Maple Magic: New England’s Sugaring Off Season – Each Recipe Serves 4.
Born and raised in New Hampshire, I have fond memories of spring “sugaring off” when New Englanders collect sap from their maple trees to cook down into delicious maple syrup. These wonderful memories serve as inspiration for this month’s New England maple recipes fit for the galley.
Brief History and Process
Weather and longer days determine the beginning and end of sap production. They cause physiological changes in trees which encourages them to begin converting stored starch into sugar. We had three large maple trees in our backyard that we tapped each year to make syrup for our family. Throughout the year, we cooked with that lovely syrup! Now it’s time for you to celebrate New England’s spring gift with this menu.
Sugaring Off Staples: Maple-Infused Cocktails and Cuisine
Maple Gimlet
8 oz. gin
2 oz. maple syrup
3 oz. lime juice
2 cups ice
Combine the gin, maple syrup, lime, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into four martini glasses.
Salad with Maple Pecans and Cheese
Maple Pecans:
1 ½ cups pecans
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ tsp. each cinnamon and salt
Add pecans and maple syrup to a large skillet. Warm over medium-low heat and stir occasionally for 3-5 minutes until the syrup thickens. Take the skillet off the heat, and sprinkle cinnamon and salt over the pecans. Caramel coating will harden as the nuts cool and dry. Store in sealed container.
Dressing:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. onions, chopped
¼ tsp. each salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. vinegar (not balsamic)
6 Tbsp. oil
Salad:
8 cups salad greens
4 oz. goat cheese, blue cheese, or cheddar cheese, crumbled
2 oz. bacon, crumbled
Add dressing ingredients to a jar, cover, and shake vigorously to blend. Place greens in a salad bowl, drizzle with half the vinaigrette, and toss to combine. Divide among individual plates, top with cheese, bacon, and nuts.
New England Grilled Maple Salmon Recipe
1 ½ lbs. salmon
¼ cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp. garlic salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
Cut salmon into four equal-sized fillets. Stir remaining ingredients together and marinate salmon for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through. Grill salmon on medium for 3-4 minutes per side.*
* Salmon may be seared in oil for 3-4 minutes per side or oven baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 6-10 minutes.
No-Bake Maple Oat Bars
1 cup peanut (or other nut) butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
¼ cup chocolate chips
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup chocolate (chips or bar) for melting
1 tsp. oil
½ tsp. salt
Line an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or oiled aluminum foil. Mix first four ingredients in a bowl. Pour mixture evenly into a pan. Place chocolate chips or bar and oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for one minute, stir. Heat another 30 seconds, stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over the bars, and sprinkle with sea salt. Chill for three hours or more. Cut into bars and enjoy!
Try this easy island dinner aboard! Each recipe serves 4.
Beautiful fish and shellfish abound in the Bahamas, as do fresh flavors. This menu represents some lovely dishes we enjoyed while cruising the Bahamas. The salad is a palate cleanser for the upcoming dinner of rich fish and rice. We often enjoy making these dishes for friends and family when crab and fresh fish are available.
Sweet and Sour Citrus Salad
2 cups each grapefruit and orange sections, peeled
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 cups red or green sweet peppers, sliced
1 cup onions, thin-sliced
Dressing:
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup vinegar
2 Tbsp. poppy seeds (optional)
2 tsp. onion, grated
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground mustard
½ tsp. citrus peel, grated
4 cups salad greens
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
In a bowl, combine grapefruit and orange sections, then sprinkle with sugar. Add peppers and onions. Combine honey, vinegar, poppy seeds, grated onion, lemon juice, salt, mustard, and citrus peel until well-blended. Pour over fruit mixture and toss to coat. In a serving bowl, toss greens with mushrooms and top with the fruit mixture. Serve immediately.
Coconut Crusted Fish
½ cup flour
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten
½ cup coconut milk
¾ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 tsp. lime zest
Four 4-6 oz. fish fillets (or other fish)
Thai sweet chili sauce or hot pepper jelly or mango chutney**
Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set up a breading station of three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, place flour, salt, and pepper; in the second bowl, mix egg and coconut milk; and in third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, flaked coconut, and lime zest. Dip the fish fillets in the flour, then egg mixture, and finally, coat with coconut mixture. Put the crumbed fish on a greased baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until done.* If the top isn’t browned, broil for 2-4 minutes until golden. Serve with sauce.
* Fish may also be sautéed in oil on the stovetop for 4-5 minutes per side.
** To make sweet chili sauce: mix ¼ cup marmalade or peach or apricot jam with ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper and heat gently to meld flavors.
Bahamian Crab Rice
3 ½ cups water
1 Tbsp. butter
2 cups long-grain rice
1/3 cup oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño or scotch bonnet pepper, chopped (optional)
½ cup onion, chopped
½ tsp. each salt, pepper, and thyme
1 tsp. paprika
½ Tbsp. garlic powder
½ cup chicken broth
8 oz. cooked whole crabs or crab meat or shrimp
Though traditionally made with land crabs in the Bahamas, this rice is delicious with blue crab or shrimp or without seafood. Bring water and butter to a boil and stir in the rice. Cover and turn heat to low, simmering until water evaporates and rice is done. In a skillet, add oil, celery, peppers, and onions, and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, garlic powder, and chicken broth. Cook for 5 minutes more to reduce liquid. Add cooked rice and crab, stirring gently and heat through for 3-5 minutes.-by Lori Ross
Easy meals to make canned fish recipes for boating. Each recipe serves 4.
Boaters have long relied on canned food for quick, easy meals. Canned fish and seafood (called conservas in Spanish) are increasing in popularity as chefs and gourmets seek out delicious, imported jarred and tinned fish and shellfish preserved at the moment of peak flavor. To our delight, a greater variety of these delicious fish and shellfish products are stocking our grocery store shelves. Some of the best high-quality brands include: Cento, Matiz, Patagonia, Fishwife, Drifters, Jose Gourmet, Scout, Minnow, Bar Harbor, and Wild Planet. Below are some great ways to use canned seafood and canned fish recipes for boating adventures this summer.
Conservas Appetizer Board
2-4 cans tinned seafood
Assorted crackers, thick potato chips, or toasted sliced baguette
½ cup each olives and/or pickles
1 cup sliced cucumbers
½ cup each capers and chopped onion
4 oz. each soft and hard cheese (e.g., cream cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan, Swiss)
Condiments such as mustard, horseradish, mayonnaise, sour cream, chili crisp
1-2 lemons, quartered
Open cans of tinned seafood, drain, and lay on a platter (in the tin). Arrange crackers, veggies, cheese, and remaining ingredients around the canned seafood. Pour glasses of wine or sangria and encourage guests to enjoy!
Two 4-ounce cans of trout, salmon, tuna, sardines or mackerel, octopus or calamari, drained
½ cup onion, very thin sliced
¼ tsp. pepper
In a small skillet over medium-high heat, warm oil, salt, and garlic for 2-3 minutes. Toss garlic oil with beans, lemon zest, and dill. Divide greens among four plates. Place a half cup of beans on each plate of lettuce, then top with fish, onions, and pepper.*
*This bean salad is equally good warm or cold.
