LAST DAYS OF 2023
Lorraine (my sister, best friend and publisher) and I
wish you a wonderful Happy Healthy New year.
We are excited to see what lies ahead in 2024.
Good morning on this last day of 2023. Of course, like many of you, today and probably the last few days there has been time for reflection on the past year and perhaps anticipation or excitement for the upcoming year. I have always tried to live in the present with moments of daydreaming from the past or imagining what lies ahead in my future. I try to accept that I am where I am meant to be and embrace it. Lorraine (my sister, best friend and publisher) and I had a conversation the other day about my past year on the ships and we thought it might be fun if I did a little video of the highlights from the ships I was on in 2023. I was on the Rt Hon Paul J Martin, the first three weeks of January, the AlgoTerra the month of April, the Oakglen the month of June, the Spruceglen the months of July and August, the Atlantic Huron for the month of November and returned to the Spruceglen the last week of December and I am still here until the middle of January 2024. I will share the little video with you this coming week. This is a great job cooking for my little crew and today I will have the last cinnamon bun Sunday. My dough is already in the bowl resting and rising while I write to you. I just popped out for a moment to see the Algoma compass passing us. You can feel a slight movement when a ship is passing and since I was just sitting, writing to you I got up quickly and went out to see it go. It's a nice morning. I haven't been out in a few days and hope to get out for a walk soon.
The Algoma Compass passing this last day of 2023
I can see the door that leads out on deck from where I write to you.
The first few days are always a little busy. Getting into the routine of working every day is not a problem for me, but after a few weeks off it does take a few days to fall into the routine. Usually I sail with a second cook and I don't have to start until 08h30. Since I am alone here I am also responsible for making breakfast and I try to be in the galley by 06h15. There is no longer a drip coffee machine here so I have the choice of the little sensitive, time consuming espresso machine or the keurig machine. After trying both, I decided to have the first cup with the espresso machine and the second cup with the keurig machine, that way I could divide my morning coffee making frustration between the two so that they got equal opportunity to annoy me. I realized that you cannot convince the espresso machine that the little container of discarded coffee grinds is empty if the blinking red light insists that it is full and needs to be emptied. I think that the two coffee machines which are located in two separate messrooms( divided by the galley) have a secret way of communicating so that they don't both annoy me on the same day and take turns. Everyone eats breakfast so it is a busy little breakfast. I mentioned they are getting a new stove but I am still using the old stove and there is no flat top. Normally this would not be an issue, I would just use frying pans, but there are not many suitable pans for frying eggs. Three of my crew like to order omelets and two crew always order two eggs over-easy and two have a breakfast sandwich. I always start making the two breakfast sandwiches because they like to just pick them up and not wait. The first two over- easy comes in early so I get his done just as the gang comes in and I do the three omelets. I always blend my eggs with the emulsifier so that they are nice and fluffy (My mom made the best scrambled eggs and always whipped them up in the blender. I remember going to a friend's house as a young girl and we had eggs and it was the first time that I had a true appreciation for the way my mom made the scrambled eggs. There was no comparison) I have a nice little pan that makes the perfect omelet, then there is a bigger pan that is a little warped, burning the edges before cooking the center and then there is a big pan that is so large I have to be quick to encourage the egg to stick together so that it is not paper thin. It's a little like Goldilocks, this one is too warped, this one is too large and this one is just right. I try to alternate giving a different crew member the omelet made in the just right pan.
The Goldilocks frying pans: one is too large is too, is too warped and one is just right.
I took a moment to look back at my photos to jog my memory of what I made since I wrote to you last. On Friday, after making breakfast, I started my day making fish chowder. I like to stick with the tradition of pizza day on Fridays when I am doing lay-up. The difference is, with a smaller crew I quiz them when they come in asking which type of pizza they would like, A few said whatever you make for the others, but I continue on to say, I am asking because I will make each persons favorite. It was a tie between the Hawaiian and the All dressed. Runner up was pepperoni. No vegetarian. I made the pizzas and the galley always smells so good when the pizzas come out of the oven. I also offered a spinach salad on the side. I always slice extra onions, peppers and mushrooms for that purpose. I always steam some eggs every morning for snack time throughout the day and offered some of the steamed eggs chopped up on the salad. I had made a jug of my homemade vinaigrette and tossed the salad in that before adding it to the plate with the pizza. Only one person had the beautiful fish chowder. When I quizzed the crew about their choice of pizza, I also asked if they would like deep fried fish or baked fish for supper. Again, I didn't want to waste food so I thought this would be the best to have them order in advance and I would make it to order. I made coleslaw with a boiled vinaigrette, I am trying different versions for the next book. I made it with maple syrup and I thought it was pretty close to being perfect. I also made homemade tartar sauce. I usually make it in the food processor but I was just making a little so I used my emulsifier and it came out really nice. The crew that are here are not big dessert eaters but I made something that they liked, but forgot to take a photo. They are Five Star Bars. For supper I made the berry custard pie and it went well.
