Thai Mango and Sticky Rice

In March, just before we all went into lockdown, this pirate spent two weeks in northern Thailand eating her fill of delicious khao soi, som tam and khao niao mamuang every day.  Grateful to make it home before borders were closed, she nonetheless went into Thai food withdrawal, and the first dish she was compelled…

Scandinavian Almond Cake

There’s something about the simplicity of the old world pound cakes that are utterly romantic. The minimal basic ingredients; traditional recipes that have been around for hundreds of years. You’ll want to treat your love…whether a man or woman, a cat or a dog, a friend or a relative, real or imaginary…to some classical music…

Gingerbread Crew

If there is one thing the internet has done, it’s to bring home the fact that, with 6+ billion of us on this planet (most of us with smart phones), there is very little new under the sun.  That said, I just had the opportunity to wonder if I was the first person in the…

French Persimmon Tart

I had lunch with friends last week in Alexandria. What a treat! Little did we know, Kathy was bringing gifts for all of us….a big bag of fresh persimmons from the tree in her front yard. I learned a few things about persimmons. There are generally two different kinds, the Fuyu and the Hachiya. It…

Calaveritas

Happy Dia de Los Muertos, Skallywags!  We decided on a slight twist to the traditional cookie for the Mexican holiday, adding cardamom to the mix and … well … eye patches to a few of the mateys, because how can you have a bunch of skulls and not a few eye patches on Galley Pirates. …

Blueberry Grunt

A Fungy, a Grunt and a Cobbler. This is not the beginning of a joke or a scene from Wizard of Oz. They are all similar dishes of poached fruit with a dumpling-like topping simmered into a gooey, puffy dessert. Their roots are maritime Canada and New England; ground zero: Nova Scotia. And the preferred…

Coffee Flummery

This brilliant and storied dessert recipe comes courtesy of our friends Amy and Mark, and particularly Amy’s mother.  Even before we tried it, we seized upon it because of the name…it’s just fun to say, and the limerick possibilities are intriguing.  But it turns out to fill a critical gap for us on Upward Wing. …

Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake

Easter just happened to fall on my skipper’s birthday this year, first time ever. And all he wanted was to attend Easter service at St. Mary’s then head across Spa Creek Bridge, hop on the boat and go for an afternoon sail with friends and family. Since his favorite Carrot Cake has already been featured…

Personal Trifles

A trifle makes a spectacular presentation on any Easter buffet. But even this Galley Pirate, who typically puts form over function, doesn’t have that large glass pedestaled trifle bowl onboard. Not on a sailboat, no siree. That said, I’d love to hear from any Galley Pirate who does! But most sailors do have large plastic…

White Chocolate, Pistachio and Strawberry Blondies

I am always looking for good dessert options that require neither complex equipment (there are actually some times when good old-fashioned winch-arm-power and manual beaters do not replace a stand-up or otherwise electric mixer) or a freezer (soooooo many good ice cream/sorbet/granita recipes!) — and these fit the bill.  They aren’t like the blondies you…