Stories From Behind the Beach: It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy

"You were never the same way twice, I'm falling in love..."
                                                           -Blue Rodeo




  I was wrong.


  I know, Constant Reader, as you will no doubt remind me, I am often wrong.  The frequency of incidents of my demonstrated wrongness is depressing and occasionally alarming.

 Yet, I continue to point it out, Constant Reader, because if I don't, I know you sure as hell will.

  I have the emails to prove it.

  This time, though,  I was wrong about something important.

  I was wrong about food.


  More precisely, I was wrong about cheese.


   Until quite recently, I hated most cheese.   Couldn't stand the smell, the texture, the taste, any of it, all of it, whatever.
   Cheddar?  No thanks.
   Colby?  I'll pass.
  Muenster?  Yeahno.
  Limburger?  See above.
  Et Cetera, on down the list.

   I didn't start eating cheese on pizza until well into my 20s, when I discovered that the mozzarella-esque cheese on most pizzas is essentially flavourless topping glue.

   So, with my aversion to most curd-n-whey related foodstuffs well and firmly established, I saw little reason to wander into...

 

    ...Until the owners invited me to stop by and check the place out.

     Yale and Jenny Lowery  love Port Dover.  Originally From Guelph, Jenny moved to North Carolina, where she graduated from high school and went on to college, graduated from Appalachian State with a marketing degree, met and married Yale, then bounced around North Carolina and Tennessee before moving north to Canada.  Mostly in that order.

     While living and working in Brantford, the Lowerys made a trip to Port Dover one summer day a couple of years ago, and that was it.

    They'd found home.  They knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives living in Port Dover.  The couple found a house, settled in, and lived the life of normal sane people, commuting to work at corporate jobs in Brantford every day.  Life was good.

    Then, one day, in September, 2013, Jenny decided she needed some cheese.

    And everything changed.

    Jenny is an admitted "cheese nerd."  Combine her love of cheese with her love of her new hometown, and she's not  driving to the grocery store to pick up a package of Kraft Singles.

   Nuh-uh.

   She's keeping it real local, and real tasty.

    She stopped into her favourite (and only) local cheese shop in downtown Port Dover.  While making her purchase, she started talking to the owner. She learned that he had decided that the cheese business wasn't for him, he was selling the business and starting over...
... in Australia.

    A few conversations and negotiations later, Jenny and Yale dove headlong into the world of the retail entrepreneur.

     If  you're a local, I know what you might be thinking:

    They bought a specialty business, in downtown Port Dover...at the END of tourist season?


    Hey, we don't always get to pick the timing of our opportunities.  But, we can determine what happens after.


     Jenny and Yale aren't complete greenhorns.  Jenny has a solid marketing background, Yale has a solid sales background, and both aren't afraid to work long and hard to achieve their goals...

... and it is paying off.


    In their first six weeks of business, with little advertising or fanfare, they are ahead of their sales projections.

    Walking into the store, it is easy to see some of the reasons why:

    It's a small space that doesn't feel cramped.  It is clean, uncluttered, organized, but inviting.

   The case in front of the owners is the "Canadian" case:  All local cheeses, all the time.  Norfolk's own Jensen Cheese is represented, along with Gunn's Hill from Woodstock and Bright Cheese from, as the name suggests,  Bright, Ontario.
     The case to the right is filled with cheeses from around the world: Stilton, gouda, swiss, brie, camembert, mozzarella, romano...

   you name it, they've likely got it. And if you name it and they haven't got it, they'll get it.

      They don't just sell cheese- The Dover Cheese Shop also sells cheese accessories, like cutting boards and brie bakers (at $8, a seriously good deal.  Need a quick gift this holiday season?  Stop in, pick up a brie baker and a wheel of brie, and Wha-bamm! You are a hero with discerning taste, my friend... and change from a $20.)....

 ... And a selection of snack foods from nearby farms and suppliers, like The Cider Keg and Barrie's Asparagus .

   
   Kettle chips, teas, salsas and dip mixes, all of  it available right here on the....

   "Okay," Interrupting Constant Reader interrupts, "We get it- the place is clean, has lots of selection, yadda yadda, big deal-  any big supermarket is like that.  Why should I shop here?"

   Because a supermarket has never made me enjoy cheese.



    With an overview of the store and it's origins out of the way, Yale started pulling out cheeses for me to sample. I held up my hand  and dropped the bomb:

     "I don't like cheese."

    Jenny didn't miss a beat.

    "No problem.  Everyone's palate is different, Yale's favourites are different from mine.  Everyone has different tastes. Try this and let me know what you think."

    Okay- I'm here, they're nice folks, I'll try it just to be polite.
      I popped the proffered sample of Bright's four year old cheddar in my mouth
     Not bad.
     Not bad at all.
 
     Much better than I expected any food that was four years old to taste.

      Next  I sampled a really nice Wisconsin produced gouda/swiss blend with a little touch of Merlot added- nice smooth, mild, a great sandwich cheese, I thought.  Then Jenny introduced me to "dessert cheeses."

      Mango and Ginger Stilton- Off the chain!  What a great  flavour combination.

