The tagline says it all: Southern Boating is more than a location; it’s a way of life! Boating is a lifestyle, and we’re here to show you how it’s done, the Southern Boating way. That means we care about the water that surrounds us, the people who support us, and the culture that fulfills us.
The aluminum Vandal 46 Explorer is proof a boat doesn’t have to be made of fiberglass for performance and fun. Built from high-strength 5083 aluminum, the foil-assisted catamaran is powered by twin Yamaha 425 XTO outboards with a 40-knot top speed and a range of 240 nautical miles. The SAF 2205 stainless steel foil reduces fuel consumption by up to 30 percent. Space isn’t lacking on the 46 Explorer (46′ LOA, 14′ beam), especially on the main deck with a protected helm and cockpit. The flybridge and upper helm provide additional seating and can hold a 10-foot RIB. Vandal can customize the catamaran and will offer two berths on future models. vandalmarine.com
The venerable Yellowfin 36 Offshore got a major update for 2024. Yellowfin extended the console, adding a forward lounger with insulated stowage below to complement the in-floor fish box. The lounger, which includes additional rod holders, and the U-shaped bow seating offer a roomy area to hang out. In updating the helm, Yellowfin added a windshield, new upholstery, and removed exposed hardware. The 36 Offshore (36′ 8″ LOA, 10′ beam) now has a new-look transom with the builder removing a door and redesigning the livewell on the twin-engine model. Other improvements include better bilge access and handrails added to each side of the leaning post. yellowfin.com
The all-new DC 306 is Pursuit Boats’ sixth dual console and builds upon its smaller 29-foot sibling. Pursuit integrated a hardtop with a full windshield on the DC 306 (31′ 11″ LOA, 9′ 11″ beam). The starboard console has an electric marine head with a 9-gallon holding tank and a sink, while the port console can hold rods. Folding seats on the transom and port tuck away after enjoying a meal on a removable table. The bow features molded seats with flip-down armrests. Pursuit packed the twin-engine DC 306 with fishing-friendly features, including a 26-gallon insulated livewell, fish boxes, 12 rod holders, and tackle stowage in the port seat base and backrest. pursuitboats.com
Fairline’s first sportbridge yacht, the Phantom 65, is already collecting honors for design excellence. Inspired by the popular Targa 65, Fairline set out to deliver a clean and modern design with the performance its yachts are known for. Highlights include a wet bar for alfresco dining on the skybridge, and the sunroof opens above the salon on the lower helm. Buyers can configure the Phantom 65 (65′ 4″ LOA, 17′ 2″ beam) for three or four cabins and three ensuites and a tender garage at the stern that fits an 11-foot RIB. With twin Caterpillar C32-1622 diesel engines, the yacht cruises at 30 knots with a range of 240 miles. fairline.com
The newest addition to the Tiara Yachts’ EX lineup is the EX 54, which carries over the popular features from the EX 60 flagship model including a customizable aft cockpit, twin terraces, and a disappearing bulkhead. The EX 54 (54′ 3″ LOA, 15′ 11″ beam) offers flexible salon seating and an all-new glass patio module provides clear views off the stern. Below, the EX 54 has three private sleeping accommodations for six adults and includes two heads. Tiara Yachts is equipping the model with twin 950-hp Volvo Penta IPS2 engines and Joystick Plus Control. The glass cockpit features Garmin electronics, assisted docking, and a 360-degree surround view camera. tiarayachts.com
World Cat’s 260DC-X dual console is the next-generation replacement to World Cat’s most-popular model ever, the 255DC. Innovations on the 260DC-X (25′ 6″ LOA, 9′ beam) include a swivel cooler seat with cushion that stows under the captain’s seat and swings out for a convenient starboard-side seat. A 50-inch transom bench seat folds down for a wide aft deck space and an expanded casting deck. The stern allows for easy on-and-off boarding. Versatile seating features include an optional bow table that can be removed, converting the area to a lounge space with an optional filler cushion. Standard power is twin 150-hp Yamaha outboards. worldcat.com