Clam Flatbread Pizza
Two 8- to 10-inch pizza crusts, lavash, or flatbreads (round or square)
1 Tbsp. oil
4 slices cooked bacon, chopped (or use 1/3 cup bacon bits)
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
Two 4 oz. cans of clams, mussels, or cockles, well-drained
½ cup pecorino or Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp. dried basil
Preheat the oven or grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place flatbreads on baking sheets or pizza stones. Add oil to the skillet with chopped bacon, garlic, and clams. Cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Spread clam mixture onto the crusts, then sprinkle with cheese and basil. Bake or grill for 4-6 minutes or until pizza dough edges are crusty and browned. Cut and serve.
Spaghetti with Anchovies, Chilli, and Garlic
6 Tbsp. oil
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (or a couple pinches of red chilli flakes)
16 anchovy fillets in oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
16 oz. cooked spaghetti (or linguine or tagliatelle)
In small pan, add oil and bring to medium heat. Add chilli and anchovies, cooking for 2 minutes, crushing the fish gently so it “melts” into the oil. Add the garlic, cook for 30-60 seconds, and remove from the heat. Toss pasta well with anchovy/chilli oil. Serve hot.**
**If you wish, add assorted seafood (octopus, calamari, baby shrimp, tuna) to this pasta sauce.
Simple dishes to make using five ingredients or fewer.
Since we do not live aboard, I often look for ways to minimize what we carry on and off the boat by cooking ahead or making simple dishes with few ingredients. These minimalist meal recipes, using no more than five ingredients (many of them shelf-stable), are some of my favorites. All recipes serve four.
Mash avocados and with salsa and lime juice. Taste and add optional ingredients, if desired. Serve with chips.
French Fish Mousse
5 oz. canned fish in oil (or water), drained (e.g., tuna, sardines, mackerel, trout, salmon)
4 oz. butter or cream cheese, softened
2 anchovy fillets
1 Tbsp. capers
½ tsp. lemon juice
Optional: sprinkle of pepper or paprika, chopped dill, or parsley
Drain fish and add to a bowl along with remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth. (While easiest done in a blender or food processor, a rustic version mashed by hand is equally delicious.) Serve at room temperature with crackers, bread, or raw veggies.
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Grilled Teriyaki Chicken and Pineapple
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
8 pineapple rings, fresh or canned
1 cup jarred teriyaki sauce (or optional teriyaki recipe, below)
4 cups cooked rice (brown or white or wild)
Marinate chicken thighs in teriyaki sauce for 2-3 hours in refrigerator. Heat grill on high (or sauté on the stove top or bake in oven on high heat), then remove chicken from marinade and place on the grill for 4-5 minutes. Turn chicken over and add pineapple rings. Cook chicken and pineapple for 5 more minutes, flipping pineapple rings halfway through. Serve with rice.
Optional Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup mirin (seasoned rice vinegar)
½ cup sake (or sherry)
Mix ingredients, heat, and simmer until thickened.
Fruit Slump
Topping:
1 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces
4 cups fresh or canned fruit, drained
Optional: 2 Tbsp. sugar (if using unsweetened fruit)
Optional: ice cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Chop fruit into bite-sized pieces. Mix with 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar (if using) and place in an oiled 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over fruit. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly browned. Serve warm with ice cream.
Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts or 1 tsp. coarse salt
Optional: ice cream
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or foil and coat with oil. Whisk eggs in a mixing bowl. Remove the foil top from the jar(s) of Nutella and place the jars in hot water on the stove top to soften. Add Nutella to eggs and mix well. Add flour and mix until no white streaks are visible. Pour into a prepared baking dish, stirring in optional nuts or sprinkling top of brownies with salt. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve brownies cold from refrigerator (they become fudge-like when cold) or warm with ice cream.
National Pizza Day: Quick and Easy Boat-Friendly Pizza Recipes
Making pizza aboard is easy, fun, and flexible.
February 9th is National Pizza Day!Make pizza aboard in the oven or on the stovetop in the galley or on a grill on the aft deck using refrigerated pizza dough, ready-made pizza crusts, large flatbread, pita, naan, tortilla, or even french bread. Use classic Italian sauce, cheeses, and toppings, or get creative and try some of the following boat-friendly pizza recipes:
⊲ Buffalo Chicken Pizza: buffalo sauce, baked chicken, and mozzarella and blue cheese
⊲ White Seafood Pizza: oil, garlic, pesto, cooked clams, shrimp, or scallops
Or set up a “pizza bar” with assorted sauces, toppings, and cheeses of your choice, and encourage everyone to “make their own pizza” which you can quickly cook.
In honor of National Pizza Day, the following are easy pizza recipes for onboard cocktail parties, lunches, or dinners. Servings depend on size of crust selected.
1 ready-made pizza crust or flatbread, lavash, tortillas, naan, or pita bread (e.g., Boboli, Stonefire, etc.)
4 oz. shredded cheese (mozzarella, Italian blend, or other melty cheese)
¼-½ cup sauce
¼ cup each of your favorite pizza toppings
½ tsp. dried herbs, garlic, spices (optional)
1 Tbsp. oil per pizza if using stovetop
The secret to making delicious, prepared-crust or flatbread/pita pizza is to use a light touch with sauces, toppings, and cooking. Too much sauce or too many toppings make the pizza crust soggy and too high heat will burn the bottom.
Place prepared-crust or flatbread pizza directly on a hot grill set to medium-high (375-400 degrees Fahrenheit). The grill creates a smoky flavor along with grill marks and cooks the pizza quickly. Prepared-crusts, pita, and naan will take 4-6 minutes, while thin flatbreads will take 2-3 minutes. Remove from grill when cheese is melted, and edges or bottom are lightly browned. If you prefer, place pizza on stone or sheet pan directly on grill.
Alternatively, cook prepared-crust pizzas or flatbreads on stone or sheet pan in the oven at 375-400 for 10 minutes. You can also use a covered skillet on the stovetop; just sauté each side of crust in 1 tablespoon of oil for 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat, add sauce, then toppings and cheese, and cover 2-3 minutes to melt cheese. Thin flatbreads will take less time.
1-2 Tbsp. flour or cornmeal for cutting board and pizza stone or sheet pan
8 oz. sauce
8 oz. shredded cheese
½ cup of each preferred pizza topping
½ tsp. dried herbs, garlic, spices (optional)
Set oven to 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit. Unroll the dough on flour or cornmeal-sprinkled cutting board. Starting in the dough’s center and roll or press out to fit the stone or pan. Spread pizza sauce evenly on crust to within a half-inch of edges, then add toppings and cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes* (or until top of pizza is bubbling and bottom of pizza is golden-brown). Cut and serve, offering extra Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
No oven? No worries! Bake pizza on the grill! Simply set grill to medium-high and place pizza on stone or sheet pan directly on the grill. Cover grill and cook 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbling and crust is browned.**
NOTE: The exact timing of these boat-friendly pizza recipes will depend on your grill, oven, or stovetop heat, so start on medium-low, be patient, and keep checking.
