In My Kitchen - Jan-February 2017

2017 arrived with a mixed bag of weather; welcome days of glorious sunshine, several heavy rainstorms with strong winds, occasional days of dense fog... and then a dump of wet, heavy snow. I love the local fairyland appearance after a fresh snowfall, but not so much the associated challenge of negotiating Seattle's hilly terrain. So my old Mustang convertible never left the garage and I didn't break out the crosscountry skiis to ski around the neighborhood. I DID reorganize some cabinets and continue to weed through the bookshelves in between bouts of drinking therapeutic hot toddies and gazing at the world outside. 

In my kitchen...

how is it that frequently used items always migrate to the front of any storage space while the odd bits and pieces eventually disappear from sight. That was the case with a long-forgotten antique pickle server. The quantity of tarnish indicates it has been a long time since this piece appeared at a dinner party. Now comes the decision whether to discard or repurpose... I'm still considering. 

Purchased on a whim for a kitchen sushi class with Hilary (link), this plastic hand roll (temaki) stand needs a new home. The two of us had great fun playing with different sushi devices and presentations, but this item hasn't been used again. It landed in the donation box, along with several other "treasures".

In my kitchen...

RL swears the kitchen tilts southward due to the weight of my cookbook collection. He's teasing, but I have run out of convenient storage space. Years ago a Food Blogger Cookbook Swap (link) sent me wandering through the stacks of books then filling up cabinets and shelves, rediscovering scads of forgotten treasures along the way. The challenge continues; I'll never cook my way through the existing collection, yet it is hard to resist the lure of a new cookbook. Solution: we delivered three large cartons of books, cookbooks and some other non-fiction, to the local library, a donation for their annual booksale fundraiser. I'm still working to reorganize the remaining 200+ books by topic, cuisine and/or chef and continue to find new recipes to try.

We enjoy food with a flavor bite, so Southwest, Tex-Mex, Mexican dishes frequently top the favorites list. Storebought tortillas are plentiful locally in various sizes, weights and ingredients. Availability and  laziness on my part meant the tortilla press, comal and tortilla warmer had migrated to out-of-sight storage locations. It's decision time again - put them to use in the next month or two, or send them off to a new home. Omigosh, sudden memory flashback to a wonderful weekend of cooking classes with Jane Butel in New Mexico eons ago with BFF Betsy. 

In my kitchen...

Yes, I've done some actual cooking lately. Big pots of hearty soups and stews kept us fueled during winter-weather lunches, comfort food for body and soul. A new-to-me recipe for feijoada was the latest winner, but how could it miss with smokey Basque chorizo and black beans in a fragrant and flavorful sauce? Recipe to follow soon. 

In my kitchen...

Alaska dreaming and cruise planning fills many hours every winter, with RL handling boat prep items and me considering itinerary and dining issues. Inevitably we drift to reminiscing and skimming our ginormous collection of images from nearly 17 years of Alaska cruising. Recently a 3-pound package of frozen, store-bought blueberries recalled memories of floating up against a steep bank at high tide to harvest some fat, ripe huckleberries. (link) RL held onto some overhanging branches to keep the skiff in place while I picked berries... until we heard crashing foliage and noticed movement on the far side of the berry patch. Grizzly bear? Mmmmm, maybe. At home this month commercial blueberries made scrumptious blueberry syrup and filling for Swedish pancakes, but I'm looking forward to picking wild berries once again in SE Alaska... with a scout and without animal company. OK, maybe a worm or two.

What's happening in your kitchen lately? Multi-talented Liz (writer, cook & traveller) hosts a monthly gathering of cooks from around the world who share thoughts and views into their kitchens. Click over to her blog, Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things, and enjoy... or join in the IMK fun.

In My Kitchen: June 2016

Photo: Morning Squall Hides Mt. Rainier

Last year on this date we were anchored in Gut Bay, SE Alaska (link), watching grizzlies out the window and enjoying just-caught prawns in the galley (link). Alas, this year we are still ashore at the lake house, delayed by my health issues and some long overdue house projects. Home repair and exterior painting drag on ...and on ...and still await final completion. Why is it so hard for contractors to finish the last 10% of any project?! I can't grumble too much, life on the lake is such a treat. Currently dawn lights up the neighborhood well before 5:00am and there's always something happening along the waterfront. Lake turtles bask on shoreline rocks, half a dozen heron hang out on the docks and piling, various water fowl cruise by trailing their new hatchlings. This particular heron spends long hours each day fishing in front of the house. We've taken a gazillion photos of his various poses, but are still waiting to catch a shot of him with a wriggling fish.

In my kitchen...

online food blogs and Pinterest pages are valued sources of recipe inspiration, but I still love print cookbooks. I read them like novels and scribble notes all over the page margins. Our library would frown at notations so I end up buying more cookbooks than any one person needs. Overwhelming temptation just arrived close to home when a local grocery relocated and Third Place Books and Raconteur eatery now fill the remodeled space. (link) Oh, my! it's futile to try and resist the lure of used books so close to home - so I didn't. These three came home with me on my first visit, a small sample of the many tempting volumes, used books mixed in with new on the shelves. 

