Group text chains are low on my list of favorite things, but there is one on my phone that is a consistent 10/10. It’s home to twelve current and former professional sailors who happen to be some of the best ladies around. Late last week I asked them to share their favorite boat snacks. The text chain lit up with a mixed bag of yum.
A few highlights:
- Gummy Bears
- Fresh fruit + veggies
- No Bake Apricot Bars (this recipe looks good and would be even better with 1/2 a teaspoon of SKORDO Masala Chai)
- Beef Jerky
- Lettuce free salads
- Humpty Dumpty Chips
- Leftover cold ziti
- And my favorite: Anything someone else makes and hands off
Keep in mind, this list is generated by people who have spent months, years and decades living on the water. They’ve crossed oceans, entertained charter guests and raced around countless buoys. All the while provisioning and prepping foods for a crowd in cramped spaces. After some time digesting all their ideas, a few core values emerged. My guy and I took these on as inspiration for a recent cruise around Casco Bay.
Fresh + local
Seasonal fruit and vegetables are good for gut health. Plus, eating local when traveling may expand palates and teach you cooking techniques. The How does your Garden Grow? and Seas The Day sets will have you ready to dress up everything from breadfruit to oysters. The salad we made for this cruise was inspired by the text chain and featured SKORDO Gomashio.
Cool food is good food
Boat ovens are one of three things: Unreliable, under insulated or non-existent. Stove top and raw cooking are your friends. Eat Cool by Vanessa Seder is an excellent resource for cool food inspiration. Vanessa’s recipes are inspired by her own travels and artfully blend practicality with wanderlust.
Snacks on snacks on snacks
Never leave home without a snack. It’s a boat lesson and a life lesson. Looking for a treat that packs a punch? Candied ginger will help settle seasick stomachs, freshens breath and is a great addition to a fruit salad. Speaking of fruit salad, try sprinkling a dash of SKORDO Posy Sea Salt on stone fruits and citrus. The florals in the blended salt pair perfectly with their sweet tang. We were very happy to have the ginger after munching on the SKORDO Togarashi topped sardines - one of my all time favorite snacks, but pretty pungent!
Pink wine wins
A food conversation inevitably ends up being a wine conversation. Rosé is the boat wine of choice and here’s why: Red wine stains everything. It stains teak, it stains fabric, it stains you. White wine doesn’t stain, but it’s less fun. Don’t ask me why, that’s just the way it is. One sailor summed it up well: ‘One hand for the boat and one hand for the rosé’. Cheers!