 See, here's the deal:  Yale and Jenny have an enthusiasm for cheese which is infectious.  They are cheese evangelists.  From the moment you walk  in the door, you start to understand and share their passion.  If you are standing in line to buy a pound of cheddar, the Lowerys are going to ply you with samples of any  number of cheeses, and every cheese has a story.
    You aren't leaving with just the cheddar, and you have enjoyed the experience, and you will discover cheeses you never even knew existed.  Like this one...

   okay, you might want to pour yourself a drink and sit down...

    ...Ready?...

   

    Chocolate Cheddar.

    It.  Is.  Amazing.


    Yeah, I'm digging this cheese thing now.


    Need a cheese tray?  No problem, The Dover Cheese Shop can build you a custom cheese tray, and short notice orders are no problem.  They will even put it on your tray- THAT is a brilliant idea.  I am not one to worry overmuch about aesthetics, but when SWMBO puts out the Tiffany silverware and the Wedgewood plates, nothing spoils the "Ain't we fancy" mood than a big ol' plastic tray of cheese in the middle of the table.

   Next spring, The Dover Cheese Shop is going to do something really, really clever:

     They are planning to offer "Boat Baskets."  Call ahead and they will prepare a picnic basket for you to pickup and take with you to the boat. It is a brilliant concept for provisioning daytrips, especially with guests you want to impress.


   Do yourself a favour- stop into The Dover Cheese Shop.  They're open Wednesday through Sunday  at 318A Main Street, just down from Stoney's Hardware.  Check 'em out on facebook too.

 
 

Stories from Behind the Beach: Low-Buck Breakfast Quest

     "Never seem to get a lot..."
                      -Supertramp



     Port Dover is not lacking in eating establishments.   Within two blocks of the beach one can find hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, ice cream, onion rings, onion chips, onion soup, burritos, nachos, perch, pickerel, clam strips, steaks, chicken, ribs, salad bars, salad carts, Salada tea...

    But breakfast?

    Not so much.

   For breakfast you have to get Behind the Beach.  This season SWMBO and I set out to try the regular breakfast joints in town, and compare the fare.

    Our testing criteria was simple- Eat the same meal at each establishment and compare...
    Price
    Portion size
    Service
    Appearance
    and
    Ambience
   
    ....To determine which joint offers the best overall value.


   
      Our recon of the Port resulted in a Best Breakfast Challenge shortlist that is really short.  
       Total breakfast joints in town: three....
      ...and a half.

     The Dover Dairy Bar, The Coffee Shop, and Angelo's/ Angelo's Side Door Bistro were the contenders.  The "half" is the Brant Hill Inn, which serves breakfast only on weekends, only during the summer months.  In the interest of being able to provide accurate useful information year-round, we left the Inn off the test roster.

You're welcome.

     To keep the playing field level, we ordered the same meal at each restaurant, opting for the BCB ( Basic Complete Breakfast):  Two eggs, bacon, toast, potatoes, coffee.

     Here's the results:

     Third Place:  Dover Dairy Bar
   

       For years, the Dairy Bar has been our go-to breakfast joint.   The grub was cheap, and the scruffy furniture and carpet was overshadowed by the dozens of historical photos of the Port that adorn the walls, giving the place the feel of an informal archive of  Dover back in the day.   The service was always friendly, and while not quick, you usually got a meal that was tasty and hot.

   
     This summer, though, we found ourselves underwhelmed.  The breakfast and the service and the decor aren't suddenly horrible, but the Dairy Bar is slipping.    A paint job and new carpet wouldn't go amiss, and the service could be a little more polished...I'm not expecting waitstaff to recite a mouth-watering array of specials  from memory  and my water glass to never be empty, but make sure that  tables are served and coffee topped up before retreating behind the counter to text.  The portions are smaller in subtle ways- the eggs are medium, not large and the bacon is thinly sliced, for example.

    There are better options for breakfast.

   (Having said that, the DDB remains the best choice in town for ice cream-  lots of flavours of hard ice cream served in generous portions that overwhelm the cone underneath,  cheaper than anywhere else in town.)

Second Place:  Angelo's

    This was a tough call.

    Angelo's wins on price- $4.95 all in.
    Angelo's wins on portion size- there wasn't any room to spare on a large plate packed with big eggs, a heap of homefries and slices of thick cut bacon, all cooked perfectly.
   Angelo's wins on service- our meals were served fast and hot, and our cups never went empty.
    BUT...
    Angelo's is a bar, and it feels like a bar, even at 9 am, UNLESS you wander around the corner into the aptly named "Side Door  Bistro,"  which feels like a stripped down version of the Dairy Bar- less history on the walls, more history on the floor.
   And, Angelo's is only open for breakfast on weekends.

 which means that...

    First Place goes to The Coffee Shop.

     The Coffee Shop is small and comfy, clean and brightly lit.  The food is good, portions large and SWMBO and I both agree they have the best toast in town.  The only quibble is that the hash browns are sometimes a little undercooked.   Service is efficient, and when you see what goes on behind the counter you may be amazed at the results.
    This place has no fryers, no broilers, no ovens, no flattops, none of what you would expect to find in a restaurant kitchen.  There are two countertop electric griddles.  You may have a similar one at home, that you may also cook breakfast on.  That's it, as far as cooking gear goes. It's unorthodox, but seems to work just fine.

     The Coffee Shop is a little more expensive than Angelo's, but breakfast for two will still come in under $15 with tax.  You won't go away hungry, and you will come back.


