Votre voilier est-il un bistro?

[Phil Herring]

Whats the most elaborate meal you or your crew has prepared on your boat?

A beautiful rack of lamb, a Thanksgiving turkey, perhaps a remarkably fresh ceviche? Or is your crowning achievement a warm can of beans?

Share your galley experiences and post a photo of your favorite meals aboard.

 

[TomY]

No one has posted,...? This is astonishing to me. Food and sailing go together.

I belong to a Facebook group called simply Cooking on a Boat. It's a private group so you have to make an effort to join. It was started in 2013 and now has more than 14,000 members. Recipes, food and everything galley is posted all day long.

Curious, I looked around at it's posting members: Lot's of females, yep. But men also posting food recipes and a wide age range of both genders. Full disclosure: Many motor boaters but plenty of sailors, maybe 50/50? Many live aboards but many cruisers.

I took a quick look at SBO active posters. Almost all men. Age? Older I would say is the majority? We have 2 females regularly posting, Peggy and Dr. Judy. Am I missing any other active female posters(I hope!)? How can we improve this?

GOOD food and cooking is life for me and my family. Cooking on a boat just makes it that much more enjoyable.

Most elaborate? Probably a memorable Thanksgiving in Beaufort NC many years ago. On a 28' with a 2 burner alcohol cooktop Mary Ann had 2 and 3 saucepans stacked on the two burners. Off the stern rail, I had a turkey sort of stuffed inside a Force 10 Barby. Wings and legs were hanging out all sides despite a tarp of aluminum foil. We had a delightful dinner just the two of us up a creek somewhere.

Last seasons most memorable feast for me was this (posted before).

I grilled the peaches, to perfection,...I was told.

This season before, the most memorable was probably a feast on an overnight sail across the Gulf of Maine.

I have photos and memories of my daughter cooking since she's been high enough to reach a counter. Raw corn on the cob that would be part of a delicious fresh salad of locally grown stuff.

The more challenging the conditions, the more we seem to be inspired to cook and elaborate meal. This was a feast. Yeah we had to prop ourselves in as well as use Mary Jane for a table but everyone was delighted.

 

[jssailem]

Nice write up Tom.
You have such inspiring images (what with your daughter making bread/cookies).

With regard to the SBO Male composition I just read Phil's survey 41% are former military. This may be a factor in the lack of gourmet cooking skills. You know MRE's and C rations do take a toll.

As for images of fancy meals, I confess I still do not have a functioning stove (since the stove fuel line was 1974 vintage, I was hesitant to use. With so many great marina's with multiple food options my priority list had moved the stove to a lower level. We got the gas line replaced last week and working on a new Gas Tank holding system this winter.

That said I do have Sumatra fresh grounded coffee in the morning. I enjoy fresh squeezed OJ when oranges are available. I have found a great locally made oatmeal that only takes the time to pour in boiling water. And I share great beer, wine and rum with visitors.

Perhaps the 2020 season will be fruitful in meal prep.

 

[dLj]

Good grief, I certainly can't post photos after the above posts! I love to cook, including on the boat. One of the more memorable occasions - which actually didn't involve cooking but certainly did eating - We were sailing in Arcachon, France. We were sailing on a 40 footer that had a retractable keel and twin rudders so you could beach it at high tide. We did, and when the tide went out we gathered as many fresh oysters as we could eat until the tide came back in. What an oyster feast! Not to mention the oysters from Arcachon are superb!

dj

 

[sailme88]

Fluff-a-nuttah.....

 

[TomY]

Good grief, I certainly can't post photos after the above posts! I love to cook, including on the boat. One of the more memorable occasions - which actually didn't involve cooking but certainly did eating - We were sailing in Arcachon, France. We were sailing on a 40 footer that had a retractable keel and twin rudders so you could beach it at high tide. We did, and when the tide went out we gathered as many fresh oysters as we could eat until the tide came back in. What an oyster feast! Not to mention the oysters from Arcachon are superb!

dj

You did post an image. When it comes to seafood the most important - the only important part, is how long it's been since it was caught.

