New from Ten Speed Press
Feasts Afloat
150 Recipes for Great Meals from Small Spaces

Anyone who has spent the day aboard a boat knows that nothing beats a fresh, homemade meal at the end of the day on the water.

In Feasts Afloat Jennifer Trainer Thompson and Elizabeth Wheeler share their recipes and techniques for making mouth-watering meals with limited equipment in the tiniest kitchens.

This practical and inspiring cookbook is full of ideas for moveable feasts, whether they be simple picnics and informal hors d’oeuvres, New-England-style clambakes, or elegant dinners. Jennifer and Elizabeth perfected the 150-plus recipes while logging over 25,000 miles at sea.

Peppered with witty personal anecdotes, evocative quotes, and helpful hints on everything from cleaning fish to buying provisions, Feasts Afloat shows just how much cooks can do with even the most minimal resources. The following is an excerpt from the book:

Lake Breakfast

Last summer we had the rare pleasure of fishing at dawn on a pristine mountain lake. At four in the morning, with pale light filtering through the portholes, we loaded the fishing tackle and breakfast supplies into the dinghy. The wooden oars creaked and groaned in the silence as we rowed across the dark lake to a secluded, spruce-fringed cove.

While we were casting, light broke across the slate blue mountains as an eerie mist spiraled from the cool lake surface. A deer appeared at water’s edge for a morning drink, then vanished. We sat silently in the dinghy, observing the wildlife, anticipating the insistent tug on the line that would mean breakfast.

Three hours later, with a full string of trout trailing behind the stern, we rowed to a nearby island—actually a clump of rocks and some scrubby trees. It seemed like high noon with the heat of the sun warming our backs, but it was barely eight o’clock. After scouting for a suitable place to build a fire, we took a quick dip in the chilly water, then enjoyed a hearty camp breakfast.

Cowboy Coffee

• To make robust coffee the old-fashioned way, toss water, coffee, and a pinch of salt into a saucepan and quickly bring the water to a boil. Adjust the pan’s position over the heat so that the coffee is barely simmering and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow the coffee to stand for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the grounds to settle. Or, add a few egg shells to help coagulate the grounds and splash in a bit of water to settle the grounds quickly.
• Pour or ladle the coffee into cups.

Panfried Trout with Bacon

Serves: 2. Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Anyone who has caught his own trout knows the keen pleasure of an early morning breakfast.

Sliced bacon
2 small trout (about 12 ounces each),
cleaned
Salt (optional)
Freshly ground pepper (optional)
All-purpose flour or cornmeal

• Prepare the grill.
• Place the bacon slices in a cold large skillet. Cook the bacon slowly until it is crisp and brown. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Sprinkle the trout inside and out with salt and pepper, if desired, and dredge them in flour, shaking off the excess.
• Add the fish to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, turning the fish carefully with a wide spatula. Move the pan over the coals as necessary so the trout will brown evenly. The trout should be golden brown and the tails crisp. Serve immediately.

About the authors: Jennifer Trainer Thompson (left) is a writer, sailor, and cook who has written four cookbooks. She lives in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Elizabeth Wheeler (right) is a trained chef, sailor, and former charter boat cook who directs a non-profit foot policy organization. Both women have sailed extensively throughout New England and the Caribbean.
From Ten Speed Press: 510-559-1600.