We once had a crew member, affectionately known an Pauly, join us in Nantucket for a trip south to Annapolis. Pauly came on board with seven bags of ginger snaps. Seven. In sailboat terms that’s about 3 square storage feet of ginger snaps. But I have to admit, all but one bag got consumed. Ginger is well known in the sailing community for having soothing effects on a seasick tummy. A little jalapeño helps as well! (NOTE: for serious seasickness, ginger is not a substitute for Bonine) A galley cookbook would not be complete without a number of ginger-based recipes. (And a pirate would not be complete without their favorite ginger staple, the Dark ‘n Stormy! Post coming up!)

Spicy Triple Ginger Cookies

This wonderful cookie recipe, packed with 3 types of ginger, needs advance preparation so it can be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight before baking. The cookies can be made days ahead, however, and frozen as well.

You will need:

3/4 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
1 minced jalapeño pepper
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth, then beat in the egg and molasses. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the (dry) ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, then fold in the fresh ginger, crystallized ginger and minced jalapeño.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Shape cookie dough into 1″ balls and place them on an ungreased insulated cookie sheet. Place them in the oven. Your oven temperature will no doubt drop to below 350 degrees. Try to maintain heat to 350. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. They will be softer and puffier than ginger snaps.

And now…a favorite pirate cocktail using “medicinal” Ginger Beer and rum.

Dark ‘n Stormy

Here’s the quick and easy recipe:

2 ounces Gosling’s Rum
3 ounces Ginger Beer
Lime wedge

Pour over ice. Garnish with a lime. Watch the sun go down.

And if you have the time and the ingredients, here is a more difficult, but absolutely fantastic recipe as seen in Garden & Gun:

Dark ‘n Stormy

2½ oz. Myers’s Dark Rum
2 oz. homemade ginger/lemongrass syrup (see below)
Club soda or sparkling water

Pour over ice. Garnish with a lime. Watch the sun go down.

Ginger / Lemongrass Syrup

1 large piece fresh ginger (4-–5 oz.), peeled
1 large stalk lemongrass
1 cup water (8 oz.)
½ cup white
granulated sugar
½ jalapeño (split but with seeds)

Coarse-chop ginger and lemongrass. In a saucepan over moderate heat, dissolve sugar in water. Add chopped ginger/lemongrass mixture and jalapeño, and raise heat to bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until syrup is infused with flavors, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and strain through fine-mesh sieve. Discard solids. Cool before using.