Grady-White’s new ruggedly luxurious Canyon 386 is perfectly suited for anglers and families looking to spend time on the water. Drawing from Grady’s flagship Canyon 456, the Canyon 386 (36′ 6″ LOA, 9′ 3″ beam) has an extra-wide beam allowing the addition of a fourth adjustable deluxe helm chair to be placed strategically behind the full-height wraparound windshield. Inside the spacious console is a cherry dinette table that converts to a berth, a full galley, and a separate enclosed head with sink, china head, and a stand-up shower. Anglers will appreciate the dual 35-gallon livewells, a 291-quart insulated refrigerator/freezer fish box, and a lean bar with rod holders, knife and plier holders, and a Corian countertop. Air conditioning and a Seakeeper 5 gyrostabilizer are standard. gradywhite.com
The new 357 LXF S-Class is Scout Boats’ latest addition to its luxury center console line. The epoxy-infused 357 LXF (35′ 3″ LOA, 10′ 9″ beam) joins Scout’s S-Class of luxury boats over 33 feet. Standard features include a swim platform with Esthec decking, a 60-gallon fish box, and a raw and freshwater system with a 25-gallon tank. The helm includes three captain’s chairs with heated seats and flip-up bolsters protected by a hardtop. Other notable features include an anchor camera in the bow and a key fob for the remote-controlled lights. Belowdecks, Scout included a cabin with a forward berth and a head with a toilet, sink, and faucet. scoutboats.com
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.
The 50th Annual Stuart Boat Show returns January 12-14, 2024.
The 50th Annual Stuart Boat Show, named one of the top 20 events in the Southeast, is celebrating its golden anniversary in the Sailfish Capital of the World, Friday, January 12 to Sunday, January 14, 2024. The largest boat show on Florida’s Treasure Coast features more than 200 local, national, and international exhibitors displaying technology, gear, and hundreds of boats in water and on land, including the latest models of motoryachts, cruisers, center consoles, sportfishing boats, speedboats, and pontoons ranging from 12 feet to more than 90 feet in length.
The 2024 Stuart Boat Show, owned by the Marine Industries Association of the Treasure Coast and produced by AllSports Productions, has something that will interest every boating enthusiast. Stroll the grounds and see what’s new in marine electronics, engines, accessories, personal watercraft, boat lifts, fishing gear, and safety equipment; talk insurance and financing with experts, and browse the nautical apparel and jewelry. Lively music and delicious food and drink add to the festivities.
Southern Boating Media’s popular on-water Pelican Lounge is back this year. The floating dock display is the ideal gathering spot to take a break, have a cool drink, chat with friends, get your Southern Boating apparel, and soak up the breathtaking water views. On shore, the Coco Bar offers an upper deck to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the show. The Association of Bahamas Marinas will once again be hosting the Bahamas Pavilion, and don’t miss Legacy Marine’s display not only in the show but also welcoming guests at the gate.
Parking for the boat show is at Martin County’s Witham Field Airport off Monterey Road with additional parking available in the lot at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Northwest Wright Boulevard. Free shuttle service, sponsored by Hurricane Boat Lifts, will take attendees directly to and from the show.
Don’t miss this fantastic, family friendly, outdoor event. stuartboatshow.com
-by Bonnie Schultz
Stuart Boat Show 2024 Event Details:
Dates and Hours
Friday, January 12th – Saturday, January 13th
10am to 6pm
Sunday, January 14th
10am to 5pm
Admission
Adults: $18
Veterans: $15
Children: $8 (12 and younger);
Infants: Free
Location
55 NW Dixie Hwy, Stuart, FL
Parking: $5
SOUTH: Witham Airport:
off Monterey Road, turn onto Southeast
Flying Fortress Lane
NORTH: 827 NW Dixie Highway
(Dixie Highway and NW Wright Blvd.)
Free shuttle service provided directly to and from the show.
A bird’s-eye view can lead to better offshore catches.
Mastering your craft with these offshore fishing tips can be done at any time of year. No matterwhere you fish, probing offshore waters for big game catches presents some special challenges.