     Come on down and join us for breakfast some time.  Coffee's on me.




  "Talk the Dock!"

 
   
         

Two Burner Tastiness: Tossed Greens and Tenderloin

    "I can't stop pushing it..."
           -General Public

  

       As it so often does in life, once again, size matters.

       An unavoidable limitation of cooking in a small space is the very fact that one is cooking in a small space.  Everything, by necessity, is smaller- smaller burners mean smaller pots and pans,  which can, and does limit one’s ability to cook beef.

  A 16 oz ribeye steak for example, would overwhelm our hand-span – wide “big” skillet.

      Thus, when the crew of Whiskeyjack has a  hankering for bovine protein that doesn't come wrapped in a bun, we turn to tenderloin.

       Tenderloin is a small oblong roast, ideal for two-burner cooking.

        Here's our recipe for Tenderloin in a Red Wine Reduction

        1 2 lb-ish beef tenerloin, cut in half to fit pan.
        1 shallot diced
        1 clove garlic peeled and minced
        1 vidalia onion, peeled and diced
        1 carrot, sliced
        1 stalk of celery, sliced
         Handfull of sliced mushrooms (optional)
         1 zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick slices.
        1 tsp olive oil or 1 dollop of butter
         2 tsp worcestershire sauce
         1 dash balsamic vinegar
         1 bottle of red wine
          Spices- I like rosemary, tarragon a little salt and pepper.



          Pour a glass of wine.
          Cut tenderloin to fit skillet.
           Put tenderloin on plate, pat on some spices and a little worcestershire sauce.
         Warm up your skillet-  you want your pan to be HOT before introducing the beef.
          Add dollop of butter or olive oil  to pan.  (Because of the lack of temperature control on our crude stove, I prefer to use olive oil when searing.)
          When pan is hot, add tenderloin.
           When tenderloin is seared on once side, (about a minute) turn and add veggies (except 'shrooms) to pan.
            About a minute later, turn tenderloin to side number 3, and add a glug or three of wine to the pan.
             Another minute or two later, turn the tenderloin one last time, then reduce heat to medium-ish, and cover.

       

       
       
      We uses another pot as a lid.

     

     Over on burner #2,  add a dollop of olive oil to skillet #2, and set to medium heat.

      When internal temp of tenderloin indicates that it is done to your taste, set tenderloin on cutting board to rest, under pot lid or tinfoil tent.  

      Add another glug of red wine to pan, a quick dash of balsamic vinegar, and increase heat slightly.  Stir and taste frequently.  Did you opt for 'shrooms?  Now is the time to toss them in.

        How's your wine?  Now is a good time to refresh your glass.

   

       While reduction is reducing, after tenderloin has rested at least 9 minutes, turn to skillet #2 and start to sear zucchini slices with a dash of spices, salt and pepper, and arrange on plates.  

        Don't forget to occasionally stir and taste skillet #1.

        Now the tenderloin has rested about 12-15 minutes- uncover, slice and arrange on zucchini.

        Spoon reduction onto tenderloin, or onto plate, or into small inidvidual dipping bowls so guests can serve themselves

      

        Serve with simple salad.  We opted for spring greens and spinach with semi-pickled cucumbers.

    

     Easy, tasty, and less grease than burgers.


     "Talk the Dock!"

Book Reviewsday Tuesday: "Cooking Aboard a Small Boat" - A Kinda Cookbook

     "Living one word to the next, one line at a time"

                                        -Kenny Chesney

      I decided it was time to fill one of the potholes in that nautical information superhighway dirt road that is the Dock Six Chronicles.

    We've got Gear and Tool Reviews (to be updated shortly), Recipes (to be updated shortly),  Coming Events (yeah, that too needs updating....sigh,)  What has been missing until now is a section of Book Reviews.  

    Today, we solve that problem, kicking off the first...

    Book Reviewsday Tuesday!

    (*APPLAUSE*)

     The plan is to have a new review for you every other Tue..sday.

      Some weeks it will be a how-to manual,  some weeks maybe a first-hand passage or cruise account,  other weeks fiction, sometimes hot off the presses, sometimes an old favourite, sometimes it might not even be boat-related, just a good read I figured I'd pass along.

    Your input and help is always welcome- have you read a book you have liked and wish to share, or a book you didn't enjoy and wish to warn others away from?   Drop me a line.

    One of the things that is great about most boat-related how-to books is that the book title usually tells you exactly what the book is about.  No messing about, no having to leaf through the bloody thing in the bookstore to figure out what it's about like some of that fancier stuff.  Nope-  most marine how-to authors tell you what it's about right on the cover.

    Following the norm, Paul "Capt'n Pauley" Esterle gets right to it:

    

   Some of you might be familiar with Capt'n Pauley, thanks to his regular contributions to Small Craft Advisor

  magazine.

   He's our kinda guy.

   Like some of  us, Capt'n Pauley sails a small boat-  Ternabout, a Matilda 20, one of the great Canadian "trailer sailer" pocket cruisers to come out of the golden age of small boats, the late 60s/early 70s. 

   Also, like some of us, he has invested an amount of time and money equipping and outfitting that is out of all  proportion to the value of his boat.

   He understands living large on a small boat.

