Passing under the Mackinac bridge
The timing was perfect to pass under the Mackinac Bridge. It was beautiful out.
https://youtu.be/nZsrIcyYoDw
As promised, today I am going to share the November 30th afternoon passing under the Mackinac onboard the Atlantic Huron . You can view the video on my YouTube Channel @Shiptoshorechef Just click on the following link. https://youtu.be/nZsrIcyYoDw
Don’t forget to Like, Share and Subscribe so you don’t miss any of the videos I post. It is December 13th today and I am still waiting for a call from the Union Hall. When I say “waiting for a call from the Union Hall” I am enjoying my day, doing the things I love to do and just make sure to have my phone handy. I try to live by the words “I am where I am meant to be” but I am sometimes curious and ask quietly in my head “am I not supposed to be on a ship?” I checked on the registration board for Chief cooks waiting to ship out and the person ahead of me “shipped out” so I am the top of the board now. I laughed yesterday when I finally took the time to set up my new noise cancelling headphones. I got them to wear on the ship or like yesterday sitting in a coffee shop and wanting to listen to my own music and cancel out the other noises. They are fantastic and I sat there for about an hour and a half listening to my music while organizing my photos and ideas for the next book. I decided not to transfer all my old information from my last laptop. I really like having the clean canvas and having the opportunity to set this laptop up in an organized way to make it easy to find the photos. After I left the coffee shop Lorraine (my sister, best friend and publisher facetimed me) I saw her but couldn’t hear her. We disconnected the video all and then she called by phone. Still no volume, she couldn’t hear me and I couldn’t hear me. I knew right away that I was still connected to the new headphones and imagined us speaking louder and louder into the headphones in my knapsack. She video called me again while I tried to disconnect from the headphones who only 10 minutes earlier were the best thing ever. While waiting for me to figure out my problem she added the funny image features to her call and while I tried to fix the problem, I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw her familiar face with floppy dog ears and a hat. I finally hit the right button, in the right sequence and heard her voice. We laughed and thought how funny it would have been if it was the Union Hall that called trying to offer me a job and I wouldn’t have heard the offer. If you don’t answer the call, the Union Hall goes to the next person on the registration board. You get one chance for the job. If I was to miss a call, I would have to remind myself that “I am where I am meant to be”
The person ahead of me has shipped out so I am at the top of the board now.
When I looked back at my photos and videos of passing under the Mackinac bridge I saw the meals I made that day and since I didn’t share them with you yet, I will share them with you today. It was a good lunch and supper. I made homemade tomato soup. Normally I make grilled cheese with homemade tomato soup but I made macaroni and cheese instead.
Homemade tomato soup
Macaroni and cheese is always a popular choice.
I remember that morning. I was having trouble committing to a menu and kept changing my mind. I wanted to make something fun for the crew because I was getting off in a few days. I had defrosted hamburger meat to make chili but there are so many things to do with chili. I finally settled on a “taco salad in a homemade tortilla bowl, chili fries, fried egg sandwich, corn and rice. I thought that rounded out my menu well. The macaroni and cheese would be good for those who didn’t want the chili which is a little spicy. The fried egg sandwich would be good for those just getting up and the taco salad in the homemade tortilla shell would be good for those who wanted to eat something fun but still be a bit more on the careful side. The chili fries were for those who just wanted a fun meal and I don’t care if there are the delicious deep fried french fries. As my first crew members who start to work at noon came in I could not believe they all ordered the taco salad. I wasn’t surprised because I thought how good it looked when i handed it over to the first one who ordered it. the next said “I’ll have the same” and the next repeated “I’ll have the same” As I was preparing the last taco salad for the crew who started at noon I knew that I would have to make more taco salad bowls. Usually when I make a taco salad I use homemade nacho chips and line them around the plate before building the salad with lettuce, a big scoop of chili, diced tomatoes, homemade ranch dressing, grated cheese, diced avocado (or guacamole) sour cream and salsa. I had tortillas defrosted and thought I should try to bake the taco bowls in the oven. I took a large can and laid the tortillas over the centered can. I made little folds which didn’t really hold but gave enough of a suggestion for the tortilla to bake in the shape o a bowl. When I made my practice one I thought they would be perfect and made 4 more. I never imagined so many would order the taco salad and by the end of lunch when I everyone had been served I had baked 12 bowls. The last bowl was a little crispy. I offered the crew member that he could have one that wasn’t so crispy it would only take a few minutes in the very hot oven but he said he liked crispy. I will definitely be doing this again in the future. Tortillas are great and very versatile.