* or according to package directions for baking.
** I do not recommend cooking raw dough on the stovetop as it may undercook or burn too easily.
Turn up the heat with some spicy ingredients. Each recipe serves 4.
When we cruised the Bahamas, I was struck by the high quality and delicate flavor of the fish and shellfish, both at restaurants and at beach shacks. Simple fish soups were piquant with surprising finesse, as were the stuffed crab and grilled and fried seafood. I finally figured out that the combination of very fresh fish and shellfish, balanced seasoning, and minimal cooking are the secret. Don’t be afraid of the hot peppers—they become mellow when heated. Here are a few of my favorite Bahamian seafood recipes to try.
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Bahamian Stuffed Crab
1 cup chopped onions
4 Tbsp. butter
½ cup celery, minced
½ cup sweet pepper, minced
¼ cup parsley chopped (or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley)
2 lbs. cooked crabmeat
1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning (jarred or see recipe below)
2 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
On medium heat, sauté onions in butter for 5 minutes. Add celery, peppers, parsley, crabmeat, and seasoning, and cook for 2 minutes more. Cool mixture for 10 minutes, then add eggs and breadcrumbs. Stuff mixture into crab shells (or individual ramekins). Bake* at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
*or grill on medium for 30 minutes
Creole Seasoning
5 Tbsp. paprika
3 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. each onion powder and garlic powder
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. each dried oregano and basil
2 Tbsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients and store in sealed container.
Abacos Fish Soup
4 cups water
3 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup onion, diced
4 slices of bacon, diced
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
2 small hot peppers (fresh or pickled), minced
½ cup carrots, sliced
½ cup celery, sliced
1½ lb. white boneless fish fillets, cubed
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the potatoes, onion, bacon, salt, pepper, hot peppers, celery, and carrot, until the potatoes are fork-tender, then add fish. Reduce the heat and simmer 3-5 minutes until the fish is just cooked and the soup is delicately flavored.
Nassau Fish Cutlets With Devil’s Sauce
2 lbs. thin, boneless fish fillets
1 Tbsp. hot peppers (pickled or fresh), minced
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. oil or butter
4 Tbsp. flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cracker meal, breadcrumbs, or Panko
Place fish in a resealable plastic bag along with hot peppers, lime juice, and salt. Marinate for 30 minutes. Heat oil or butter in a frying pan. Dip fish in flour, then egg, then cracker meal. Sauté fish in hot oil or butter until golden-brown (2-3 minutes per side). Serve with Devil’s Sauce (recipe below).
Devil’s Sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. pickapeppa sauce (or other hot sauce)
1 Tbsp. guava paste or jelly (or other fruit preserve)
¼ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. vinegar
Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 2 minutes. Chill before serving.
Ginger Garlic Grilled Seafood
Four 6 oz. fish fillets, lobster tails, or skewers of shrimp
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. ginger, grated or minced (or ½ tsp. powdered ginger)
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
1 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and sliced thin (or other hot pepper)
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
1 lime, quartered
Bottle of hot sauce
Combine oil, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and hot pepper. Pour marinade over seafood and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat grill. Remove seafood from marinade. Season with salt and pepper, and place over medium heat until just cooked. Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.
Condiments are more than just ketchup and mustard.
Condiments are the accessories of the food world. In the same way a strand of pearls can bring a little black dress from day to evening wear, so can a good mayonnaise elevate two slices of bread and some meat to the Best. Sandwich. Ever. Adding condiments to recipes the right way is a cooking hack that will make you look like a professional chef.
Think of an herb aioli like the scarf you tie around your neck that brings out the color in your eyes. The creaminess of the aioli complements the bacon and tomato of the sandwich.
The beret which lends a slight Parisian feel to your outfit—it’s the same as the gochujang which brings a whole Korean vibe to your stir-fry veg.
Stocking your onboard fridge with a varied bunch of condiments is a great way to ensure simple and flavorful meals after —or during—a day on the water and take those meals from hum-drum to hubba-hubba. Making your condiments is easier than you think, with ingredients you probably have on hand.
To be precise, a condiment is a preparation added to food, generally after it has been cooked, to enhance the eating experience by providing flavor or texture or both.
There is more to the world of adding condiments to recipes than mustard, mayo, and ketchup. Many people will attempt to put condiments into separate categories of salty, spicy, sour, sweet, or savory. A good condiment respects no boundaries and will give you at least two of those coveted flavor components. You’ll find quite a spectrum of condiments available for your tasting pleasure, so that’s how we’ll explore them.
Condiments For Recipes By Color
Green
Chimichurri
There’s more to green condiments than the ubiquitous jar of pickled relish that’s been sitting in your fridge from a Fourth of July picnic three summers ago. This is not a dis on relish. The sweet, salty, slightly crunch concoction is a perfect companion to fish and charcuterie.
And there’s more to relish than chopped up pickled cukes. Any finely chopped pickled fruit or veg can be relish. Keep a lookout for local relishes made with corn, okra, or peaches.
There’s no denying that pesto could possibly be the best green condiment for recipes, but it overshadows the subtle and more nuanced chimichurri. This herby oil emulsion from Argentina and Uruguay is served with grilled meat. A small jar lasts a couple of weeks in the fridge and is even better on grilled fish, tossed into pasta, or mixed into mayo for an aioli. Chimichurri purists argue whether oregano belongs among the herbs. Your taste buds, your call.
Yellow
Mango Chutney
You’re probably familiar with the most famous yellow condiment, one specifically named after another color: Grey Poupon. Consider this your invitation to explore the world of mustards beyond the one bottle in your fridge door. Look for flavor combos like IPA mustards, honey mustard, stone ground, gingerbread, and so many more.
Have you tried the other yellow condiment: mango chutney? This sweet/salty/slightly spicy/slightly sour concoction turns a bowl of rice into a meal. Find it in the international aisle of your local grocer and then try it on fish, chicken, cheese sandwiches, seafood, or a spoon.
Unpopular opinion: Ketchup isn’t worth the space it takes up in the fridge. But hot sauce doesn’t need to be stored in the fridge (most of them are vinegar-based).
Do we need to talk about all the hot sauces? It seems in every port you explore you’ll find specialty bottles of locally brewed hot sauce with crazy names. Test at your own risk. Be careful, or else you may find your valuable galley real estate occupied by half-empty bottles of Dat’s Nice from St. Augustine and Red Clay Hot Saucefrom Charleston. Sriracha is the darling of the hot sauce world, and a hot commodity right now due to a drought-induced pepper shortage.
