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Monday, June 1, 2015

Busy in the Galley

In My Kitchen: June 2015




Posting on a schedule can be tricky when weeks pass in between wi-fi connections, so while the post is titled IMK:June, this peek into my galley covers some of April and most of May. Not that it matters, on a long cruise the weeks and months blur and the memories blend. Our travel notes are posted here, if you’re interested in reading the CruiseNews updates from M/V Rhapsody. For a peek inside other kitchens, head over to Celia’s blog Fig Jam and Lime Cordial for her monthly IMK event and enjoy the posts of some interesting cooks from around the world.

April was a busy month in my galley, well... all over the boat for that matter. Spring always brings a flurry of activity - cleaning, inventory, provisioning and cooking-ahead for the upcoming adventure. I have had printed lists, iPhone notes, post-it notes, Excel spreadsheets, and scribbles on the back of envelopes, and I'm still adding more of this and that to the pantry list. Some specialty items and other things I consider basic are difficult to source in small town groceries. (Note: I'm still adding things as we go!) 


In my galley… I finally have some appropriate storage containers to organize the space under the new cooktop. Round plastic tubs hold sugars and AP flour while the stacked bins hold onions, potatoes, bags of rice and pasta, and assorted dried fruits. This has freed up space in other cabinets, and more storage space is always welcome. 


In my galley... we revel in fresh Spring produce, consuming various green salads, fruit salads and grilled vegetables nightly while we're in town. Once we set out it can be two weeks before I see another grocery store stocked with fresh produce. Bowls of fresh ripe fruit look inviting sitting on the counter, but it’s the plastic Ziploc produce bags that keep most fruits and vegetables fresh longer. That’s a bonus when grocery stops are weeks apart and “unbagged” bananas and mangos seem to go from green to overripe almost overnight.  



In my galley… the cute black bear on the label of this jar of fruit preserves caught my eye. We spend months cruising in SE Alaska photographing wildlife, especially the black bear and grizzly bears. Our black bear in a plum tree photo (link) might make a better jam label. Hmmmm, I hope this jam lives up to my expectations based on its label.

In my galley... sort of. The herb pots hold promise of future flavors. This pot sits outside much of the time, while basil and mint hang out in the galley. Basil doesn't appreciate cold nights or saltspray when traveling and mint just doesn't play well with others - it's a pushy bully in a small pot. The purple flower? that's heliotrope to attract the hummingbirds. 



In my galley... the freezer drawers are neatly packed with meats, frozen fruits and vegetables, and various containers pre-cooked favorites for those times when I need to prepare something in a hurry. A bowl of chili is always a hit - the recipe index lists 6 different chili recipes so you know we love it!




In my galley… I couldn’t resist buying this stunning, multi-toned, turned wooden bowl when we stopped in the small settlement of Meyers Chuck, 32 miles north of Ketchikan. It’s an eye-catching decorative item as well as a functional serving piece. My cruise mementos usually tend toward cookbooks - and photos, of course – but this piece called my name as soon as I saw it through the gallery window.




In my galley… it's all about using favorite, familiar recipes rather than experiment with anything new. Simple seems best when fresh seafood is the main event, and I’d rather spend time outside in this year’s unseasonably warm and sunny Spring weather.

Dungeness crab tastes so sweet and rich - it's worth the effort of cleaning, steaming and cracking a big batch. The daily limit is 6 big males per individual fishing license. That's a lot of crab!

Freshly caught king salmon, grilled with the "not-so-secret sauce" makes a great dinner, and leftovers are popular salad additions.


These dishes have been popular items with other boaters at dock potlucks:

Creamy Potato Salad

Italian Pepper Salad

Kale and Peppers Mac and Cheese Bake

It's time to get out of the harbor and go cruising again! Keep checking back, I'll post whenever I find a wi-fi connection.


18 comments:

  1. I am rather envious of your seafaring life. You are doing remarkable well in a small galley kitchen. Love the crabs and salmon. hmmmm love fish!

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    1. Fresh, really fresh seafood is a bonus treat as we cruise in SE Alaska... And the scenery, wildlife and people are terrific as we'll.

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  2. Good to see you back. Sometimes wifi can be hard to find at the best of times, let alone when you're sailing around. You've done a great job with the salmon.

    Always interesting to see what's happening. xxx

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    1. Thanks, Fiona. Delighted you stopped by to visit.

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  3. Dee, your huge amount of planning and tiny amount of storage space are a testament to your cooking skills -- your meals look fantastic! The multi-toned wooden bowl is stunning -- such fine craftsmanship -- glad you treated yourself to it! A dock potluck sounds fun, and that fresh seafood is making me swoon.

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    1. Some days we eat well, and other days it's more like snacks and leftovers. Fresh seafood makes up for tired produce occasionally too.

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  4. Stunning wooden bowl Dee, I can see how it caught your eye. I too have a similarly 'pieced' wooden trivet that I plonk my electric kettle on. I also say it in a window, and popped in to buy it! Fate is what I say, it was meant to be. Hats off to you for managing your galley kitchen in such a tight space. You must be the queen of kitchen space tetris! Cheers, Kirsty xx

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    1. Kirsty, I love the idea of kitchen space Tetris! Great image to keep in mind as I juggle items each day.

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  5. Dee! It's always so AMAZING to peek into your kitchen - the organization, the exciting travels and the beautiful treasures you pick up along the way. LOVE that stunning bowl! I'm very tickled by the idea of hummingbirds finding you as you cruise the seas! :)

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    1. Thanks for the kind comments, Celia. I thought the hummingbirds would love the heliotrope, but they seem more attracted to the red geraniums inside the galley or my red shirt whenever I'm outside.

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  6. Hi Dee! Love peeking at your kitchen. The wooden bowl is beautiful, and that salmon is making my mouth water. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  7. WOW! Those crabs look amazing! I'm a bit jealous, I just love crab :) And salmon straight from the water - nothing better than fresh seafood. From water to plate is how we all dream to live. Lovely meeting you, see you next month for #IMK

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    1. Delighted to meet you too, MFF. IMK is such a fun monthly event!

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  8. Love your post about the cruising life. My husband and I lived on a boat in SF when we were first married and cruised in the San Juans. You live in a wonderful place for criuisng, I will check out your pictures of Alaska. Now we are nearing retirement, we are considering one as a second home. Finding a dock for a live-aboard is going to be the difficult part.

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  9. Liz, we're on the same wavelength . The boat does make an amazing second home, especially in the Pacific NorthWest. Good luck with your future retirement plans afloat!

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