It took a couple tries before I got them nicely browned on all sides. They came out so nice and crispy
I was really proud to pass these delicious salads over the counter. Each one came with a “careful, they are slippery on the plate” I didn’t want them to slide off the plate. In the future, I would maybe sprinkle a little cheese on the plate for the taco salad bowl to adhere too.
The chili fries looked so good. This crew member likes his fries extra crispy. I had saved a little of the cheese sauce from the macaroni and cheese for the chili fries.
I was excited that we were going under the bridge in the daylight hours and before I left for my afternoon break I called the Bridge (wheelhouse) #210 on the phone and was told that we would pass under the bridge around 15h30. I thought perfect. I would cut my afternoon break a little earlier to start supper making sure that I had some extra time to spend out on deck. I have been under the bridge a few times and when I went through my photos I saw that it was more than I remembered. Previous to the 30th of November on the Atlantic Huron I went under the Mackinac Bridge the evening of September 25th while I was on the Algoma Buffalo on the way to Chicago, and again during daylight on our way back up on the 29th of September. I knew I was under the bridge when there was ice but I thought it was in December 2022 but it was actually March 28 2023 while I was on the Niagara. I love that the photos have the dates and location on them. As I was looking through the photos of the previous times I passed under the Mackinac Bridge on other vessels I looked to see what I was cooking for my crews too. I thought the clubhouse sandwich looked extra good. I cooked on the Buffalo by myself and on the Niagara I had a 2nd cook. the Niagara had three commercial toasters so I was able to put club house sandwiches on the menu. If I am on a ship and the toasters are slow I will only make clubhouse sandwiches on homemade buns, but there is something about a real clubhouse sandwich with french-fries. Makes me think of my mother.
Algoma buffalo going under the Mackinac Bridge September 2021. We were on our way to Chicago
November 30th. It was a beautiful day. click on the link to ride under the bridge
https://youtu.be/nZsrIcyYoDw
The sun was setting as the Mackinac Bridge started to fade into the distance
The Algoma Buffalo had great windows! I had to work by myself on this ship but it was only for two weeks. This just after we passed under the Mackinac Bridge
CSL Niagara coming up to the Mackinac Bridge. I love that you can see the shadow of the ship in the ice.
This photo of the clubhouse sandwich was right beside the photos of the Niagara as we went under the bridge. I thought it looked really good.
I took a few videos and will piece them together and attach the completed video to this story. I stayed outside for quite a while, the warm sunshine and excitement of passing under the bridge making it hard to go back inside. I had a fairly easy supper planned which had already extended the time that I could stay outside. I had baked salmon on the menu, curried rice, brussel sprouts and with the leftover chili from lunch time I made a baked chili with cornbread topping. I had made corn muffins for lunch and kept some of the batter to make this for supper.
baked salmon with GPS (ginger pepper sauce) curried rice and Brussel sprouts
This is a fun way to serve chili
Bowl of chili with the baked cornbread topping.
It is now mid-afternoon and my phone lays quietly beside me. I went for a beautiful walk and was so excited to see Cardinals, Blue Jays and Chickadees. The Union Hall closes in 2 hours and 25 minutes. I try not to think about will I or won’t I get a call. Once 17h00 comes, I know that I can put my phone aside until tomorrow morning at 09h00. I will keep you posted if I hear any news. I just heard from Lorraine. She and a friend went over to the US to mail out books today. She asked me to let you know that she will be mailing out books to the US again next week and then the next shipment will be after Christmas. The books make great Christmas gifts but are great to be enjoyed year round. I hope you have a lovely day and enjoy the video of the Mackinac Bridge. I will keep you posted. Fingers crossed I get a call for a ship.
Lorraine will make one more trip over to the US Post office before Christmas. If you order before Monday, December 18th , your books will be mailed. We will continue to mail books in the New Year.
We have lots of books in stock and Lorraine will be happy to mail them out to you. I am currently working on the next Cookbook featuring photos and stories from the ship and recipes prepared without sugar, flour or grains. There is also another Stowaway Adventure coming in the Spring of 2024. Stay tuned for updates on the next books.