If you like a little bit of heat with a little bit of crunch, give chili crisp a try. Of Asian origin, chili crisp is a pepper-infused oil with bits of fried chili, garlic, and onion or shallots.
Romesco is a thick Spanish sauce of roasted tomatoes and garlic mashed with nuts and dried peppers. A perfect accompaniment to all manner of grilled or roasted fish and meats, adds depth when stirred into pasta, soups, or stews, gives life to steamed veggies, and resuscitates a sad sandwich.
Pink
Pickled Onions
Perhaps the prettiest and pinkest of the condiments you can add to recipes is also the most versatile: pickled onions. Drop a forkful on everything from eggs to sandwiches to charcuterie trays. Once you realize how easy they are to make, you’ll always have a jar in your fridge and will always find a new way to enjoy them.
This next pink condiment is actually a combination of lots of other condiments: Fry sauce, aka Utah Fry Sauce, aka Pink sauce, aka Mayoketchup (in Puerto Rico). Fry sauce is a blend of mayo and ketchup, with the addition of any of the following: Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder.
White
Aioli
Mayonnaise is the most divisive condiment for recipes. Not only do some hate it, but people have very strong allegiances to their brand: Dukes, Hellmann’s, or (gasp) Miracle Whip. Are you familiar with Kewpie? This rich, silky mayo imported from Japan has no sugar and is made with egg yolks instead of whole eggs, for a savory, creamier mayo. Kewpie will elevate your deviled eggs and level up your aiolis.
Aioli technically is garlic mayo, an emulsion of raw egg, oil, garlic, and a touch of vinegar. But now, aioli refers to any flavored mayo. Do yourself a favor, skip the laborious process of making scratch mayo, as well as a nagging concern about raw eggs, for your aioli. Use the store-bought stuff. Any situation that calls for mayo can easily accept aioli. Think pesto aioli on a tomato sandwich, truffle aioli for fries, horseradish (the other white condiment) aioli—perfect on a steak sandwich.
Brown
Teriyaki Sauce
Let’s start our brown condiments with a quick combination of maple syrup and Sriracha. You can decide how spicy you’d like it (it won’t get that spicy). Don’t doubt this magical elixir until you’ve tried it with fries or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Many brown condiments for recipes begin with soy sauce, a condiment on its own. Soy sauce is the umami-packed liquid of soybeans fermented with rice and other grains. Your basic grocery store soy sauce might only ferment for a couple days, while more nuanced soy sauces ferment for months or years.
Add fermented bean paste, ginger, and sugar, and you’ll have hoisin sauce. Oyster sauce is a blend of oysters simmered in their liquid until everything breaks down and caramelizes, then some soy sauce is added. Teriyaki sauce is soy sauce sweetened with sugar and honey, then rounded out with ginger and garlic. Each of these sauces provides full flavor of savory, sweet, salty, and if you prefer, spicy.
There is another magic brown umami sauce: fish sauce, the liquid that results from fish or krill coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. The Italian version, colatura di alici, has been used for centuries to add depth of flavor. Thai and Vietnamese fish sauces are easier to source. Mixed with lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chili peppers, you’ll have a delicious nuac chom, a Vietnamese dipping sauce.
Adding Condiments To Recipes: The Limit Does Not Exist
Fun fact: There is no such thing as too many condiments. (To the condiment averse, you may find this content offensive and/or triggering. Don’t hate the flavor.) Go forth and explore the whole world of condiments. You will know you’ve reached condiment success when you have no room in your fridge for food because of the dozens of bottles of chutneys, relishes, pickles, and more.
-by Rubi McGrory
Condiment Recipes For You To Try
Quick ’n Easy Chimichurri
⊲ 1 shallot, finely chopped
⊲ 1 green jalapeño, finely chopped
⊲ 3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or finely chopped
⊲ 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
⊲ ½ cup red wine vinegar
⊲ ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
⊲ ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
⊲ Zest of one lemon (optional)
⊲ ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine shallot, jalapeño, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour vinegar and allow to sit for 10 minutes to mellow the alliums. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and lemon zest (if using). Using a fork, whisk in oil. Add salt to taste. This is best when the flavors have had a chance to mingle, at least three hours or overnight. Keeps in the fridge for one or two weeks.
Nuoc Cham
⊲ 2 Tbsp. sugar
⊲ ¼ cup hot water
⊲ ¼ cup fresh lime juice
⊲ 2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce
⊲ 1 clove garlic, grated
⊲ ½ red jalapeño or bird’s-eye chiles, minced with seeds (based on heat preference)
In a small jar, whisk the sugar and water until dissolved. Stir in lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, and chiles. Place lid on tightly and shake until combined.
You can use right away, or let the flavors come together for a few hours. Keeps for a long weekend in the fridge. Serve as a dipping sauce or make a quick meal by pouring over cold noodles/rice and tossing with veggies.
Pickled Onions
⊲ ½ cup red wine vinegar
⊲ ½ cup water
⊲ 2 Tbsp. fine sea salt
⊲ 1 Tbsp. sugar
⊲ 1 large red onion
Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a glass measuring bowl. Microwave until salt and sugar have dissolved.
In the meantime, peel the outer layers of the onion. Cut in half so you are making half-circle slices. Slice the onion as thinly as possible. Put the onions into a jar or container and pour the still-hot pickle juice over the onions. Push down with a fork to ensure all the onions are submerged. Let sit at least 10 minutes before using.Refrigerate. Keeps up to several months.
Easy Aioli
Scoop a couple of spoonfuls of your favorite mayonnaise into a bowl. Add, to taste, one of the following:
Classic aioli: Freshly grated garlic and a squeeze of lemon
Old Bay: spoonful of Old Bay and squeeze of lemon. Perfect for crab cakes and shrimp salad.
Truffle: a dash or two of truffle oil and a generous pinch or truffle salt. Great on potatoes and beef.
Curry: grated fresh ginger and garlic, chopped fresh cilantro, Madras curry powder. Try it on all sandwiches and salmon.
Smoky aioli: lemon juice, lemon zest, grated fresh garlic, smoked paprika. Adds a smoky Spanish flair to potatoes or seafood.
All things sundried tomato. Balsamic everything. Molten chocolate cake. No fat anything. Hollowed-out bread bowl stuffed with spinach dip. Blackened everything. Atkins diet. Dessert nachos. Remember these popular foods of yesteryear? Foods trend just like music or fashion. The old isn’t necessarily bad, but sometimes can be a bit overdone and needs to make way for new ideas. That’s where these modern food trends come into play.
Charter chefs share their food trend preferences
Charter chefs aboard the finest yachts during 2023 Newport Charter Yacht Show weighed in on the trends they’re happy to see depart, and the modern food trends they’re embracing.
Chef Ranada Riley of M/Y Lexington is no stranger to food trends. A veteran of Food Network competitions, Riley ran several restaurants in Lexington, Kentucky, before embarking upon her yachting career.