Fish chowder. Only one person ordered the soup but he had a bowl for lunch and supper.
Pizza day! The spinach went well with the pizza
I love homemade tartar sauce. This is the coleslaw with boiled vinaigrette that I am working on for the next book.
There is a really nice big fryer here on the Spruceglen. The fish came out really nice and I could fry four pieces at a time.
I have received many comments on this recipe in the book. It is so easy and tasty.
For Saturday after breakfast I started right away with Italian wedding soup. I wanted to have enough time for the barley to cook. I always think of my dad when I use barley. He loved barley. I wanted to make something fun for lunch. I had decided on making cajun shrimp/plain shrimp soft tacos or cajun chicken / soft tacos. Some of the crew just had the shrimp or chicken with rice and corn. I made the mango salsa from my cookbook and it went really well with the soft taco. At lunch, five of the crew said they were not coming in for supper so I changed my supper menu. I was planning on making steak night. I was only cooking for two and the shrimp that I was going to use for shrimp cocktail with the steak I decided to make Thai shrimp. I used the Thai basil beef recipe from the cookbook. Using the shrimp instead of the beef and I didn't have basil but I brought my favorite Thai spice. It was absolutely delicious and I served it over basmati rice. I only made one dessert for lunch. I had leftover uncooked pizza dough and rolled it out into sticks and deep fried them. As soon as they came out of the hot oil I rolled them in cinnamon and sugar mixture. On the menu board I called them fake churros. They were a hit and so crispy on the outside and doughy on the inside. A success and a great way to use up leftover dough. I will definitely do it in the future. It's almost time for me to go back into the galley after my morning break. I will start by rolling out the cinnamon bun dough.
I always think of my dad when I make barley soup. He loved barely
The mango salasa went well with the cajun seasoned shrimp
I am always amazing how nice the wraps look when they are rolled up. It helps when you warm the tortillas first. It makes rolling really easy
This was my fake churro dessert made with deep fried leftover pizza dough
I could have eaten the entire pot, it was so good made with shrimp. I didn’t miss not having the basil that I usually add to this Thai dish
I started writing this story to you last year (only 24 hours ago but my attempt at a New Years Day joke). After lunch yesterday, I went ashore so I didn't have time to finish this story to send on to you. I am usually too tired at the end of the day and decided I would finish this morning when I have a coffee sitting beside me (the second cup from the keurig machine) I will share my last Cinnamon bun Sunday menu and then go back into the galley. I plan to make a few extras for the January 1st celebrations. I had a few cajun shrimp left over from the lunch the day before and thought they would make a great cajun shrimp soup. I added water to the pan that I had cooked the cajun shrimp in and saved it too to add to my soup. There is so much flavor in the pan. I also had some corn leftover from the lunch and thought I would save that to add to my soup too. For a change I decided to add diced sweet potatoes to the soup. For breakfast that morning I had made western omelets. I never put the ham together with the onion and pepper until I make the omelets and thought at the end of breakfast that I could actually use the leftover fried onions and peppers in my cajun soup. I have a lot of groceries in the fridges and freezers but I still don't like to waste anything and cook like I am paying for the ingredients that I use from my own pocket. The soup was delicious! My first choice for lunch was beef stroganoff. There was none left so I couldn't take a photo. I was surprised that they all took the beef stroganoff and only one person took the breakfast burrito. The cinnamon buns were a success. For supper I made the steaks that I had defrosted. They were beautiful and because I cut the steaks from a slab I took the liberty to cut them a little thicker than usual for my small crew. I served them with sauteed fresh mushrooms. fried onions, baked potatoes and caesar salad with homemade dressing. I love my caesar salad dressing recipe! I had gone ashore after lunch to pick up a special cake for the Chief Engineer. He gave me permission to have Lorraine come on for a visit. He and I talk about recipes and he loves special desserts. He showed me a cake, and asked if I could make it. I am a simple baker and this cake (palais royale) looked complicated and there are no cake pans here. (not even a 9x9, 9x13 or round cake pan) I am very limited. I decided to go to the store and buy a cake from a bakery with a chocolate mousse filling. I found something that I hope he would like and had Merci Chief written on top. I really appreciate that Lorraine can visit. While I was at the store, I also bought some sour cream and some leeks. I did not wait up for midnight to ring in the year but sent an extra special Happy New Year up to heaven for my mom and dad. I wish you all the best for the new year and look forward to the adventures that lie ahead. Have a wonderful day.
The cajun soup was really delicious
The last cinnamon bun Sunday of 2023
Only one person had the breakfast burrito with hashbrowns
The gangway is nice and makes it easy to go ashore. This gives you an idea how high up we are. I am 5”4
We have books in stock and Lorraine will be mailing books from the US Post office on Tuesday. She will be happy to mail you your book from there or from Canada for the Canadian orders.