  That Capt'n Pauley knows whereof he speaks was evident from the moment I picked up this book.  The binding told me, "This guy gets it."

  See, "Cooking Aboard..." is spiral bound. 

   

   Spiral binding allows the reader to open the book to the desired page and lay it flat, leaving both hands free to accomplish what you are trying to accomplish by reading the book conveniently lying open in front of you. You can also fold the book back on itself, so that it takes up half the space when opened, a small but important thing when working with limited galley space. 

     "Cooking Aboard..." is much more "small boat friendly" than typical cookbooks like "The Joy of Cooking", for example.  That doorstop would damn near fill Whiskeyjack's galley, and refuses to stay open to any of it's hundreds of pages unassisted.

It's a little thing, but anything that makes my life easier earns bonus points.

  As the post title says, this is a kinda cookbook.
  And a kinda DIY manual. 
  And a kinda, well...
 "Cooking Aboard..." is what I call a "Start from stupid" book.  The author assumes that you know nothing, and aims to teach you everything.  

    Occasionally, "Start from stupid" is a bad idea, usually when the author dumbs the book down below the general knowledge level of his/her intended audience, then adopts a narrative style that provides no simple means for the reader to access the information they need now.

  Capt'n Pauley avoids this trap by breaking "Cooking Aboard..." into a logical sequence of stand alone chapters and sub-chapters.

  For the unconscious incompetent ,  "Cooking Aboard..." starts from scratch, discussing  galley necessities, tools, gear, provisioning and storage, then expands on that foundation by offering advice on galley and cockpit projects to improve the cooking, and eating, aboard experience.

   

  For more experienced galley slaves, it is easy to jump to the sections that have more value, whether it is storage advice, spice tips,  recipes or how to build a propane canister locker.

   The book is well illustrated, with photos and line drawings illustrating the text of the project under discussion...

  .... with a glaring exception-  the recipes that fill the last 70 pages of the 182 page book.

    While the first 6 chapters are liberally illustrated, Chapter 7 has a only a handful of photos which do little to highlight the recipes to which they are attached.  For example, the Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps:

    The recipe sounds tasty, but the accompanying image looks like very shiny hand-rolled homegrown of dubious legality.

     Many of the recipes are sourced from other sources-books,  message boards, forums and other sailors' blogs, which might explain, maybe, the lack of art. But, that in turn, presents another concern-  if the author hasn't tried the recipes offered, the author can't attest to the accuracy of proportions, ingredients, or taste.  As the first 6 chapters are all based on first-hand experience, I am gonna give the good Capt'n the benefit of the doubt here.  

   *edit: I contacted Capt'n Pauley with a link to this review.  He kindly replied
    "Just to be clear, all the recipes were tested, tried and true on Ternabout. I originally had many more pictures of food in the book. However, the cost of a Lulu book is dependent on the binding and number of pages. I knew I wanted the spiral binding even though it is the most expensive binding type. I also wanted as many pictures as I could get in and keep the price of the finished book attractive. Rather than remove pictures of some of the more important features, I removed food type pictures until I got to the price point I was comfortable with."

Thanks, Capt'n for the clarification.  

   

   As any good hands-on how-to manual will, "Cooking Aboard..." has a Notes section at the end of the book, which is a handy idea.

   There's the odd typo and grammatical error, not uncommon in self-published works, but overall it is a readable, well-presented manual.  I expect that my copy will be dog-eared and rum -stained in short order this season, and will be well-thumbed in many seasons to come.  

    Want a copy of your own?

    Fire off a not-unreasonable $17.95 via paypal for the hard copy or only $8.99 for the e-reader version to

  Capt'n Pauley at http://www.captnpauley.com/Cooking.html .

  You can find the rest of Capt'n Pauley's works on Amazon:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/captnpauley

    He writes so me good stuff- there maybe more Capt'n Pauley reviews on future Tuesdays.

  

"Talk the Dock!"

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Stories from Behind the Beach: Love Comes to Town

"We'll fulfill our dreams, and we'll be free..."
                          -Mumford and Sons


   On the Dock, I think it is fair to say that we Docksters tend to buck convention.  We're small boaters in a big boat world.  We are usually left alone but never lonely, and we're not bothered that we're not bothered.  We're power-free but not powerless.  We are self-sufficient but interdependent. We root for the underdogs, because the underdogs is us.

   We're a little crazy.  We're okay with that.

   If you were thinking about starting a small business and being your own boss, would you start a business from scratch in an untested market, work long hours for little pay, in an industry where the failures outnumber successes, in a small town with a historically seasonal clientele?

That would be crazy.

That would be Urban Parisian .

This is our kind of place.

                                                                                                              -image courtesy of tripadvisor.ca


   Brad Lewis likes to bake.

   A lot.

   He began baking as a kid, and got his hands floured professionally at the Ancaster Old Mill, which led to baking his way into a slot at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa .  Somewhere somehow along the way he ended up in the kitchen at Callahan's Beach House, now known as simply The Beach House.

   Where he met Melanie Atkins.

   Melanie is as passionate about wine as Brad is about baking.  She has a background in social service, but a love of wine that led to her becoming a Certified Sommelier through Niagara College .


 Pastries and wine.  I told you these were our kind of folks.