Fresh from the show’s chef’s competition (she placed first in 2022, and won special honors in 2023), Riley has a lot to say about food trends. “What’s out? How about a sprig of curly parsley and a wedge of lemon for garnish,” she jokes, before declaring that traditional is out. “Right now, people aren’t afraid to play. Everything used to be so traditional.” She emphasizes traditional with a wee scowl. “Now it’s more of a twist. And to me, I think that’s super-important. I love the new emphasis on so much creativity and just trying different things.”
She opens her arms to the galley. “There is so much available to us today, so many recipes, techniques, and ingredients from all over the world.”
If traditional food is off the table, so the speak, what’s being served now?
The four food groups aren’t a thing anymore. Riley laughs, “People are eating less red meat. Vegetables are on the rise. So many more guests [both aboard yachts and in her restaurants] are cutting way back on meat.” Vegetarian food, she explains, has emerged from the dark ages of dense lentil loaf, grilled portabellas with hummus, and a bowl of iceberg lettuce.
Chef Maya Vogt of S/Y Kaori agrees. “Vegetables are now the star of the show,” she says.
Vogt, an architect and yoga teacher from Poland, found her way into superyacht chefdom four years ago. She’s excited to embrace fresher menus. “What’s appreciated now is healthy,” she says. “People are enjoying a huge variety of grains, salads, veggies, and all the seeds and superfoods. They like it colorful, light, healthy, and pretty.
“What I’ve found is that no one wants a big, heavy lunch, especially if you’re on the water and don’t want to spend your afternoon feeling full and lazy,” she adds.
The evolution of the salad
Vogt talks about salad evolving from a bowl of pale green lettuce to its current heyday. “I add a lot of roasted nuts and some grains. People are always surprised that this healthy and light thing can be so tasty,” she says. “Salad doesn’t have to be boring. Each time is different depending on what you add.”
What does one add to a salad to make it a meal? “Almost anything,” she grins. It doesn’t always have to be raw, any roasted veg will do: mushrooms, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, squash. Leftover veggies. Leftover anything. There are so many salad and vegetable-based cookbooks available right now. Her absolute favorite is anything by Yotam Ottolenghi (Yotam’s Instagram).
“He makes vegetables the center of a meal, but there is still room for a little meat,” she says.
Uzane Pohl, chef aboard M/Y Shadowl, insists there will always be room for a meat. While Pohl rounds out the consensus that vegetables have been given a glow-up, meat will always be on the menu. He points out that, yes, veggies are no longer an afterthought. Instead of busting open a bag of baby carrots, boiling them, and tossing in some butter, now, farmers market-fresh carrots are roasted until they’re just tender, tossed with brown butter and toasted nuts, then served on a little cloud of herbed yogurt.
The other half of his sentiment insists that people will always want meat. “It appears though,” he adds, “just not as much as they used to.”
Pohl suspects there have been fad diets since humans moved away from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. “I think there was a grapefruit diet way back in like the fifties or sixties,” he says. “Then there was the fat-free diet, followed by the Atkins diet which was pretty much all fat. Now Keto and paleo and no carb—there is so much to keep up with. I don’t trust any diet that tells you fruits and veggies are bad.”
The shift that Pohl sees is still meat, but less of it. “I’d call it intentional, or quality vs. quantity,” he says. People don’t want a burger for lunch every day. Instead, one really great burger once a week, maybe steak just one night for dinner.
What about what’s out?
Vogt doesn’t hesitate before answering, “Fried food. Convenience food.” She talks about COVID’s impact on home cooking. “People started to cook more, they started to explore. A lot of people started to bake their own bread.” So many people, she continues, had an opportunity to see how easy it is to make their own food, like salad dressing. They realized how easy it is and how much better it tastes.
“Who feels good after eating greasy fried food or food filled with lots of preservatives?” she asks.
Pohl is happy to pack his tweezers away. “That whole molecular gastronomy thing was cool, but enough of the foams and gelees,” he says. “When I want to eat or a serve a tomato, I’d prefer to find the ripest one I can, slice it, serve it with a little bit of salt, and let it be its best tomato self. It doesn’t need to be juiced, then reduced, then reconstructed, then dehydrated, then ground into a powder before finally being shaped back into a tomato.”
While he loves a beautiful plate presentation, he likes to let the ingredients shine for themselves. He says the key is finding that sweet spot between a plate presentation that requires tweezers to place every microgreen sprig in place and the idea of a “square meal” or meat and three sides. “I just want my food to be food,” he says.
But without a sprig of parsley on the side.
-by Rubi McGrory
Some Modern Food Trend Recipe Examples
Perfect Tomato Sandwich
⊲ 1 loaf white bread or milk bread (not the fancy kind, the softer and squishier the better)
⊲ 2 really ripe tomatoes, perfect summer tomatoes
⊲ ½ cup mayonnaise
⊲ 1 tsp. seasoned salt (plus more to taste)
Using a round cookie cutter roughly the size of your tomato (2-3 inches), cut one circle out of each slice of bread. Discard/compost the rest.
Peel each tomato, then cut into 1/4-inch slices. Sandwich the tomato slices between paper towels and let them rest in the refrigerator overnight.
Combined mayonnaise and seasoned salt, adding more to taste—it should be a little salty and light pink. Generously spread the mayo mixture on one side of each bread circle. Place one tomato slice in each sandwich.
Roasted Carrots with Herbed Yogurt
⊲ 2 lbs. carrots
⊲ 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
⊲ 1½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
⊲ Kosher salt
⊲ Freshly ground black pepper
⊲ 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
⊲ ½ cups Greek yogurt (0%, 2%, or 5%)
⊲ Flaky sea salt
⊲ ½ cup finely chopped cilantro (or other soft herbs, basil, flat parsley, dill, tarragon, etc.) plus more for garnish
Set oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel and trim the carrots. If they are smaller than 1 inch in diameter, leave them whole. Cut larger carrots in half lengthwise. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking, keeping an eye on the pan, swirling it occasionally until the butter is toasty brown and smells nutty, between 3 and 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add a half teaspoon of salt and the lemon juice very carefully, as it is likely to splatter. Using a silicone spatula, stir, being sure to scrape up the brown toasty bits at the bottom.
Drizzle half of the browned butter over the carrots. Toss thoroughly with a few turns of cracked pepper and a half teaspoon of salt. Spread evenly in a single layer. Roast for about 15 minutes, turn carrots over, and roast another 15 or 20 minutes until carrots are tender and edges are starting to brown.
Meanwhile, combine the yogurt and the herbs with a half teaspoon of salt. Swirl the yogurt over a large serving platter and pile the roasted carrots on top. Drizzle the rest of the browned butter over the carrots and yogurt, sprinkle with additional cilantro, toasted almonds, and flaky sea salt.
Anchoring the Holidays: Innovative Ways to Celebrate on Your Boat
Throughout our cruising lives, holiday celebrations on boats often become a delightful norm. We tend to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays aboard our boats. Sometimes we do so because we have no choice—when we are delivering the boat from one place to another over a holiday or when we live aboard—but more often, we choose to celebrate holidays on board our vessels. As with land-bound holidays, most are delightful celebrations, often with new boating friends and traditions that provide meaning and continuity in our lives.
