Sep 022015
 

Small communities often don’t have great selection of certain items, including cheese. Cheddar and mozzarella are popular but we like more variety so I decided to try making some on board using a kit that I purchased at a farmer’s market before I left on this year’s voyage. There are many kits available online.

The process was really quite simple and successful. Now I’m back in my land-bound kitchen I am going to try other variations.

cockpit
We enjoyed this soft herbed cheese with an ale in the cockpit.

1. Kits are available online. This is a simple soft cheese one, great for a first time.
2. The milk is heated to around 150 F. A candy thermometer is useful…do not allow to come to boil. The type/kind of milk affects the type of cheese. Do not use UHT milk and obviously the higher the fat content of your milk the richer the cheese. Some recommend powdered milk which I am going to experiment with.
3. The citric acid is added. It was included in my kit but lemon juice or vinegar can also be used but add their respective flavours. This is something I am going to experiment with. Curds begin to form.
4. Curds have formed. The whey evidently can be used for soups etc but we just don’t have space in our fridge for this kind of storage.
5. Pour into a colander lined with very fine cloth, allow to drain.
6. Add salt and herbs, I used an Herbs de Provence mix.
7. Wrap the cloth up around the cheese and press out the remaining liquid. Allow to sit til it is well drained and has firmed up.
8. Enjoy!

Jun 282015
 

48º North

We regularly cross paths with John Neal and Amanda Swan Neal at the Toronto Boat Show, and Strictly Sail, Chicago, in 2014. Amanda asked me if I would contribute to her Galley Essentials page in 48º North Magazine published in Seattle.

It is always inspiring to meet up with them and hear about their latest expeditions. Currently they are enroute to Sweden for a refit of their Hallberg Rassy 46. All their 2015 expedition berths are filled and 2016 is starting to booked already.

Before we bought Phantasia II my Christmas gift to Mike was a weekend seminar with them in Annapolis in 2000. We highly recommend their seminars; they are the most experienced sailors and excellent teachers. Amanda and John spend seven months at sea annually. When not at sea, they enjoy winter kayaking from their island home near Victoria.

I was delighted to participate in the Amanda’s “women and cruising” segment at the Chicago boat show in 2014.

http://www.mahina.com/index.html

http://www.mahina.com/galleyessentials.html#may

Jan 092015
 

We were given several pounds of frozen moose by a fisherman in Lascie with the advice that moose must be cooked at a low temperature, “long and slow” in order to have a tender result.
I used the pressure cooker at its lowest setting and at a low gas mark for about an hour. At that point I depressurized and opened the cooker and added the vegetables and some water and then continued the process for about another 20 minutes. Red wine would have been a great alternative if you have it to spare.

Enjoy!

Jan 012015
 

Jayne.Nicoise, Lewisporte, Newfoundland.sm
While some larger sailboats have more ability to power bigger fridges and even freezers taking advantage of the best local ingredients works best for our galley.

This version of Salad Nicoise is from Newfoundland when crab is in season and crab legs, purchased already cleaned and cooked replaces the traditional tuna.

For each plate, on a bed of torn lettuce arrange very lightly steamed whole green beans. You can substitute with asparagus or yellow beans. Add sliced tomatoes or halved cherry toms and halved pitted-olives. Thin-sliced radish and cucumber can be a nice addition. Around the edge add chunks of firm-cooked potatoes and quartered hard-boiled egg.

The piece-de-resistance…piled high crab legs but this could be shrimp, freshly grilled tuna or salmon, or in a pinch, tinned tuna.
crab nicoise, Lewisporte Newfoundland.sm

Make vinaigrette and drizzle over top.
Garnish with some fresh parsley or parsley flakes and grinds some extra fresh black pepper over if you wish.