  When David's, Port Dover's first lakefront fine dining restaurant opened, Brad and Melanie were on board.    Typically, the dessert "get" at a fine dining establishment is about 20%. At David's, Brad tells me, the number was above 80%.  Clearly, something was working.

   The success of David's showed the pair that you could successfully sell food in Port Dover that wasn't fried.  It got Brad and Melanie thinking about the future.

 

   It sounds like the cover blurb for a Nicholas Sparks novel,
   "She loves wine.  He loves pastry.  Where will the relationship go?"

    Backpacking through France, apparently.

    Brad and Melanie knew they wanted to build a life and a business together, but it took trekking through France to fully realize their common goal.

    They wanted to open a French bakery.

    In Port Dover.

 

    Thus, Urban Parisian was born.


   Success was not guaranteed.  Every business start up is a risk, the food industry is riskier than most, and in a town known for hot dogs, french fries and fried fish, any joint without a flat top and a fryer has traditionally caused the locals shake their heads and start a pool on when, not if, the new place will fall flat on it's face.

  Yeah, it's crazy, risky, fraught with danger and likely to fail.

   Why would anyone do it?

    Love.

     Brad and Melanie opened the doors at 401 Main Street in March, 2011. From jump, the place was jumping.  Immediately they reached out to  friends in the business, recruiting help to meet the demand.  Today they have four employees and run Tuesday through Sunday, 7:00- 5:00.

   Also from jump, the French bakery concept changed slightly.  Customers wanted more than just bread and rolls, they wanted something in between them.  Quick to grasp the opportunity, Brad and Melanie stretched the  Urban Parisian concept to encompass a soup, salad, sandwich and quiche breakfast and lunch menu.  The menu is fresh every day, and to meet customer demands to know what's on, the menu is posted on facebook daily.

The menu is some of the best culinary marketing I have ever read.  Most restaurants advertise their soup of the day as, for example, "Chicken Noodle"
Here?
  "Soup du Jour; Chicken Cacciatore (rich stewed tomatoes, chicken thighs, peppers, onions, olives, garlic, fresh herbs and house made chicken stock)"

The love, the passion, for what they do comes right off the page.

This is some serious food porn.

  How about salads like this:

 "Mushroom Quinoa Salad; Garlic sautéed local mushrooms with balsamic onions, green beans and slivered almonds in organic quinoa drizzled with our french vinaigrette served over mixed greens"

Feeling vegetarian?
 "Crunchy Cauliflower Wrap; Steamed cauliflower in a lemon/dill dressing with slices of crunchy dill pickles wrapped up and warmed in a flour tortilla"


  Are you freakin' kidding me?  Cauliflower.  COLL. EE. FLOW. ER.  Didn't like it when I was 7.  Don't like it damn near two score years later.
  Yet, I'm drooling on my keyboard.

  Anybody who doubts the power of the well-written word, doubt no more.

  Okay, here's the money shot:

"Beef Baguette au Jus; Sliced slow roast beef with garlic sautéed onions on our famous baguette served au jus."

C'mon, you know you're with me.


Along with the menu every day?

Pictures.

You're welcome.

   A different variety of fresh breads every day, including ale buns:

    Eclairs:

Pecan butter tarts:
 

   
  This, by the way, is a lie.  These are not tarts.  They are damn near pies.  Handfuls of heaven.


 For breakfast, how about a cup of coffee and an apple-filled cinnamon bun?

 
  I need a cigarette.


Melanie and Brad believe in keeping it real and keeping it local.  They source almost all ingredients locally, follow the seasons, and support local farmers through their membership in a food co-op as well as hosting a farmer's market on their patio every Thursday during the summer.  Everything is made in house and from scratch.  Real butter, real cream, real cocoa.  Brad and Melanie even blend the iced tea in house.


 Coming in from a drab grey March, you feel the love.  Light wood trim and subtle colours invite you to slow down for a while.


What is missing isn't missing at all- it adds value.

There is no wi-fi.

The pair of proprietors wanted to create an environment where as Melanie says, "you could get away from work, not bring it with you."

There's also no pop.  It  wasn't until Brad pointed it out that I realized what was really different behind the counter- no hulking, brightly lit, glass front cooler.  You can have your choice of coffees, espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, teas and smoothies.  Want a can of Coke?  You're out of luck.

  Brad and Melanie wanted to create a place that feels like home, and they succeeded.


    As food service veterans, the couple knew that the long hours could take a toll on friendships with those outside the industry, so they started a "Sunday Dinner" tradition.  After close on Sunday nights, invited folks  would arrive and the kitchen would transform from work to play, as Brad and Melanie whipped up dinner for their friends and family. That's what this place is all about- love, passion, that extends beyond the food.

     In the future, Melanie sees a liquor license, allowing her and Brad to offer a light pairings menu in the early evening, with Brad's small plates paired with wines Melanie has selected.

 
     The bakery reflects the couple who started it- comfortable, professional, inviting and fun.

     Hope to see you here soon.




    "Talk the Dock!"
   

Two-Burner Tastiness- Shoulder Season Savoury Supper

               "On my own, here we go..."
                                   -Green Day




         Spring and fall can be great seasons for boating.  The casual boaters are hauled out, it's too cold for PWC-bees, and  although wind is colder, it's more consistent.
 
        But, when it rains, it can be downright miserable.