I'll check out main floor coffee bar on my next visit, leaving the downstairs pub and all-day restaurant for a later date when the menu and service have shaken out a bit. Meanwhile, the Cupcake book will migrate to Hilary's kitchen and I'm already enjoying salad recipes from the Patricia Wells cookbook. 

Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Vegetables

BLT Salad with Avocado

It's time to pick out some of my under-used cookbooks to sell or donate, just to make room on my bookshelves for any future impulse purchases. 

In my kitchen...

protein powder entered the pantry for the first time, recommended by a nutritionist. No success story here, my GI system vehemently rejected it. Too much information?? Sorry. Now I'm researching other ways to boost protein intake, something (anything!) besides more quinoa. Any suggestions?

Thanks for stopping by. Leave a comment or a link to your kitchen if you like. To see what's happening in other kitchens around the globe, click over to Maureen's post at OrgasmicChef. You'll find a list of links in the right-hand margin as well as several more in the comments. 

In My Kitchen February 2016

What do you do when you can't sleep but it feels way too early to leap out of bed and launch into the new day? Some days I read, or watch the morning news and market activity, or contemplate life until I do fall back asleep. Today a glance outside confirmed changeable weather heading our way, not at all inviting for an early morning walk. I chose to stay in my pajamas and headed downstairs to start the coffee. No problem, until I couldn't find my favorite coffee scoop. It turned up eventually, mixed up with other utensils in a drawer where it doesn't normally reside. 

After making the coffee I set about straightening the drawer, muttering only slightly about where RL had stored stuff. He likes to reorganize things and "make the kitchen more efficient". Grrrrrrrrr. This only happens in the house kitchen since the boat galley has such limited storage space (4 drawers in all). 

Photo: wet side of the galley with fridge in the far corner

Organizing one kitchen drawer led to a second, then a third, and I became aware of the number of single-purpose items in my utensil collection here ashore. How many other cooks of a certain age share my apparent fondness for kitchen gadgets, or my inability to toss the excess?  Instead of sharing new "stuff" or food items in my kitchen this month, here's a peek at a few of the items I evidently find too precious to part with.

In my kitchen drawers you will find...

-2 citrus juicers, both of which require significant hand strength and dexterity.

-a rice mold that is often forgotten, so I'll use a measuring cup instead.

-3 zesters, though only the long grater gets significant use.

-an olive ladle with almost useful drain holes.

-2, yes 2, meat mallets. Back in the day when we were active scuba divers (and harvesting abalone was legal) the smooth side of the smaller mallet was used to pound abalone as well.

-an old garlic press and new plastic garlic peel cylinder.

-2 hand scoops, plus another two I haven't located yet. The 2-tablespoon round scoop sees heavy use with cookie dough and occasional use forming meatballs. The paddle scoop was originally used in a restaurant, purpose unknown, but currently makes a sturdy ice cream scoop. RL always knows where this utensil is hiding stored.

In my kitchen ashore...

-there are plenty more drawers waiting to be organized, sorted, weeded, or whatever. 

Now I'm ready to quit for the day - or week - or whatever. When we built this house over 35 years ago I thought the kitchen storage would never be filled. While the cabinets and drawers aren't full yet, it's getting close. It's definitely time to pare the collection as I organize, since new treasures will need some space in the future.

For a peek into other kitchens around the world, click on Maureen's blog Orgasmic Chef. You will find links to an interesting group of bloggers with a lot going on in their kitchens.

In My Kitchen: Nov/Dec 2015

A wish for the season: Let there be peace on earth

The brightly decorated Argosy Christmas Ship led a flotilla of lighted vessels for Seattle's annual Christmas Ship Parade, a northwest tradition for over 60 years. The ships stop at a different cruising destination every evening on Lake Washington or Lake Union, and later in the month move outside through the locks to stop at communities on the saltwater of Puget Sound. Luminarias line the shore and crowds gather around bonfires to listen to the various choirs on board singing Christmas carols. We can view the festivities from our dock, front yard... or (as we did this year) move the party inside the kitchen to keep warm and dry. Laci brought hot chocolate and scrumptious pumpkin cheesecake tarts and Hilary contributed a plate of beautifully decorated Christmas cookies. The amplified music was loud enough to rattle the windows and vibrate my bones! Fa la la la la...

November and December brought a host of welcome visitors to the kitchen. Lively conversations, occasional tall tales and a ton of laughter kept the season active and upbeat. Buckets of late-season dahlias gathered from Pat's garden added riotous color to the room, as did the neon-bright vibrance of a mixed bouquet that Hilary found at Seattle's Pike Place Market.

Vicki's elegant double-spray phalaeonopsis and a dozen long-stemmed red roses from RL provided slightly more restrained notes of blossom joy to the kitchen display. 

Flowers provided feasts for the eyes, but there was plenty of food action as well, just not much of my cooking. I love to feed people (drop by anytime and we'll enjoy a cuppa or some spirits plus a homemade treat), but lately I've been the guest as friends and family bring the treats along with them. Several breakfasts, lunches and an amazing Thanksgiving celebration all arrived as ready-to-go parties. We're so fortunate to have friends and family that are such awesome cooks! Hmmmmm, there might be pre-Christmas pounds piling up already.

