The View from the Galley

In My Kitchen: July 2015

Galley Window View: Moored alongside seine boats in Sitka Harbor

In my galley…

The view continually draws me away from the routine tasks at hand. I'd hate to miss a moment of “the good stuff”. Binoculars have become an important, if slightly unusual, piece of galley equipment. You never know when some sudden motion on shore will turn out to be a bear, a wolf, a deer or some interesting varmint that invites study. 

The galley counter, like so many other tools and spaces, serves many functions. We eat breakfast and lunch here and the long expanse multitasks as food preparation area and workbench... not usually simultaneously. Today, however, the Capt's project and my cookie baking vied for space at the same time.

In my galley…

The long hours of Alaska sunshine encourage rambunctious growth in herbs and houseplants alike (except for the sulking basil and mint that have proved susceptible to attacking, ravenous hordes of whiteflies).The galley's lone geranium enthusiastically produces shockingly red flowers, the smiling faces of pansies add a bright, cheery accent to the counter, and the hummingbirds really, really want to join the inside party. Those cheeky little critters ignore the heliotrope in the outside herb pot, choosing instead to pester humans wearing red shirts or to hover just outside the window with the geranium. Silly birds.

In my galley…

Boats are a common sight out the galley windows, but a floatplane is altogether less ordinary. Especially a floatplane right outside the window, landing to deliver a handful of passengers to a waiting boat. I felt the vibrations from the revving engine almost before I saw the plane!

In my galley…

Seafood continues to be a major staple as I deal with an overabundance of salmon. That’s such a good news/bad news situation: RL is thrilled to have caught 4 king (chinook) salmon in two days, and I’m not quite so thrilled trying to deal with the resultant nearly 100 pounds of fish. The freezer drawers are fully loaded and we now enjoy at least one daily dose of lox, smoked salmon, salmon dip, salmon salad, salmon grilled on the barbecue or roasted in a cast iron skillet. It is a wonderful, tasty challenge to deal with – but now the man wants to go fishing again!

In my galley…

Fresh crab and spot prawns have been welcome alternatives to salmon, but I’m ready to enjoy some red meat again... soon. A green chile cheeseburger or barbecued spareribs sound SO temptingly good right now.  

In my galley…

The sourdough pot keeps bubbling along happily, evidence that Alaskan wild yeasties are a friendly complement to those gathered in Washington and British Columbia. My starter, Old Faithful, could use a new name, something cute and catchy, but I won't rename it this summer and risk annoying that all important blend. It's the "don’t mess with success" theory. I’ll settle instead for trying new sourdough bread recipes. Simple Sourdough Loaves (recipe to post soon) and new versions of waffles, flatbread and pizza were recent efforts. Sigh, I am such an unabashed, unrepentant breadaholic.

So, what’s happening In Your Kitchen lately? For a peek inside kitchens and galleys around the world, pop on over to Celia’s IMK monthly event at figjamandlimecordial.com . You meet such interesting folks inside these kitchens!