 cup water 1 tablespoon margarine 1 ½ to 2 cups additional flour Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the margarine to the water and heat in the microwave to 125 degrees to melt the margarine. Combine water/margarine with dry ingredients. Add additional flour until it starts to make a ball. Dump onto a floured cabinet and kneed in additional flour until it the dough is soft and silky, but not sticky. Put back into the bowl and let rise until it doubles. We heated the oven to 100 degrees, turned it off and place the bowl inside. It took about half an hour. Punch the dough down and dump out onto the floured cabinet. Form into a loaf and place in a greased bread pan. Let rise until it doubles again. We put it back into the warm oven for another 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Suz often adds and egg. We also substitute olive oil for margarine, add garlic, dried onions and Italian seasoning for Italian bread to go with spaghetti. See our web site for more details and bread options. Mark
I am surprized by the number of posts
that claim they eat better on the boat than at home. We eat very well on the boat but at home I have access to the contents of the pantry ,freezer, fridge and the garden. I have a four burner stove with oven and broiler and a gas grill. I have unlimited quantities of hot and cold water for food preparation and for clean-up.
that claim they eat better on the boat than at home. We eat very well on the boat but at home I have access to the contents of the pantry ,freezer, fridge and the garden. I have a four burner stove with oven and broiler and a gas grill. I have unlimited quantities of hot and cold water for food preparation and for clean-up.
Cuisine a la Panache
When we purchased Panache, the first thing I did was put the galley to the test. We have a small stove (2-burners with a tiny gas oven). I had saved a menu from one of my cooking magazines. It was a 5-course french meal. After all, Panache is a french boat so I had to start off with this type of meal to have her welcome us aboard! I had no clue as to how long this "test" would take. We finally ate our first meal aboard after midnight. Everything turned out perfectly! Since we both passed the "test," I've always cooked what our friends tell us is "fancy food" for a boat. Why not? Everything always tastes better when on the water. I too make homemade breads and rolls each and every week. I must admit though that they are fancy as well as we love olive, sundried and roasted garlic breads. However, my favorite bread is the sundried tomato and pesto. Bon appetit!
When we purchased Panache, the first thing I did was put the galley to the test. We have a small stove (2-burners with a tiny gas oven). I had saved a menu from one of my cooking magazines. It was a 5-course french meal. After all, Panache is a french boat so I had to start off with this type of meal to have her welcome us aboard! I had no clue as to how long this "test" would take. We finally ate our first meal aboard after midnight. Everything turned out perfectly! Since we both passed the "test," I've always cooked what our friends tell us is "fancy food" for a boat. Why not? Everything always tastes better when on the water. I too make homemade breads and rolls each and every week. I must admit though that they are fancy as well as we love olive, sundried and roasted garlic breads. However, my favorite bread is the sundried tomato and pesto. Bon appetit!
I am surprised
More mention has not been made of fresh fish. Maybe I just do more offshore work than others, but when ever offshore, I try to always have a line out. Just a plain chrome spoon will almost always catch something good to eat. This time of the year we catch dolphin, tuna, king mackeral and spanish mackeral to name a few. Sailboat speed is just about right for trolling, and usually one fish is more than enough for a good meal. Some blackening seasoning and a short stint on the grill makes for pretty good eating.
More mention has not been made of fresh fish. Maybe I just do more offshore work than others, but when ever offshore, I try to always have a line out. Just a plain chrome spoon will almost always catch something good to eat. This time of the year we catch dolphin, tuna, king mackeral and spanish mackeral to name a few. Sailboat speed is just about right for trolling, and usually one fish is more than enough for a good meal. Some blackening seasoning and a short stint on the grill makes for pretty good eating.
Eating better aboard?
We certainly don't eat better while on the water, but everything seems to taste a lot better! I'm always ready to toss a bluefish or bass fillet on the grill if the fishing's good that day, and we usually bring corn-on-the-cob to grill with it. Coffee is the main staple, followed closely by chocolate....
We certainly don't eat better while on the water, but everything seems to taste a lot better! I'm always ready to toss a bluefish or bass fillet on the grill if the fishing's good that day, and we usually bring corn-on-the-cob to grill with it. Coffee is the main staple, followed closely by chocolate....
Cooking on board
While cruising in the Bahamas for the winter, I had a desire for some real homemade fudge. There were no fudge stores around so I cooked it up from fresh ingredients. Later that night there was an impromptu dinner party on the dock so I brought my fresh home made dark chocolate peanut butter fudge. It was gone in a flash to the delight of those others who longed for fresh fudge.Somehow it tasted soooo much better being made on a boat on an island in the sun when all up home was frozen over.
While cruising in the Bahamas for the winter, I had a desire for some real homemade fudge. There were no fudge stores around so I cooked it up from fresh ingredients. Later that night there was an impromptu dinner party on the dock so I brought my fresh home made dark chocolate peanut butter fudge. It was gone in a flash to the delight of those others who longed for fresh fudge.Somehow it tasted soooo much better being made on a boat on an island in the sun when all up home was frozen over.
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