Not going to lie, these would be THE BOMB as far as night watch food goes, and so I had intended them. Then night watch started early and never ended. We were planning to make a leisurely passage from Lake Pontchartrain to Dauphin Island off Mobile Bay, anchoring briefly before sundown at an interim barrier…
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…
Joyeux Mardi Gras mes cheres! It’s a cold and rainy day before Samedi Gras here in New Orleans — something outsiders don’t appreciate, that Mardi Gras weather is DICEY. So rather than traipsing around the French Quarter in the cold rain, this Pirate is holed up in her warm galley making rice calas. These are…
There was a time when your faithful Pirate had not heard of these wonderful one-handed breakfast treats. I KNOW…Captain Peter was equally incredulous when I asked “what are these kolaches?” that I was reading about. “YOU’VE NEVER HAD TEXAS BREAKFAST HOT DOGS?!?” was his response. We met and married late, so we occasionally discover these…
This pirate is not much of a sports fan. I like sports … just don’t have the time or bandwidth to follow them fanatically*. But Louisiana has this fabulous tradition of cooking the opposing team’s mascot — mostly a college football thing, they roast a Cochon de Lait when they play the Razorbacks, alligator when…
Do you ever have those gastronomical descision-making crises where every single ethnic food category seems like exactly what you’re craving? Do I want Thai or Middle Eastern or Vietnamese or Mexican? And then do you ever want said cravings to be available almost instantaneously? And then … do you realize you’re on a boat somewhere…
Yesterday’s salad was lovely, non? Oui…and so, on to the main course: Cornish game hens baked with lavender. I served them with very simply prepared french green beans, sauteed in a combination of equal amounts butter and olive oil, steamed until al dente (if you can apply that to vegetables), and salted and peppered to…
Meat pies are undoubtedly one of the most satisfying on-the-go meals when you’re cruising. We mentioned a similar recipe, Jamaican Meat Pies, last season. This is a slightly spicier take on those, using chicken instead of beef. But warning: they are time consuming to make, so plan ahead and be prepared. The right atmosphere will…
Meatloaf is a great make-ahead meal for a long cruise. It’s so easy to prepare and freezes well. And the meatloaf itself is filling and nourishing, whether you eat it plain or in a sandwich, hot or cold. This Italian Meatloaf was made and frozen the week before our cruise from Fernandina Beach to Charleston.…
The challenge this week was to create a special dinner aboard for Mother’s Day that would please both my mother, who loves her fresh fruits and vegetables, and her friend Gary who likes meat and potatoes and wonders why you would bother to eat vegetables when that is what meat eats. Enter Captain Peter’s grandmother’s…