Day 3 Onboard

Tuesday was day three completed. Yesterday we got another crew member so I am cooking for 9 plus myself, making 10. The rest of the crew should be here in the next 12 days or so. I started writing this to you last night but I am having such a problem with the internet which is nothing new, but it seems worse than ever. I took a video for you after supper last night. I went for a nice stroll on deck. The weather is beautiful. I couldn't download the video, but I am persistent and trying again this morning. Apparently we have Starlink but the secret code is still a secret. I am hopeful that we will get the code soon. The galley is so nice here. I already considered it a good galley but with the new stove and the new floor it is so much better.

The video of my after supper stroll on deck is now a photo. The blue mark on my face is the internet trying to load the 32 second video for the past 40 minutes.

It was a beautiful evening for a stroll.

Our neighbor behind us. The Captain Henry Jackman

The eggs I make for breakfast come out beautiful on the flat top grill. I will have to share a picture of the new floor with you. The other night I was washing the floor and I thought I can't get this stain off the floor and then realized it was part of the pattern. It made me laugh and I thought their choice of floor pattern was probably intentional, is it dirty, or is it clean.  I mentioned the floor pattern to the ship keeper and he laughed. He said he also tried to get the stain off the floor before realizing it was part of the pattern too. There are a few new crew but the majority are familiar faces. Today we are getting a small grocery order, just enough to get us through the next two weeks for our little crew. 

I brought a few things with me when I came onboard. I knew there was no groceries. So I brought just the essentials, eggs, milk, lettuce, spinach, coffee cream, coffee and a few other little things.

The big fit-out order will come when the rest of the crew are here. It is pretty bare-bones in the dry stores and fridge. Lorraine had mentioned when she saw the dry stores that it looked like we were robbed. She had been here when we left and she couldn't believe how much was used over the winter. I noticed a 20lb bag of sugar that was gone in the galley. I was seriously concerned that the ship keeper ate 20lbs of sugar, but he said it was contaminated when they installed the floor. The fine dust landing everywhere. I still find things that have a layer of dust. There is always a lot to do during fit-out and Lorraine (my sister, best friend and publisher) offered to come and help me. Having a renovation in the galley adds extra work and I welcome the fact that she will help me. I also ordered more linen and look forward to Lorraine organizing the linen room. When the rest of the crew return, there will be a second cook coming too. I don't know who it will be but I welcome an extra hand. Right now I set my first alarm for 05h30 and the second alarm for 05h45. I start shortly after 06h00 and the crew come in for breakfast at 07h30. I usually make some breakfast sandwiches in advance for those who want a few minutes extra sleep and don't want to wait for me to prepare something. I have a limited offering, but will expand my repertoire when the groceries come. This morning I made blueberry scones but nobody had any. They are not big sweet eaters here and a few are in the "I gained weight over the winter, so I am going to deny myself sweets" mode.

before baking. It’s still dark this early in the morning.

Nobody was tempted by these delicious blueberry scones. Maybe they will have some at coffee break.

The croissant breakfast sandwiches went well.

Since I am familiar with most of the crew, I already know what they like to eat so I just check in with the new (to me) crew to make sure I have something that they like. Usually I have two choices for lunch and two choices for supper but the last two nights I only offered one choice. There are certain meals that are so good, a second choice is not necessary. Of course Monday night's Butter chicken with basmati rice, peas, puff pastry bites and chick pea salad was one of those meals and last nights Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic knots, Caesar salad (with homemade dressing, crispy bacon, and capers)  was the other. Nothing can compete with those two meals. One of the crew said it was the best spaghetti dinner he ever had and I thanked him. He stopped and said "No really, it was the best ever" I thanked him again. I actually thought my spaghetti sauce was exceptionally good. I almost ruined it because I set it to simmer over the afternoon and this new stove is hotter than the old stove so the sauce burnt onto the bottom of the pot. I carefully removed the top portion of the sauce, making sure to avoid the burnt part and moved it into a clean pot. I tried the sauce and there was no burnt taste from the bottom of the pot. I set the burnt pot on the side, added some water and a bounce sheet to soak overnight. I learned this trick a few years ago and it works like magic. I will see if the magic works this time too. The pot is still sitting by the sink this morning but I decided it would be more fun to write to you.

I made these garlic knots with my bread dough recipe. They smelled delicious.

I love Caesar salad and had mine with bacon and capers, I skip the croutons.

Butter chicken, everyone’s favorite including mine. Usually I make Naan bread or samosas but I didn’t have the ingredients so I just made these little puff pastry bites which are quick fun to eat with the butter chicken

This was the first lunch I made

…and it got a oh wow from a crew member. It was ham and cheese pinwheels with spinach frittata and for a test for the new book, carrot fries with a dill mayo. They were excellent. Will see if they pass Lorraine’s taste test.

Only one person tried my strawberry blueberry cobbler.

Mom’s pie filling cake

I called it my mom’s cake and it went really well. Who can turn down mom’s cake?

I just checked on the tab where I am trying to download a 32 second video and no success. I have 15 minutes before I have to start lunch. The groceries are coming at 11h00 so I want to make sure lunch is well underway before they come. Fingers crossed we get the secret code for Starlink. Have a wonderful day and see you soon. The new book is ready for pre-order. We will take pre-orders until June 1st so we know how many books to order for printing. We will commence shipping when the printing is completed. Have a wonderful day and see you soon.

The new book is available now for pre-order.

There will be lots of delicious recipes in the new book accompanied by photos and stories.

We have both the original cookbook and the Children’s book Stowaway adventures in stock. Lorraine will be happy to mail them to you.