Edible memories

Like I’m sure you have at home or on your boat, there is a small three-ring notebook in my galley that is filled with our favorite recipes. At least half of these we’ve collected over our nearly 15 years of wandering over the water from other cruising friends. The fact is that cruisers just love to share – books, movies, music and of course recipes. My recipe binder is almost better than a photo album; I can flip through the various pages with mostly handwritten recipes and instantly recall the evenings we spent sharing pastas and desserts, breakfasts and brunches munching on scones and salads with our friends. Remembering the tastes of the delicious food we’ve shared brings me right back to all the cockpits, salons, sunsets and smiles of friends along the way.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Ruby’s Granola

In French Polynesia last year, Leah came home from a sleepover with Ruby on Convivia and raved about the granola Ruby had helped cook for breakfast. At a loss for quick and delicious breakfasts (that everyone likes and doesn’t start with the letter “P”) aboard Wondertime, I asked Leah if she wanted to get the recipe from Ruby. A few days later Leah brought back the hand-written recipe and it has been our favorite breakfast ever since. We especially like it on top of homemade yogurt (simple to make in something like the Easiyo made in NZ).

• 1 giant spoonful of peanut butter
• 2 scoops brown sugar
• fresh or dried fruit [and nuts, seeds, etc.]
• 2 cups of oats (or more)
• some maple syrup [we use honey as maple syrup is like gold in the South Pacific]

Stir over low heat for 3-5 minutes in a cast iron pan. Serve warm.

Kula’s Spicy Peanut Sauce

On our first trip down the US Pacific coast in 2002, we had dinner aboard another boat from Seattle, Kula, at Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay area. I’ll never forget how giddy all of us were to have arrived safely in S.F., the most difficult part of our journey to Mexico behind us. Christine had cooked up an amazing peanut sauce served over broccoli, chicken and brown rice. We traveled with Kula off and on towards Mexico but parted ways in Cabo as they were heading to Zihuatanejo for Christmas and we were heading towards Puerto Vallarta. As it happens far too often, we never got the chance to say goodbye in person but came back to our boat one evening to find a farewell note. And a copy of their amazing peanut sauce recipe.

• 2 T. minced garlic
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup light soy sauce
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 t. rice vinegar
• 1 – 1 1/2 T. chili oil

Mix this all together in a bowl and serve over steamed veggies, rice, tofu, chicken, noodles, etc.

Diva’s Favorite Ginger Cookies

In British Columbia one summer, we found ourselves hunkered below waiting out a rain and wind storm in a cozy anchorage. New friends on a nearby boat hailed us on the VHF and invited us over for cookies. After a wet but quick dinghy ride over, we spent the afternoon laughing and playing games and gorging ourselves on the most amazing cookie dough ever – and even a few baked cookies – while the rain poured outside. These cookies are also excellent on passages!

• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups white flour
• 2 t. baking soda
• 1 T. powdered ginger
• 1 t. cloves
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. salt

Mix everything up, plop on cookie sheets and bake until done. You’ll definitely want to double this recipe!