It can be challenging to recapture and replicate land-bound holidays on a boat. Some of these challenges are physical—limited space, lack of equipment, or absence of specific ingredients may curtail traditional “sit-down” dinners—while others are emotional. Liveaboard cruisers may yearn to be surrounded by family and friends when they are far away. Vacationing cruisers may find themselves in circumstances or environments that differ greatly from their memories of childhood holiday celebrations—hot weather at Christmas, New Year’s in the islands, or bundling up for the Fourth of July in Alaska!
While we may long to reclaim childhood memories and traditions, celebrating holidays aboard offers terrific opportunities to create unique and exciting celebrations of your own. Blending cherished customs or rituals with new, exotic experiences makes for good times and vivid memories. In other words, if you can adjust your expectations and adopt a new attitude about holidays aboard, it will pay off in spades!
What follows are some ideas for celebrations aboard your boat to get your creative juices flowing.
Seas the Holidays: Creating New Traditions Aboard Your Vessel
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. My birthday and our wedding anniversary are on the same day, which usually falls during Thanksgiving week. The year I turned 50, we flew into Miami to celebrate aboard at Dinner Key. Our flight was very late, and we arrived at the marina to find out that all the nearby restaurants and grocery stores were closed for the night. We made a sad little pre-Thanksgiving meal out of canned tuna, a package of boxed mac and cheese, and some cheese crackers. However, my sweet husband surprised me with a vintage bottle of my favorite French Burgundy (packed in his luggage), and we opened it and toasted cruising life, our anniversary, and my birthday under a full Miami moon.
I asked our cruising friends, who have sailed their 39-foot boat throughout the western Caribbean for several years, how they celebrated classic holidays aboard their boat in foreign ports. Their festivities usually involve getting together with nearby cruisers and creating gourmet potluck dinners. Each cruiser makes a very special dish, presented beautifully. While they found most ingredients nearby (poultry, squashes, potatoes, greens, bread), there are no cranberries outside the U.S. Knowing this, our friends stashed a couple bags in their freezer and made a delightful Cranberry Tart for the potluck.
Christmas
While our cruising friends celebrated Christmas aboard for several years, their first year they were both feeling a little blue missing Christmas morning with their families. Suddenly, a nearby cruising vessel came over and delivered freshly made hot cinnamon buns, tied with a Christmas ribbon to their boat. This generous little gesture really got the day off on the right foot.
If you plan ahead, there are lots of fun little gifts you can make aboard—baked goods, cocktails, fruit or herb vinegars, flavored salts, sugars, spice mixes—and they are always appreciated by friends and strangers alike.
That afternoon, they gathered with friends on another boat. It was decorated with a small lit Christmas tree and colored fairy lights. As they were welcomed aboard with hot buttered rum, they saw that Christmas stockings hung on the boat rails, filled with goodies for each guest. Following a surf and turf dinner with potluck side dishes and desserts, they all sang Christmas carols and toasted the boating life.
New Year’s Day
In Florida, it was easy to adapt our New Year’s Day celebration aboard our Grand Banks 42. We invited friends and family to enjoy the great weather, go for dinghy rides, and watch the Bowl games. We introduced them to Cuban food (widely available in Miami) along with Mojito, Daiquiri, and Cuba Libre cocktails and soft drinks, Cuban pork, moros y cristianos (rice and beans), slaw, avocado and tomato salads, and flan. This became our standard New Year’s Day menu.
Festive Tides: Crafting Memorable Holidays on the Water
Planning, creativity, and spontaneity are the keys to success. Consider local customs and traditions, and participate in celebrations and events. Experiment with seasonal and locally available foods when designing your menu. Bring along “must have” ingredients and cherished decorations and lights, along with music to make the celebration complete. Use your senses and resourcefulness to create a festive and attractive environment for your holiday celebration aboard.
Sight: If you want a casual and cozy environment, use candles and oil lamps, linens and flowers in yellows, golds, and reds to make your cabin glow. If the mood you seek is cool and sophisticated, use fairy lights, greens, plants, fruits, vegetables, and other natural things in your environment as décor (for example, votive candles sitting in seashells or driftwood).
Smell: Bring in scented flowers, fresh herbs, candles, and naturally fragrant items like oranges, vanilla, apples, and lavender to create the ambience you want. Heat herbs in hot water, or microwave a small bowl filled with sliced apples, vanilla, and cinnamon for the holidays. Nothing is as inviting as the fragrance of cookies baking or steaks grilling—so use your menu to entice your guests.
Sound: Think about what kind of music you want to play—rock, big band, or reggae for a more casual holiday, or sophisticated jazz and piano for a refined dinner, or simply use the sound of waves and water. You can change the tone and mood of a celebration by the sounds you choose.
Touch: Use a variety of textures to create the right environment. Pashmina shawls, soft pillows, and knit blankets on settees and chairs if the weather is cool. If the weather is warm, handheld fans, iced drinks, and chilled fruit on cool linens provide relief from heat. This sends the message to guests that you care about how they feel.
Elevate Your Cocktail Party with the Ultimate Snack Platter
Looking for a chic way to serve finger foods to your guests? Turn to an unexpected source: the Snackle box, a repurposed tackle box. Traditionally used for storing hooks, baits, and lures, it’s the perfect compartmentalized container for an array of snacks. You can find a variety of tackle boxes and discover the right water equipment for your needs at WestMarine.com!
The brilliance of the Snackle Box isn’t just its convenience and space-saving design. It’s also about the delightful array of treats you can present to your guests. And for those evening gatherings? Consider curating a cocktail-inspired Snackle Box, pairing each compartment with a different savory or sweet treat.
The Cocktail Nibble Snackle Box:
Fill each compartment to the brim with ingredients:
cubed salami, ham, smoked sausages
cheese cubes or slices
nuts
crackers
pretzels
chips
cheese straws
skewers of cocktail shrimp
crab claws
smoked salmon slices
caprese anchovy skewers (cherry tomato, small ball of mozzarella, anchovy slice, and basil)
jars or tins of smoked fish dip or fish salad
sushi rolls
small containers of cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, wasabi, and soy sauce along with toothpicks and spreaders
The snack hack isn’t just a novel idea; it’s a reflection of modern, innovative hosting. In a world where every gathering is an opportunity to create memories, why not make them unforgettable? By introducing the Snackle Box at your next event, you’re not just serving snacks; you’re offering an experience. Each compartment becomes a conversation starter, each treat a testament to your attention to detail. Plus, the eco-friendly aspect of repurposing a tackle box aligns with today’s sustainable living ethos.
So, the next time you’re planning a cocktail party, remember the Snackle Box. It’s not just about the food; it’s about crafting moments that linger long after the last bite.
Enjoy this menu whenever you have a gathering for 6-8.
