Provisioning the galley needs a lot of thought if you are going to be sailing in blue waters, or on an extended coastal cruise, a lot of planning is needed in advance for your time at sea. Start 2-3 months in advance and write down everything you eat and drink in a folder.
Separate the folder into what you will need, including:
• Food supplies!
• Necessary equipment!
• Marine Cooling!
• Favorite recipes!
Keep track of what you eat during the same period on the ground, the number of people who will be on board plus the number of meals during this time. When counting days off shore add extra time, some say 50% more time in case of bad weather, a slow voyage or even a miscalculation of food needed.
Cruise ships build a healthy appetite when running out of food, drink, or even basic ingredients can put a damper on an idyllic cruise. And being hungry can lead to fatigue and make it difficult to walk safely.
Basic Provisions:
Dry as much as possible and store large amounts in sealed plastic containers, amounts depend on the length of your trip. It’s amazing the variety that can be made from flour, rice, baking powder, yeast, powdered milk, pasta, beans, even dried potatoes and vegetables are a good alternative.
Then look at coffee, tea, long-life milk, powdered drink mixes, sugar, salt and pepper, cooking oil, vinegar, and sauces. Spice things up with dried, chilled herbs and then adding some canned and frozen items.
When stocking your kitchen, think about the occasions when you will have a craving for pizza, pancakes, lasagna, spaghetti with different sauces, muffins in different varieties, you can make them in no time with these basic ingredients. There’s nothing like the smell and taste of freshly baked bread when you’re at sea! You don’t need an oven to make it either; try using the pressure cooker or a cob if you have one.
Dried sausages and salamis are excellent on pizzas and pastas, or as an antipasto to have with drinks.
Protein… Meat, Cheese and Eggs:
The meat is best vacuum-packed; it is tender and keeps longer. A variety of cheeses can be preserved without marine refrigeration or months in mason jars covered with virgin olive oil, and some like feta can be flavored with herbs or spices. Cheeses covered with red or yellow wax keep longer.
Keep the eggs in a cool place and keep turning them. Some sailors get by without any kind of refrigeration; it can be done with a careful provisioning of the kitchen.
vegetable fruit:
Long-life fruits and vegetables like squash, cabbage, onions, garlic, potatoes, oranges, and lemons are good to stock up on and store in well-ventilated areas; Networks are great for this.
Vegetable salad, tomatoes and bananas and others that have a short shelf life are stored in green grocery bags and eaten early in their journey. You can buy these provisions in the markets along the way.
And when you stock up on the galley, remember that when you run out of salad greens, now is the time to think about coleslaw made with cabbage. Many sailors grow their own herbs and sprouts, if there is space and somewhere that is not going to get buckets full of drowning seawater, they help provide fiber and vitamins and liven up meals.
Have three days’ worth of meals prepared when you stock up in the kitchen, easy to eat when you’re at sea, especially if the weather is bad.
Even on shorter coastal trips, this is convenient and helps if someone is likely to get motion sickness from spending time in the kitchen.
Delicious snacks:
And don’t forget the snacks! Lots of them for sunbathing and watching over at night, great for boosting energy when the weather is too bad for cooking.
They can range from cups of soup to chips and dips, biscuits and crackers, cheese and pickles, energy bars, you name it. And some special gifts for special occasions or just to boost morale if needed.
Adjust the provisioning of your kitchen depending on whether you are navigating coastal, high-altitude navigation and the lands you will visit and the availability of shops and markets.
Some countries are great with local markets and fresh produce, others be careful not to introduce “creepy crawlies” into your kitchen.
Fresh Fish and Seafood:
And don’t forget that the freshest foods can be from the sea you’re sailing on, fresh fish and other shellfish caught on your yacht, so have some good recipes to add variety.
And don’t forget your choice of drink, whether it’s wine, beer or spirits (and the mixes), even when going to foreign ports you’re not restricted like when you’re flying… just have what’s a reasonable amount!
Whatever it is…? Have you ever made your own beer? It’s possible on board and many sailors do it, it’s a huge savings too!
Last, but definitely not least… water! You can’t survive without it, it’s even more important than food, so in addition to full tanks and extra water containers, find small spaces in the boat to store bottles of filtered water.
I don’t have a water maker and the yachts I’ve been on don’t like the taste, and I know others feel the same, so these bottles can be a “life saver”. Or disguise the flavor with a cordial.
Kitchen equipment:
The galley is an important part of any boat and the equipment used must be carefully considered. If you’re looking for quality and an incredible variety to choose from at a low price, consider shopping online.
Kitchen provisioning adjusts for factors like whether you have a refrigerator or a freezer, and there are preferences here. I have managed very well with just a large freezer, freezing what is necessary and chilling and putting in a cooler what needs to be kept cold.
I have no oven on board my yacht, just a double gas burner and grill, and like so many who sail, a large deep skillet is essential for our ‘one pot’ dishes. The other saucepan I use the most is a double steamer.
Strong plastic containers of all sizes are an important part of the modern kitchen; they keep out moisture and “creepy crawlies” and have a multitude of other uses.
Fall in love with a pressure cooker, one of my most essential pieces of equipment in the kitchen. They cook fast, so save gas and in the tropics speed keeps cabin heat down and time spent ‘slaving over a hot stove’.
Even in rough seas, they are safe to cook with a sealed lid and can cook tender, flavorful stews in a fraction of the time of an oven and even bake bread.
The Cobb is also fantastic; a portable cooker that can be used on any surface on the ship or on land, and is powered by a handful of heat beads. It can be used as an oven and makes delicious roasts, smokes fish, bakes bread and pizzas, and can be used as a stove or barbecue.
Gather some recipes and make sure you have all the ingredients and equipment and put them in your binder. Not just the main meals and one pot meals, but some delicacies to delight the crew! Bon Appetite!