Offshore Fishing Tip 1: Prepare Properly
Obviously, there’s the time factor. With a long run needed to reach your target species, most offshore trips are full-day or even overnight adventures. The large size of many offshore predators also requires top-shelf gear, including heavyweight rods, reels, lures, and lines if you hope to have a reasonable chance of decking or tagging any of the bigger species available.
Your First Challenge
Perhaps the greatest challenge, however, is simply finding the fish. There’s a lot of water to cover once you get a few miles off the beach and your quarry can be just about anywhere. That makes having reliable reports and some coordinates from which to begin your search, important elements of any serious offshore fishing plan.
Of course, even the freshest reports and best sets of numbers serve as no more than starting points. Unless you have a buddy that’s already engaged and willing to clue you in on the action, the onus is on you to find the fish once you reach wide-open spaces. To that end, patience may not always be a virtue. Some skippers will begin their search by trolling in a grid pattern, covering their primary area before pushing out in the direction recent catches were known to be headed. Others simply get up and go, speeding off on a beeline to the next logical hot spot—be that a temperature break, wreck, or significant change in bottom contour.
Offshore Fishing Tip 2: Using Nature As Your Guide
Those are logical and time-proven approaches, but en route, you’ll want to keep your eyes on the horizon, constantly watching for diving birds as they can be a shortcut to some serious action, especially where tuna are concerned. The key is letting the birds tip you off not only to the presence of predator species but to their behavior as well.
Maneuver Lightly – And Identify Birds For Opportunities
Herring and Blackback Gulls
Herring and blackback gulls, for example, are large, lazy birds and not fast enough to keep up with tuna on the move. Find them diving and you’ll know the tuna are mostly staying in place while feeding on or near the surface. That means you may be able to quietly drift or lightly power into position if using bait or jigs, or troll in a pattern that brings your lures beneath the birds while keeping the boat on a course that won’t spook your prey.
Shearwaters
Shearwaters, by comparison, are fast-moving diving birds that can actually work baitfish into tight balls on their own. That means there may or may not be predator species feeding beneath, but it’s smart to check. Whereas gulls usually indicate feeding activity near the surface, shearwaters can dive more than 50 feet deep, so be prepared to get your baits and lures down well below the surface as you approach. If you don’t hook-up within a few minutes, keep on moving.
Storm Petrel
Another bird to keep an eye out for is the storm petrel. They don’t specifically follow tuna and game fish around, but they do feed on some of the smaller baitfish for which bigger predators have a sweet tooth, sand eels for example. Seeing a couple of “tuna chicks,” as these birds are known to the offshore set, doesn’t necessarily call for further investigation. Seeing a large group, however, may indicate a heavy concentration of baitfish. Find the bait and, well, you know the rest.
Terns
Terns, meanwhile, are the gems of birds when it comes to finding predators on the prowl. They can see 30-40 feet deep, and often fly in a wedge pattern simulating the way tuna school beneath the surface. In this case, you’ll often find the lead tern right above the lead tuna. If you aren’t seeing fish breaking on the surface beneath the birds, push on to get a comfortable distance ahead of the lead. Now, cast a big diamond jig across its path, let the lure drop for a count of 10 or more, and then snap it to life. Time things right and you might finish the day with sore arms, a tired back, a happy crew, and tuna steaks for all aboard.
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.
Catch “the big one” – fishing record tips to use on your next trip out
These fishing record tips come from experience meant to serve all anglers. Back when the world’s crust was just beginning to cool, I had the good fortune to luck into a weakfish of mammoth proportions one late fall day off the south shore of Long Island, New York. The encounter occurred in a small cove of pocket water well back near a marsh where smallish school bass and an occasional shad would often stack up.
Having had my fill of shorts on several recent trips, I opted to play around with some ultralight tackle, which was a “thing” at the time. I wasn’t disappointed as schoolies to 20 inches waited in line to put my 4-pound test freshwater trout outfit to the test. All was going swimmingly, as I gingerly played each fish to the net for a quick release without busting my line, an important consideration since I had only one other small hook aboard.