Summer Sundays are a great time for hosting an onboard party. Some of my fondest memories are from hosting small parties when we had our trawler in Coconut Grove, Florida. One meal stands out in my memory. I slow-cooked a pork shoulder in a disposable aluminum pan in our galley oven, made a spicy chimichurri sauce, and a sharp, tasty cabbage slaw. I served the pork with slider rolls and fresh tortillas while we enjoyed our company in the main salon of the boat. Guests brought appetizers, rice and beans, and beer and wine. The beautiful weather, the food, and the company certainly were memorable! Here’s how you can enjoy these same meal options for your summer boat party.
Cuban pork (Lechon Asado)
1 pork shoulder (ideally bone-in with some fat), about 4-5 lbs.
Place pork in mojo marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours or, ideally, for 24 hours. To cook, place pork in roasting pan or foil pan with the mojo marinade. Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and roast (covered tightly in foil) for 1 hour, then reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for two more hours. Uncover; cook at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for the last hour to brown the top.*
Let the pork rest for 10 minutes, and strain pan juices. Pour half of pan juices over pork, then slice or shred pork. Serve with the remaining juices and chimichurri sauce on the side, along with slider rolls or tortillas, rice and beans, and slaw.
*Grill or Stovetop
Grill: Use indirect heat (light front and rear burners only) in a covered grill.
Stovetop: Place the pork shoulder and mojo marinade in a large Dutch oven or a covered pan. Bring to a boil, then set heat to low, cover, and cook until pork reaches 185-190 degrees Fahrenheit or until fork tender. Add more marinade if liquid is below one inch at the bottom of the pan.
Chimichurri
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. onion, chopped
2 cups parsley, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
¼ cup oregano leaves, or 1 tsp. dried
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. vinegar
½ cup oil
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, crushed
Combine all ingredients by hand or in a blender or food processor. Serve as a sauce with pork.
Sweet and Sour Slaw
⅔ cup cider vinegar
6 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 medium head cabbage, sliced thin
Mix first 4 ingredients and add to cabbage. Serve cold.
Cuban Black Beans and Rice
1 cup each diced onion and diced sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups cooked black beans
3 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
2 cups cooked rice
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ cup parsley or cilantro, chopped
Sauté onion, pepper, and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, black beans, cumin, oregano, vinegar, chicken stock, rice, salt, and pepper, and cook on medium-low for 5 more minutes. Garnish with parsley or cilantro.
Entertaining family and friends on board is the No. 2 reason for owning a boat—right after the vessel’s primary use of cruising, fishing, waterskiing, etc. With so many holiday parties this time of the year, here are some tips for successful boat party planning.
The first step for low-stress entertaining is to make a list. A well-thought-out list will ensure you don’t forget to bring along important items and ingredients. At the same time, don’t overthink every possible worst-case scenario. Inclement weather? Yes, have the canvas ready and bring windbreakers. Tidal wave? Probably not.
Unless you own a luxury yacht, it’s best to keep the serving casual and let guests help themselves. If you want to host a fancy dinner, cook on shore and bring the dishes aboard. Nothing can bring down the mood of a boat party faster than a frustrated boat owner trying to cook something complex in a small galley.
Speaking of the galley, fabricate wooden or starboard covers for the stove burners and sink to increase workspace. Keep equipment to a minimum: one skillet, one pot/saucepan. Even if there’s a large fridge on board, get a cooler for drinks and place it in the cockpit or other key location. This will keep guests in the thick of the fun rather than in your way.
Nautical Edibles for Your Boat Party
Bring along food that is easily assembled on board and still a treat for the taste buds, like fresh basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella, which can be simply sliced and plated. Salads served at room temperature, such as cucumber salad, are also excellent for holiday entertaining. Pre-cooked shrimp is good to eat cold or tossed on the grill. Avoid serving greasy food that could exacerbate seasickness.
Steer clear of food that will roll around and fall from a plate. In addition to the old trick of squaring off meatballs, melon balls, and other round foods, realize that burgers are more stable than hot dogs or brats. Do you want to serve grilled corn on the cob? Turn them into finger food by cutting the ears into one-inch rounds so they lay on their side on a plate. Similarly, mashed potatoes make a better side dish than their baked cousins and allow guests to take as much or as little as they like.
If you’re looking for food that will accompany other things and stay fresh for a long time, the answer is rice. Stored in a cool, well-ventilated place, rice will keep for months. Rinse old rice before cooking to remove any starch buildup.
Freshly caught fish is a treat, but never rely on it; always have a backup plan. It’s better to have leftovers than to run out of food. That said, get your favorite spices ready for when you do have a good day’s catch.
Desserts can be as simple as fresh strawberries with whipped cream layered in a glass. Or, if you have the ingredients on-hand and the skills to bake, pies are always a holiday favorite. Don’t forget to ask guests if they have any food allergies. You don’t want to discover they do miles offshore.
Beyond the Menu: Preparing Your Boat for the Party
Two other key considerations when entertaining aboard are seating and shade. Make sure there are plenty of seats in the areas where you want them. If seating is at a premium, consider purchasing a few folding deck chairs. These are especially useful if you want to turn a large swim platform into a comfortable water-access patio.
Shade enhancement can range from inexpensive, compact, portable chair umbrellas for the aforementioned swim platform to extending the boat’s hardtop or bimini with a canvas awning to provide coverage for large groups. Having a stash of hats and sunglasses available for guests to use never hurts either.
Being outdoors always seems to heighten tastes and appetites, so prepare accordingly. Once your plan is set, cast off and have fun on the water—because that’s what entertaining on board is all about. quimbyscruisingguide.com
-by Sandy Lindsey, Quimby’s Cruising Guide, edited by Bonnie Schultz
Plan a delicious Thai dinner to savor on your next voyage.
Thailand is known for its vibrant and delicious cuisine, which makes it the perfect choice for your next onboard meal. Indulge in the rich flavors and fragrant spices that Thai food is famous for. Prepare a mouth-watering Thai feast for your next voyage with these favorite recipes.
Thai Mango Salad
Dressing:
⅛ cup oil
½ tsp. grated lime rind
1 Tbsp. lime juice
½ Tbsp. fish sauce*
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. minced hot pepper or hot sauce
⅛ tsp. each of salt and pepper
Salad:
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced (or peaches or nectarines, sliced)
½ sweet pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced
1 carrot, sliced thin
2 cups mixed greens
⅛ cup scallions, sliced
⅛ tsp. each of salt and pepper
¼ cup peanuts, chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped mint or pinch of dried mint
1 lime, quartered
In a large bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients. Add first five salad ingredients to dressing and toss to coat, adding salt and pepper. Serve salad sprinkled with peanuts and mint, plus a lime quarter to squeeze over salad.
* Substitute: equal amount of soy sauce, or oyster sauce mixed with a ½ teaspoon of anchovy paste or Worcestershire sauce.
