While the boat is in prison, meaning the boat yard. I have been chasing lots and lots of other projects. And as life likes to torture me as I work, more and more projects stack up. Its convenient in some way, since I like having things to do The universe doesn’t disappoint.
Like anyone else, though, I need to decompress once in a while. So a day of sailing therapy was needed. The wind was predicted to be over 12. It was near 20 knots when we got started. Four people went out and only 3 people came back, hungry. The fourth decided against a heavy dinner of steak and veggies. Too bad for them.
So I prepped Ventolines-1’s grill by removing the paper-wasp nests from under the dome. Paper wasps are surprisingly tenacious, they keep coming back at least until they figure out that fire has replaced their humble paper structures. It fired right up, after clicking the starter a thousand times
and then using a lighter to explode the rapidly building propane. Right up, as I said, and only cost a few eyebrow hairs. First went on the corn and peppers. The smell of burning corn silk and corn husks is intoxicating. Either it was that smell or the bottle of Balvenie Scotch (Caribbean Cask) we shared; but lets roll with the corn for now.
As the veggies neared completion of their time under the dome, we needed to prepare the steaks. Normally, I would sprinkle a pinch of salt on each, flip and repeat. Sometimes, I might add garlic powder and pepper to the mix to add a little something. Often, some Tony’s cajun seasoning does the trick. Alas, this is a boat I am selling, not a boat I am using often, so a lot of what normally would be on it, found its way home. This changed a relaxing afternoon into a full blown crisis. Mind you, not a Mayday, but likely PAN-PAN.
It is times like this that a sailor’s mind sharpens. One clearly considers the entirety of the emergency before them. Following closely upon proper characterization of the event, the sailor’s mind accounts for all resources that can be applied to task. For instance, I once used an old wine cork with rescue tape, to plug a leaky hose while heaved-to east of the Gulf Stream. Our resources where thin in this case. All we had were a bag of garlic potato chips, 4 beers and an empty bottle of Scotch. I know, that sounds like the actual emergency, but see where we still had beer.
It was in this trying situation that a hungry sailor’s mind is most addled and w
illing to try anything. THE CHIPS!!! Crushed up they just might have enough salt and garlic to save us from poor planning! And so necessity birthed a new recipe: Garlic Potato Chip Crusted Beef.