        Warm food helps.

        Warm food that smells good and tastes better helps a lot.

        Warm food that smells good and tastes better with booze in it is always a winner.

         In other words, stew.

         The problem with stew on board is that it seems like every stew recipe calls for a crock pot, takes all day to cook, serves 30 people with leftovers, or all of the above.

         With a little experimentation, we created this recipe which is relatively quick, serves 2 and requires only one burner.

         Here we go:

        Whiskeyjack Beef Stew



1 pound (454g) beef on sale.  The cheapest cut you can find. Stewing beef not necessary.  I like to use cheap steak.(cut into 1 to 1½ inch cubes)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium sized onion roughly diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp herbs de Provence (or 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, )
1 1/2 cups (.60 L) reduced-sodium beef broth
1/2 small can of  tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
        1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sugar
 salt and pepper (or Old Bay) to taste
1 large  potato,  peeled and roughly cubed into bite sized pieces
1 large carrot, chopped, or a half bag of baby carrots.
1 glass of cheap wine, or 1 bottle of cheap beer
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

        2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

        1 tbsp soy sauce
 

         In a bowl combine the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.  Drop in the beef.  Let it marinade.  Drink a beer, or take this time to slice and chop and peel the veggies.  Work slow.  You want the marinade to do it's thing for a while.

        Remove beef from marinade, pat dry and rub in salt and pepper or Old Bay seasoning.  In a medium size pot over medium heat,  add olive oil, then drop in beef.  When beef is browned, remove from pot and pat dry again.


        Add celery, onions, garlic,to pot.
       
        When veggies begin to soften, add beef marinade to pot.
   
        . Return beef cubes to pot and stir in herbs de Provence. Toss in the tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaves, sugar, salt, and pepper and booze.   Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. You want to cook this low and slow, stirring occasionally.  Your boat will start to smell GREAT!

         When a cube of meat is so tender it can be just about pulled apart with a fork, add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes to  half hour,  until a potato can be cut with a fork. Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water until smooth. Add to stew. Stir well  and continue to cook until stew is bubbly and has thickened. Stir in peas and cilantro and cook just until peas are heated through, just a couple of minutes.

       Serve in bowls, with a basket of biscuits or rough cut baguette for dipping and wiping.

       

         

Two-Burner Tastiness- Vegetarian Edition

        "Come on and stir it up..."
            -Bob Marley & The Wailers


       
        It has been brought to my attention that in my Dock-related gastronomical reportage I was ignoring an important demographic.  Dozens two constant occasional readers had mentioned that there were no vegetarian recipes.
 
      In fact, the argument had been made that I was prejudiced against pescatarians, hated herbivores and was vehemently anti- vegan.

     To which, I respond,  "Well, duh."

     SWMBO and I are not vegetarians, so our menus tend to include ingredients that at one time had a pulse.

     Besides, tofu really, really sucks.

     But, upon reflection, I realized that there is some really yummy stuff out there that we eat and serve regularly, that could be filed under "Vegetarian."

   With our vegetarian son and pescatarian daughter visiting for the March break, we had the perfect opportunity to field-test some twists on old favourites and try some new ideas.

     Give 'em a try and let me know what you think.

      Dock 6 Dirty Rice


Ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
1  chopped onion
1 chopped green or red bell pepper
1 stalk celery
1 shallot
1 tbsp or thereabouts Old Bay Seasoning, or a blend of chili powder, seasoned salt, black pepper.
1 tsp.  Five Spice powder
1 1/3 cups uncooked white rice
2 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 diced  tomato
1 can black beans
 fresh lime juice
 chopped fresh cilantro to taste

Bring the water to a boil, then everybody in the pool!  Except the lime juice.  Whne rice is cooked to desired firmness, remove from heat, squirt on lime juice (or garnish with lime wedges) and dress with sriracha sauce.

     Quinoa Salad
    
     This recipe was inspired by a dish on the menu at my brother-in-law's restaurant,  Rosie .

     1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
     2.5 cups of water  or vegetable broth
     1 diced tomato
     1 diced red pepper
     1/2 english cucumber sliced and diced.
     Handful chopped cilantro
 
     Dressing
    3 tbsp olive oil
    2 tbsp. cider or rice wine vinegar
    2 cloves garlic
    salt and pepper

   Boil water or broth,  add quinoa, coook for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add veggies. Combine dressing ingredients  and rapidly whisk to fully blend.  Pour over quinoa and stir.  Serve at room temp or chilled.


   
   

     Hummus and Pita Wedges


     1 can chick peas, rinsed
     2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
     1 lemon or juice equivalent
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     2 cloves mashed garlic (optional)
     3 tablespoons olive oil
     4 pitas
     1 green onion
     Dash of Old Bay seasoning

    Mash chick peas.  Blend in tahini and garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt.  Blend.  Blend some more. Taste. Add lemon juice to taste.  Taste again.  When yummy, serve in bowl garnished with tablespoon of olive oil, Old Bay and sliced green onions.

    Drizzle olive oil on warm grill or skillet, then warm pitas on both sides until golden brown, then slice into eighths.