 

[Boomer54]

Only 1 photo, an interesting visitor while we were dining. Being on Lake Michigan, we often dine at local restaurants. Such variety. As for cooking on board, generally nothing fancy. Primarily grilling anything grillable for dinners. Often a simple pasta type dinner such as gnocchi or perogies. My favorite is weekend breakfasts with friends. Pancakes, hash browns, sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs. Nothing beats the smell of cooking bacon wafting out of a boat!

 

[jssailem]

Nothing beats the smell of cooking bacon wafting out of a boat!

View attachment 172244

Unless someone is preparing crispy Peking Duck?

Served with a homemade plum sauce and green onions. Yummmmm

 

[DJAY]

It's Iowa... steak and bacon wrapped asparagus

 

[WayneH]

The Admiral cooks on our boat because "I love her too much to actually cook for her." She has a full set of nesting cookware, her grill out back that I think I have completely rebuilt twice and her Miracle Maid G2 omelette pan that she uses to bake in. Biscuits and cakes on the stove top. YUM!!

 

[gettinthere]

Hmmm...
Thanksgiving dinner for 6.
Prosciutto wrapped turkey breast on the grill.
Freshly harvested mussels from Maine rocky shores in a fresh marinara sauce with plenty of shallots and garlic.
FRESH Lobsta.
Roast beef hash in the iron skillet on the grill.
Grilled bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with asparagus.
can't decide which was best
prob a few others

 

[justsomeguy]

...how long it's been since it was caught.

I'd say about 48 hours at the outside.



We're pretty simple with our meals, and this dockside breakfast of shrimp and vegetables is par for the course.



We don't do "elaborate" at this point. Or at that point either, about 5 years ago.

 

[jon hansen]

pressure cooker, chowders, stir fry, smoked fish, fruits and veggies that are in season all season long, and the kids favorite "scary stew". a stew that i refused to divulge the ingredients cause if i told them what was in it they surly refuse to eat it. really it was meat and sauce with loads of veggies.

 

[jon hansen]

that's my brother. prepared by my daughter. starting of a day sail around beaver island, northern lake michigan

 

[Mr Fox]

I like to make stews on land, freeze and heat onboard- keeps the ice box cold until you need it. This is a Hungarian beer braised beef, simmering away in our very basic galley, eaten with a baguette from standard baking in Portland, good butter (and a cold drink). Anchored in one of the annual islands small coves, it’s a perfect end to a Casco Bay cruise.

 

[SoSound]

Oui, notre yacht est un bistro! Mais je n'ai pas de photos.
Yes, our yacht is a bistro! But, I have no photos. ...so says Google Translate...

We've won a pair of binoculars for best appetizer at a local rendezvous (Buffalo chicken wonton cups). We keep the menu varied and fresh. Usually, it's a combination of both galley and grill. We try to alternate between easy and quick meals, and celebrations of our cruising accomplishments (ANY accomplishment is worthy of a celebration!).

We absolutely took the advice of another frequent poster on this forum, and we try very much to "eat like kings" while cruising.

And @Phil Herring , if that's the way you eat on board, I'm definitely stalking your AIS signal next summer!

 

[TomY]

Crab is a near staple on the coast of Maine. Unlike lobster, crab meat has to be cooked, hand picked from the shell (tedious), packed into containers then moved to retailers.

Crab cakes are always good but these from last season, were exceptional. We both deduced that the crabmeat we'd bought that day, expensive, was freshly cooked, picked and packed within a day or two.

 

[TomY]

I like to make stews on land, freeze and heat onboard- keeps the ice box cold until you need it. This is a Hungarian beer braised beef, simmering away in our very basic galley, eaten with a baguette from standard baking in Portland, good butter (and a cold drink). Anchored in one of the annual islands small coves, it’s a perfect end to a Casco Bay cruise.

Le creuset cookware, there's nothing basic here.

 

[Phil Herring]

@SoSound... I don't eat like that on the water, but some lucky stock photographer did once.

 

[Mr Fox]

Le creuset cookware, there's nothing basic here.

It was the only 9" wide pot I could find that would fit height wise in the drawers! Plus the top doubles as a trivet, so really it's a great choice. At least that's what I told myself while I was buying it...

Dammit! My brain is getting too good at rationalizing almost any purchase when it comes to the boat.