Thai Shrimp
½ Tbsp. each of minced ginger root and turmeric root (or pinch each of dried ginger and turmeric)
2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
½ tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemongrass, minced*
½ lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined
1-2 Tbsp. oil
⅛ tsp. each of salt and pepper
Mix turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, and salt, and add to shrimp. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet, and add marinated shrimp. Sauté, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
* Substitute: 1 tablespoon of lemongrass paste or 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest mixed with 4-5 leaves of minced arugula.
Pad Thai
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
⅛ tsp. Sriracha hot sauce
Noodles:
1 Tbsp. oil
¼ cup scallions or onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 oz. Thai rice noodles (or other noodles/pasta), cooked according to package directions
¼ cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
⅛ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
1 lime, quartered
In a small bowl, whisk sauce ingredients. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add eggs and scramble for 30 seconds, until almost set. Add noodles and sauce to skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are coated with sauce and eggs (about 2 minutes). Serve noodles topped with cilantro, peanuts, and a lime wedge for squeezing.
Thai Pearl Cocktail
6 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. light rum
2 oz. coconut milk
2 tsp. lime juice
2 lime slices
2 mint sprigs (optional)
Mix pineapple juice, rum, coconut milk, and lime juice. Pour into two glasses filled with ice. Garnish each glass with a lime slice and a sprig of mint.
This feel-good food will keep you warm as the cooler weather sets in. Recipes serve 4.
Ilove the hint of cooler weather that fall brings. Several years ago, we rafted up with friends on a quiet creek during an October weekend when the temperatures were just starting to dip. We started with apple cider martinis served with melty Brie, dined on grilled pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes and a fruit and nut salad, and indulged in a warm pear tart for dessert—a perfect menu of fall comfort food!
Apple Cider Martini
8 oz. apple cider
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
8 oz. rum
4 thin slices of fresh apple
Mix cider, maple syrup, and rum in a shaker with ice. Strain 4 ounces of martini mixture in each glass. Garnish with one thin apple slice.
Maple Camembert
8-ounce wheel of Camembert, unwrapped
½ tsp. each crushed red pepper flakes, thyme, dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Crackers, pear, and apple slices for serving
Unwrap the cheese. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.* Place cheese on a baking dish. Score the top rind with a knife in a criss-cross pattern. Sprinkle with spices and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 15 minutes until just melted, and serve immediately with crackers and fruit.
*or use a medium-hot grill with cheese on foil for 10 minutes.
Rosemary Pork with Sweet Potatoes
Dry rub:
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. smoked or regular paprika
4 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. each garlic and onion powder
Pork and sweet potatoes:
2 pork tenderloins
2-3 sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
¼ cup oil
2 tsp. dried rosemary
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Sauce:
3 Tbsp. apricot or other favorite jam
1 ½ Tbsp. vinegar
Mix dry rub and blend with tenderloins in a Ziploc bag. Set aside for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pork and potatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with remaining spices. Cook tenderloin and potatoes in oven, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes until thermometer registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit.* Meanwhile, make sauce. Warm jam and stir together with vinegar. When pork is ready, remove from heat, cover with foil, rest for 10 minutes, slice, and serve with sauce.
*if grilling, place pork directly on high-heat grill, turning halfway through. Place sweet potatoes in foil packet and grill for 20-25 minutes.
Fall Fruit and Nut Salad
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. red wine or other vinegar
2 ½ Tbsp. orange juice
2 Tbsp. orange zest
2 Tbsp. oil
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
Salad:
3 cups favorite lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 apples
2 pears
½ cup raisins
⅔ cup walnuts or other nuts, toasted
½ cup crumbled blue or goat cheese
In a large bowl, whisk together dressing. Core and cube apples and pears and add, along with raisins and walnuts, to the bowl with dressing. Toss, add cheese, and serve.
Cinnamon Pear Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry sheet (8.5-oz.), thawed, but still cold
3 Tbsp. sugar mixed with ½ tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
2 pears
3-4 Tbsp. butter, cubed
2 Tbsp. apricot jam or other jam, warmed for 30 seconds in microwave
1 Tbsp. rum
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment and oil lightly. Lay puff pastry atop foil or parchment. Sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar over the pastry, avoiding edges. Cut the pears in quarters, then slice into thin half-moons. Lay pear slices on pastry overlapping in rows. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, dot with butter, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven. Mix jam with rum, and brush pastry edges and top of pears while tart is still warm.
Throw a retro-style cocktail party with popular fare from 50 years ago.
Fifty years ago, 1972, was an exciting year for boating! According to the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, nearly six million boats were registered in the United States, more than half in the South and mid-Atlantic regions. In-water sail and power boat shows were introduced, and Southern Boating magazine was launched that September. Celebrate Southern Boating’s 50th anniversary with a retro-style cocktail party for four with recipes popular in 1972.
Tequila Sunrise
8 oz. tequila
24 oz. orange juice
4 oz. grenadine syrup
4 orange slices
4 maraschino cherries
Mix tequila with orange juice. Pour 1 cup of tequila/orange mixture into each of four highball glasses filled with ice. To achieve the sunrise effect, slowly pour 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of grenadine into each glass over the back of a spoon, allowing it to settle at the bottom. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.
Pecan Cheese Ball
12 oz. sharp cheddar, shredded
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. onion, minced
½ tsp. each mustardand Worcestershire sauce
1 cup pecans, chopped
Soften cheeses and add remaining ingredients except pecans. Mix well, shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill. To serve, roll the ball in chopped pecans.
Bacon-wrapped Dates
12 whole pitted dates
6 slices raw bacon
12 whole almonds
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Stuff each date with one almond. Wrap each date in a half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Bake on a sheet pan for 15-18 minutes.
Cher’s (of Sonny and Cher) Hawaiian Meatballs
Sauce:
2 ½ tsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
Meatballs:
21 oz. can crushed pineapple (strained and juice set aside)
24 frozen cocktail meatballs
½ cup each diced onion and diced bell pepper
In a saucepan, whisk together first four sauce ingredients. Add strained pineapple juice to sauce. Add meatballs and cook over medium heat until meatballs defrost and sauce is thickened. Add crushed pineapple, peppers, and onions until heated through. Tastes better if made the night before.
Asian Orange Salad
Dressing:
¼ cup oil
¼ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. each sugar, red wine vinegar, chopped parsley
Salad:
¼ cup almonds, sliced
1½ Tbsp. sugar
15 oz. can mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
4-5 cups lettuce or spinach, chopped
½ cup celery, sliced
¼ cup green onion, sliced
Combine dressing ingredients. Sauté almonds and sugar together until browned. Toss dressing with salad. Top with candied almonds.
Chocolate Fondue
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
24 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Dippers: fruit, cookies, marshmallows
Heat the cream with salt over medium heat in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles appear on the edge. Turn off the heat, add chocolate chips and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Transfer fondue to a warmed bowl. Arrange the dippers on a platter and use toothpicks or forks to dip treats into fondue.