     Easy-Peasey Guacamole


     3 avocados - peeled, pitted.
    1 lime, juiced
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup diced onion
    Big handful of chopped fresh cilantro
    2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
    4 cloves minced garlic
    A dash or two of cayenne or Old Bay Seasoning
    1 bag tortilla chips

    In a bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Stir in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic and seasoning  Taste.  Adjust as necessary. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately with tortilla chips
   Note: Keep one avocado pit in the bowl to prevent discolouration

 



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Recipe Page is Started

     "How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?"
                                       -Hank Williams






     Two-Burner Tastiness recipe page has been started.  More to come.



   





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Two-Burner Meal of the Week #4

      "Let's twist again. like we did last summer..."
                                         -Chubby Checker




     Chicken Tournedos  in white wine with capers and a twist of lemon, served with green beans and peanuts sauteed in Tea Clipper sauce and pan-roasted potatoes.

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Two-Burner Tastiness: Dessert

         "And trust in the mercy of the sea..."
                                     -Van Halen




        Easy, tasty, presentable and cheap.  On the Dock, this is how we like our meals...

..... and our women.

     (Oooooooooohhh, I am in SO much trouble.)


       A dessert that has gotten rave reviews is something we call Cabo Crepes.

Cabo Crepes.  

Four flour tortillas

 One stick of butter

One piece of good quality dark chocolate

One jar of Dulce De leche sauce  (caramel can be substituted)

One jar of Nutella (optional)

Whipped cream

Vanilla Yogurt

Maple Syrup

cinnamon

Blueberries or strawberries

melt a spoon of butter in a largish pan, and warm tortilla on both sides.  slather warm tortilla with dulce de leche  and/or, optionally, Nutella.  Roll tortilla.  garnish with whipped cream and grated dark chocolate.  Put two on each plate.   Artfully arrange berries on plate.   Mix yogurt and maple syrup 3:1 garnish with cinnamon and serve in small dish for dipping.  Serves two.

     Yes, I know there is only one Cabo Crepe on the above plate. 

     

      I was on a diet.

    

      Really.

     Thanks for taking the time to check us out.  Please feel free to "Talk the Dock!"  Link us, follow us, or just tell your friends.

Two-Burner Meal of the Week

     "...It sets my soul free..."
             -The Neville Brothers




 Jambalaya and Old Bay- dusted, pan toasted biscuits.

  


  As usual, thanks for taking the time to check us out.  Please feel free to "Talk the Dock!"  Link us, follow us, or just tell your friends.

More Two-Burner Meals

    "Now I wish I could write you a melody so plain..."
                                                             -Bob Dylan




   Saturday night-  Simple rustic penne:

     On burner 1, brown some Italian sausage cut into chunks.  Set aside sausage when browned.  In sausage pan cook 6 pieces of bacon.  When crispy, set aside and cut up.  On burner 2, boil water for pasta.  Back on burner one, saute a bulb of garlic (chopped) a white onion (chopped) and a red pepper (chopped) with a little EVOO in the sausage/bacon pan. Season to taste with rosemary, thyme and oregano, if you've got it, and a dash of balsamic vinegar When the pasta is done, strain and put pasta in a serving bowl.  Add the sausage and bacon to the pan of veggies just before removing from heat, and stir into the  pasta. Serve with a baguette.

   Sunday morning- Blueberry pancakes with blueberries and bacon.  No recipe needed.

   Note dog's paws in background, poised for a strafing run on the bacon if I even think about turning my attention elsewhere.



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Two-Burner Tastiness

     "Will her cooking be the best?  Yes it will, yes it will!"
                                                                -Harry Belafonte




   Small boat cruising does not mean you have to live small.  SWMBO and I both enjoy cooking, and our kitchen at home reflects our interest.  With our busy and typically conflicting schedules, often the only time we are able to connect and decompress is when we cook together, so we've made our kitchen a place where we can work together and produce results that make us happy.   We have gadgets and gizmos and stainless steel and stuff, even power salt and pepper shakers.  Some really great memories and some really great food have come out of that kitchen

  On Whiskeyjack, on the other hand,  we have a small galley.

   Really small.  Six square feet of surface area would be generous.

   Equipment-wise, we have a two burner alcohol stove, an icebox, a sink, and cold water. That's it.  No oven, no microwave, no refrigerator, no blender,  no mixer, no dishwasher. We have happily discovered that cooking aboard has become a valued component of our life aboard, and Whiskeyjack meals rival anything we could produce onshore.

     How do a pair of  gadget-loving foodies learn to cope with the basic tools available on the boat?

     In the words of Gunny Highway*, we learned to adapt, overcome and improvise.

    Here's what we have learned:

     1.  Plan your meals.
     Before you provision your boat, put together a basic menu for the duration of your voyage or stay.  Then, plan your snacks.  Then,stick to it. By taking the time to set out what you plan to cook and when, you don't end up buying more than you need, and buying more than you will use.  Space is at a premium, and it makes little sense to try to stow a case of canned tomato soup when you are only going out for the weekend. The space those cans take up is space  that could be put to better use, like, say, rum storage.

    2.  Know the limitations of your equipment.
     If you haven't got an oven, don't plan to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving.   If you have only two burners, it doesn't make sense to plan a fine dinner of pot roast, mashed potatoes, corn, and peach cobbler for dessert.   Do the math- it just ain't gonna work.