RL continues his hunt for The Best pickled herring and kimchi available locally. I politely decline his invitations to join the ongoing taste tests, considering myself a hero good sport for allowing these aromatic items to hang out in the fridge! My one and only attempt at pickling herring (link) squelched my enthusiasm, but I am willing to give homemade kimchi a try... maybe next year. This duo was a recent purchase, judged tasty enough to eat but still not the ultimate he's searching for.

Hilary created intriguing "zoodles" with her new kitchen gadget, a spiralizer. Topped with the latest batch of Minnuto spicy red sauce, these zucchini and yellow squash noodles were a low-carb dinner hit and a surprisingly good swap-out for pasta. 

Oven-roasted vegetables are seasonal favorites - ok, at least one of us loves them. We're increasingly fond of roasted cauliflower, fennel and broccoli as stand-alone items, then as flavor-packed components in mixed-ingredient dishes. Tasty and healthy, what's not to like about veggies? (Are you reading this, RL?)
  

Leftovers often accumulate when there are only two of us dining. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey is prized for cold sandwiches and Kentucky Hot Browns, leftover roasted veggies are terrific on sandwiches, in frittatas and salads, but this week's leftover item of choice was wild rice. It made a perfect base for this colorful, sweet yet savory, crunchy and tangy, Nutty Wild Rice Salad. We rediscovered this forgotten favorite from the Silver Palate cookbook and both wondered why it had been ignored for so long. Tasty enough at lunch, with some added shredded chicken it's a satisfying dinner salad, and later on a remaining cup worked well as filling for a few lettuce wraps. 

This post is linked to Celia's IMK monthly get-together at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. Celia has hosted this gathering for five years, building an amazing community of food bloggers who invite you inside their lives and kitchens for a virtual visit each month. Thank you Celia, for your efforts and energy in organizing the party!

Dining In, Dining Out

Dining In...

Every year it seems the end of the cruise arrives too soon. We still have unexplored territory to investigate, wildlife to photograph, seafood to catch... Nevertheless, I appreciate having some final days/weeks in town at the dock. Tied up in our usual winter moorage slip we have time to clean and reorganize the boat, time to work on several of the smaller boat projects that remain on the never-ending To-Do List, and time to grab a few hours here and there to relax and visit with local friends. It's an enjoyable way to transition between life afloat and life ashore.

Dockside socializing is more about connecting with people and less about fussing over food, so this week I relied on some favorite old recipes choosing familiar dishes that are easy to prepare and tasty enough to garner a few compliments for the cook, but don't require spending long hours in a hot galley during hot summer weather. Win! The meals were good, and reconnecting with friends was a welcome treat. 

Warm Summer Night Menu for an early dinner aboard

Guacamole and Lime Tortilla Chips (no photo)

Puff Pastry Cheese Straws

BBQ Grilled Salmon

Wilted Cabbage Coleslaw

Greens with Potato Salad

and Fresh Corn Kernels with Butter, Lime, Parmesan and Basil Shreds (no photo yet)

Broiled Nutty Nectarines with Greek Yogurt

Friends are always welcome aboard, not just at dinnertime. Friend G occasionally joins us for breakfast, arriving by boat for coffee and sourdough pancakes before heading uphill to the office. Last week I changed up the menu and served a couple of my non-traditional favorites. Dessert for breakfast? why not when it's fruit? Cheese grits and sausage? Mmmmm, I love cheese grits for any meal!

Weekday Early-Morning Breakfast

Broiled Nectarines

Cheese Grits with Andouille Sausage Coins and a splash of Maple Syrup

Dining Out...

We often meet J and D at a local restaurant to celebrate summer birthdays and anniversaries. For years a local sushi spot drew us for every occasion, but now we head to Imagine Thai Food for special events... or any time we crave amazingly good Thai food. We have relished every dish we have tasted so far, and enjoy visiting with the husband-and-wife team that operate this small gem of a restaurant. Impeccably fresh ingredients, sauces made in-house, layers of flavor accented with a zing of heat, each dish beautifully plated - what's not to love?! Most recently we ordered...

Choo Chee Goong

Stir fried prawns, in a red curry coconut milk sauce, carrots, green beans, peas, bell peppers & served with rice. 

Pad Thai Goong

Stir fry rice noodles in a tamarind sauce, with chicken, prawns, tofu, egg, bean sprouts, chives, herbs, lemon & crushed peanuts. 

Thai Ice Tea and Singha beer

...and the dessert that was so tempting that we ate it all before I thought to take any photos. Yes, it was that good!

 Guay Tord Ice Cream (no photo)

Deep fried bananas & coconut, topped with vanilla ice cream and covered with home-made caramel & toasted coconut. 

Now it's time to get creative with family meals and use up more of the fresh ingredients I can't take back across the border into the U.S. Meals are often... interesting... at the end of a cruise.

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!