In all of my reading I have discovered that many cruisers use a pressure cooker to make easy meals that save on propane and water. I'm not much of a cook, and I've always been afraid of grills and basically anything that combines cooking and gas or anything potentially explosive, so I wasn't exactly in love with the idea of a pressure cooker at first, despite the many reassurances I read about the safety of the new cookers.
Then I mentioned to my mom that it sounded like I needed a pressure cooker and, wouldn't you know it, she had just found one on sale and had bought it but hadn't used it a bit. It was sitting in its box in the basement. Soon I was the proud, but slightly wary, owner of a T-Fal pressure cooker. Now I just had to learn to use the thing. It sat neglected on the kitchen counter for some time while I read and researched but I couldn't quite get up the nerve to try it. Finally, last weekend, Brian the Fearless declared that we should make dinner in the pressure cooker. So I looked up an easy recipe for pork chops and we went to the store to get the accompanying carrots and potatoes in the recipe. That evening we had possibly the best pork chops and carrots I have ever tasted in my life. And the pressure cooker didn't explode or do anything dangerous or heinous! We survived to have a really delicious meal. We could cut the pork chops with a fork. Yes, a fork! And the carrots...mmmm...the carrots were the epitome of carrotness. Sweet and tender. We were officially hooked on the pressure cooker and have since made pinto beans and scallops in it as well, both of which were quick, easy, and to-die-for. If the pressure cooker had fingers we'd both be ready to put a gold band on one of them by now.
While we're talking food and cooking, let me tell you about my new all-time most favorite cookbook, The Cruising K.I.S.S Cookbook II. I got it at the Annapolis Boat Show - signed by the author! It's meant specifically for cruisers but has loads of great information for any new cook. She has recipes, galley equipment recommendations, cooking terms, conversions, provisioning recommendations, useful tips and SO MUCH MORE! It's unbelievable what she crammed into such a compact tome. One of the things I especially love is how she not only provides specific recipes but will also tell you how to cook something basic but then tell you different ways to flavor it or prepare it. I wish I had discovered this book years ago! It even has a section for pressure cooking. We may never cook another way again.
A colleague of mine shared the video below with us today and I just had to share it as well. As much as math has plagued me my entire life I do appreciate the fact that, really, math is at the core of just about everything in our universe. Take a look at a field or meadow sometime. Perhaps it may seem chaotic, especially to our human eyes that want to seek order and symmetry, but look closer at the flowers, pine cones, and leaves that you may find there and you will find order out of seeming chaos. The development of many things in nature are ruled by what is known as the Fibonacci sequence, a sequence of numbers that manifests itself in a beautiful symmetry all around us. Our earth is a way cool place. You just have to take the time to learn a little about it to truly understand just how amazing it is.
I'm baaaack! After going into mental hibernation for the past few months my brain and body are finally starting to wake up after their long winter nap. This winter piled us under a whopping total of 55" for the year. The first 21" in December was kind of cool and pretty. I had never seen that much snow before. By February, when we were getting storm after storm - and dire predictions of 40" - I was past being winter-weary and nearing crazed desperation. Even Kozmik Kaos had a dusting of snow this winter!
The bad weather seems to have finally broken and this past weekend we made a run for Shallotte to see our boat for the first time since November. The weather was very March-y and I had a cold but it was so good to see Kozmik Kaos again that we didn't even care.
We spent some time taking measurements for new sails, a new mattress, and new cushions for the salon. We also gave her a good cleaning. My aunt Kay scrubbed her down with a verve that I'm afraid I'll never live up to. There is a great deal of rubbish and stuff crowding every inch of the boat still. Fred Sanford would feel right at home. I think it must have taken the entirety of her 33 years to accumulate all of the parts, tools, supplies, and general junk we have been trying to clear out. But my "side" of the boat, the galley and main berth side, is finally starting to feel like ours and once I get some window coverings and a new mattress she will feel even more like home I think.
We also made a new friend during this trip. Lola, also a sailing newbie, and I discovered each other on SeaKnots and she only lives about 3 miles from where our boat is currently docked. So we got together to check out each others' boats and have a bit of seafood for lunch.
Family, friends, and boats make for a pretty sweet weekend. The only thing missing was some sweltering hot weather. I'm hopeful we'll have that soon though.
. I got it at the Annapolis Boat Show - signed by the author! It's meant specifically for cruisers but has loads of great information for any new cook. She has recipes, galley equipment recommendations, cooking terms, conversions, provisioning recommendations, useful tips and SO MUCH MORE! It's unbelievable what she crammed into such a compact tome. One of the things I especially love is how she not only provides specific recipes but will also tell you how to cook something basic but then tell you different ways to flavor it or prepare it. I wish I had discovered this book years ago! It even has a section for pressure cooking. We may never cook another way again.