    3.  Simple ingredients can produce sophisticated results.
    We only have 7 powdered spices aboard.  We don't keep much produce. The staples are seasoned salt, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, curry, pepper, sea salt, cumin, paprika, chili powder, fresh garlic, and ginger.
Produce is always sourced fresh, and we try not to load more than we can use.  In Cajun country they talk about the "Holy Trinity", the three ingredients that go in damn near everything, celery, onion and pepper.  On Whiskeyjack, we have "The Four  Horsemen":  celery, onion, pepper and garlic.

    4.  Garlic makes everything better.

    5. Everything tastes better on a boat.

    6. Baguettes are the Swiss army knife of bread.
     Half a loaf for garlic bread for dinner, the remainder makes great small pan french toast for breakfast,  or lay hand-torn chunks out on a cutting board with a block of cheese and cold cuts for a quick afternoon snack.  One warning, though- it is damn hard to disguise a three foot long baguette as you walk down the Dock.  Everyone you pass will look at the bread poking out of your dock cart, then contemplate whatever lesser meal they had planned on their own boat, then start angling their way into getting in on whatever you planned to use that tasty-looking bread for.

     7.  Free food gets you free booze.
     Offer someone a meal, and they always ask, "what can I bring?"  No matter what you reply, the guests always bring booze.
     At least on our Dock.
     Your dock may vary.
     I love this place.

   

    This weekend, we had our first shrimp boil.
    This may be come a regular event.

The four horsemen, plus shallots, tomatoes and corn on the cob, ...

Toss it all in a pot with a stick of butter and two bottles of beer.  Add some spices, then when it all starts boiling, toss in some littleneck clams and shrimp.

    Serve straight out of the pot with a baguette and/or some garlic bread.

    It.  Was.  Tasty.

    Need a quick appetizer?  Pears on toast.

    Melt butter in a pan, slice baguette, slice pears,slice brie cheese (or other creamy cheese), lay baguette slices in buttered pan until brown and tasty, turn pieces.  Add pear slices topped with brie slices.  When brie melts, remove from heat and plate toast.  Optionally, as seen above, add a little cranberry jelly or chutney to the pear layer.  Fancy shmancy, quick and easy.

   I'll put our most successful recipes up on a new page,  available in the upper left hand corner.

  Got a good two-burner recipe?  Send it to me and I'll add it to the recipe file, with due credit given to the source.



*Clint Eastwood's character in Heartbreak Ridge, with the best collection of taglines any Eastwood character has ever had.  Including Harry Callahan.  Which is saying something.


    Thanks for taking the time to check us out.  Feel free to "Talk the Dock!"  Link us, follow us, or just tell your friends.

Happy hour(s)

     "My head is like a football.  I think I'm gonna die..."
                                                                -The Rovers




         I was reminded, once again, that I don't bounce back like I did when I was 25.

         But  I bounce back better.


         SWMBO is visiting her parents on Long Island, this week, so Inky and Finn and I are left to our own devices.
     ( I'm not offering her absence as an excuse for what happened on Saturday, but simply an explanation for why she wasn't in the middle of the shenanigans.)

       It was a tough afternoon for docking,  so when I saw Wheelin' n Dealin'  approaching her slip on the third first attempt, I sauntered down to catch lines.  Wheelin'  is a newcomer to the Dock, so we did the Who-are-you-where-are-you-from-what-do-you-do human buttsniff.   Nice bunch, in their early 20s. Soon, James rolled up.  At this point, we decided to do some more rum research.  The crew of Wheelin' broke into a fresh flat of Bud Light.  In cans.
I repeat:
 Bud Light. In cans.

I raced to Whiskeyjack to grab some Brava.  In bottles.  I smirked at their choice of over-priced watered down mass-market training beer, they smirked at my choice of full-bodied cheap beer.  Young buck-old fart cultural differences. We argued about beer, docking, sailing versus powerboating. As the shadows lengthened we ordered pizza.  Another disagreement on where to order from, but  Harbour Pizza* won out because a) they will deliver to the dock, and none of us were driving anywhere and b) I had the number on speed dial on my phone.
A good time was had by all.

    There are rumours of photos of your scribe lying prone on the dock, unable to function. I cannot confirm or deny.
   There are some parts of the evening I don't remember.  I DO have to remember that I cannot drink like I am 25 anymore, and I shouldn't try to keep up with the 25 year olds...
Because I don't feel 25 the next morning.
I woke up with sweater-covered teeth, a brain that was threatening to break out of my skull, and mild embarrassment at being so immature.  After a quick glimpse in a mirror to make sure I don't have any new tattoos or piercings,  quick headcount to ensure that both dogs were present and a silent vow, again, to never do that again,  I climbed onto the dock and squinted into the sun.
     That hurt.
   Yep, I am not as young as I used to be... but I'm better.  I think.
   After a wake-up cup of coffee to clear the cobwebs, however, I did pull together a survivor's breakfast of "hair of the dog" cinnamon-rum french toast with homemade cinnamon bread and peameal bacon.  Served six. With two burners, two square feet of counter space and a two cubic ft. icebox.

      I couldn't do that when I was 25.

   

     *As seen on the Good Grub List.  Best pizza in town.  I don't care what James thinks.

       Thanks for taking the time to check us out.  As always, please feel free to "Talk the Dock!"  Follow us, link us, or just tell your friends.