Cooking On Board : Some Tips For Cruisers

Transcript

Sailing in Dublin Club Cooking on Board : Some general tips for cruisers               Have a menu and prepare meals ahead of time. Think about each meal and what would be suitable. You should check with crew for allergies and other concerns. Involve your crew in the provisioning and preparation of meals. If necessary, prepare meals before leaving home or port. There are lots of ideas online and publications with ideas for ‘one pot’ wonders. In rough weather you will be glad to keep it simple. Have a secure lid for your cooking pot. When shopping for a cruise don’t overbuy supplies – most cruises involve coming to port every night or second night so fresh supplies can be topped up then. If possible, repackage items to smaller volumes if only small quantities of certain ingredients are needed. Use lump sugar or sugar sachets as granulated sugar can be messy; sliced cheese is more user friendly than grated cheese. Check what existing staples may already be on board. Know where your supplies are stored on board so that you don't waste your time and energy digging through lockers for that tin of tomatoes you saw earlier. Plan meal times bearing in mind watch handovers, expected time at ports and so on. Decide amongst the crew if you would like to eat onshore or on the boat perhaps followed by drinks on shore. Have a snack bag readily accessible so everyone has access to quick ‘energy boosters’. Snacks are especially handy in foul weather or on night watches. Check your fresh produce regularly so that nothing has gone off at the botton of the fridge. Sandwiches made prior to departure or simple meals will be appreciated especially if the crew are feeling unwell and don’t want to spend time down below. Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated. Having some crackers is good if you or others are feeling unwell. Some ginger biscuits too can help. Flasks of tea are handy if nobody wants to go below. Make time to sit together and eat. Sharing food is a great experience and good for morale. Even on watches, make time to eat together say at handover time. All crew should know how to light the stove safely and control the fuel supply. The gas has to be turned on at the canister in the locker on the starboard side of the cockpit. To light one of the hobs, strike a match and turn the knob to ‘on’ and hold it in until the flame is sustained (may be 5+ seconds).Turn the gas off at the bottle when the stove is not in use (a ‘gas on/off’ indicator should be left hanging out of the locker as a reminder that the gas is on.) Wash your hands before starting and keep everything, including the fridge, clean and fresh. Reduce odours by ensuring there are no grimy sponges or dirty dish cloths left lying around unwashed. Keep a few spare clean dish cloths for use towards the end of cruising week.             Knives should never be left where they can fall or hurtle across the boat. Use non-slip mats or damp tea-towels to stop plates, utensils and so on sliding about. Do your best to clean up spills so you or others don’t slip and fall. Be careful when making cups of tea that they slide around. You could use a ‘walled’ tray when handing up cups of tea. Be familiar with how the stove and grill can be adjusted to move as the boat tilts. Opening the oven door can tilt the stove so do be aware of this. Have at least one pan with a locking lid for one-pot meals in rough weather. Pressure cookers are excellent for this and greatly reduce cooking time. If the boat is heeling, make sure you are wedged in place or use a galley strap (safety lines work well). Know how to gimbal the cooker – the gimbal helps to keep the kettle or pot in place while the boat is moving. Make sure food and utensils secure in cupboards against boat heel. Know where the fire blanket and first aid box are. Pitch in with the washing up and tidying away throughout the cruise. Always take away unused food items after the cruise – the next crew will want to start afresh!