Six schoolies into the trip, the big one ate, instantly doubling-over my rod in a surprise attack on my finger-length live shiner. Instantly outgunned, I eased off on the drag and hoped the big yellowfin might tire before busting free. Amazingly, she stayed buttoned, and the gossamer thread held long enough for a brief visit aboard my 16-foot garvey-style clam boat. It took several minutes to revive that 13-pounder, and I proudly watched her swim away. Later that winter, I read that the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) 4-pound line class record for weakfish was a little more than 11 pounds. UGH!
My tale of releasing a potential record catch isn’t unique. In fact, it happens all the time. Even worse, many possible records are eaten by anglers having no idea they’ve topped the charts.
Gary Jennings setting a new IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8-pound) Tippet Class World Record in June 2022
Tip One: Know The Current Record
Have you dreamed of setting a fishing record? If so, the place to begin your quest is with a visit to the IGFA website, says Zack Bellapigna, who is charged with keeping the official files updated for the association, which runs an office in Dania Beach, Florida.
“We keep a variety of records,” explains Bellapigna, “including all-tackle world records that honor the largest individual of a specific species of fish caught within accordance with the organization’s International Angling Rules, all-tackle length records which honor the longest individual of a species measured on an official IGFA measuring device and released, line-class records that recognize the largest of selected species caught on a specific line class, and tippet-class (fly fishing) records for a number of game fish species.”
All IGFA records, along with the required International Angling Rules, can be found at igfa.org through a world-record database search engine that sees records updated daily. Access is free, and you don’t need to be a member to enter a search. In fact, you don’t even need to be a member at the time you catch a potential world record because you can join the organization ($50/year) when submitting a catch for consideration.
Kathryn Vallilee claims the IGFA Women’s 4-kg (8-pound) Tippet Class World Record for the species.
Tip Two: Take Your First Steps To Claiming A New Fishing Record
According to Bellapigna, to qualify for IGFA records, anglers must fill out a World Record Application Form which is available on the website. Anglers must also submit four photographs:
the angler with the fish
the rod and reel used
the scale
and the scale certification sticker/documentation.
Along with these photographs and the completed application, you’ll need to send in your terminal tackle, including 16.5 feet of your line to be tested.
Jacob Elleson sets the IGFA All-Tackle Length Fly Record
Tip Three: Find An Open Category
For those interested in chasing world records, Bellapigna suggests looking at the current records while paying particular attention to fish you target. Note that species not listed are currently vacant categories awaiting their first entry—which could be made by you. To fill a vacant record, the fish just has to be caught in accordance with the International Angling Rules, weigh more than 1 pound, and be in the top 50 percentile of its maximum potential size.
Potential Challenges (other than the catch)
Of course, with the advance of time, it’s even more challenging to set new fishing records, especially in the all-tackle category. Still, if you do a little digging, you’re likely to find a few that don’t seem out of reach. In just the past year, several records have been broken along the East Coast from Florida to Maine.
This includes:
Gary Jennings with a tautog from New York setting a new IGFA Men’s 4-kg (8-pound) Tippet Class World Record in June 2022.
Jacob Elleson scored with a 91-centimeter black drum from Florida to set the IGFA All-Tackle Length Fly Record.
Randy Morton drilled an 8-pound, 9-ounce sheepshead from Virginia last July to set the IGFA Men’s 8-kg (16-pound) Line Class World Record
and Kathryn Vallilee bested a 26-pound, 8-ounce permit from the Florida Keys back in August to claim the IGFA Women’s 4-kg (8-pound) Tippet Class World Record for the species.
Randy Morton set the IGFA Men’s 8-kg (16-pound) Line Class World Record
Tip Four: Start Local
While anglers like to set their sights on world records, it should be noted that most state fish and wildlife agencies keep state records. So, where world and even-line class records for some species seem out of reach, state records may be more achievable. Contact your state fish and wildlife department for more info about this option.
“Records are made to be broken,” concludes Bellapigna. “We receive new applications every day from anglers that headed out with their eyes set on a record they were looking to break. If worst comes to worst, you’ll at least have some great fishing stories to tell from your pursuit of a place in the record books.”
No doubt. Which reminds me, did I ever tell you about the 4.5-pound sea robin I submitted some years ago?
