Galley Edition - 11 Crabs in 3 days

Audacious and Ludicrous Gourmet Crab Enjoyment in Puget Sound

( click on the Crab Dishes to get to the recipes)

They're Monsters!!!!!

6 Crabs on opening day means:

Day 1

Fresh crab, steamed and then cracked in the cockpit with Garlic Bread, and melted butter for dipping.  We had apples and carrots for lunch, and limes in our Mount Gay and tonics, so that counts as salad… Right?

Get out the crackers!
(Caught short?  Break out the pliers.)
The pointy toes mean crabs come with their own picks.

Day 2

Breakfast on the fly (coffee, juice & granola bars) to pick up the pot as we head north to the islands. 

5 more Dungeness!  (it would have been 6, but 1 was a survivor – jumped off the boat!)

Lunch that day – Crab Melts and apples. This was especially appropriate while ‘hove to’ waiting for a favorable tide, at an infamous passage.  The leg meat from the 1^st 6 crabs created an impressive pile of Crab Salad.  Gourmand proportions.

A 2 mile walk (round trip) for provisions landed us a half dozen eggs, buttermilk pancake mix and some veggies. 

Dinner that night – another crab crackin’ good time! 

And the trek to the store meant a Big Green Salad – we were ready for it!  What a way to start the season.

Day 3

Remember those 6 eggs we got last night?  That means breakfast is Crab Omelets.  Too much you say?  But wait, there’s more.

Lunch, after nesting at a mooring with our cruising partners, is Crab Cakes!  More salad on the side.

Dinner – more Big Green Salad, and a pile of Crab Salad made from all the leg meat left.  A loaf of sourdough, and correct beverages make it a lazy summer dinner to write home about.

Day 4

I know I said 3 days, but as long as we eat it all by the end of lunch, it counts as 3.

So for breakfast, a share of the lump meat goes into Crab Crepes.  That packet of buttermilk pancake mix thinned way down made this happen.

And for that last lunch?  Crab Quesadillas.  If you happened to bring tortillas you are all set.  If not, left over crepes might even be better.

What happens next?  Sail around outside your crabbing grounds, and eat some of the food you had actually packed for the cruise.  And then catch some more crab.

Crab by the bucketful!

Cider Tour!

 A little while ago I went on a tour of North Western Washington Cider.

We only really had 1 day to do it.  We could spend Saturday night out, but had to be back on Sunday afternoon.  Amazingly - we did it, and did it in fine style.

These cider spots are all pretty new.  If you are looking for consistency... look elsewhere.  If you are looking to be in on the birth of a vibrant Washington State cider industry, strap on the shoes, choose a designated driver, and take the car for a spin!

The MAP:  Check out the cider tour on Google Maps
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=104096926033029904079.000491d73bd76b3d6ab8e&ll=48.078079,-122.601929&spn=1.005604,1.947327&z=9

The places:

1. Red Barn Cider (http://redbarncider.com/) - An impressive selection of tastes.  And it will be different next pressing.  In Mt. Vernon, about 1.5 hrs north of Seattle.  It seems a little far, but it is the gateway to the rest.  Show up there at 11 (or call and arrange to show up at 10:30, so lunch is more relaxing on Whidbey Is.)

***take the Keystone/Coupville - Port Townsend Ferry (GET A RESERVATION!!! ) *** don't meant to yell, but this is essential.  We were on the 1:30 ferry.  Just had to get there at 1ish.

2.  Wildfire Cider (http://www.wildfirecider.com/) - Pretty close to Port Townsend.  The 1st place we went.  Be sure to call and see if they are open.  They weren't the weekend we went (fooey!).  2 food festivals that weekend, I s'pose I can forgive them.  I need to taste their stuff.  It can be found at Central Market... and other places.  Lesson, call ahead.

3.  Eaglemount Cider (http://www.eaglemountwinery.com/)  The largest selection... and nice and dry.  May I also recommend the Ginger Cider.  They are also a respectable winery.  But we were just tasting cider.

4.Finn River Farm (http://www.finnriverfarm.com/) Apple cider champagne?  Well, if done right, with cider rather than dessert (eating out of hand apples) YES!  it can be done.... and done well.  Surprisingly well.  This was a great last stop.  Their Perry (pear dessert cider) was my favorite.  And it was practically back to back with the place we spent the night.

Nap Time and where we spent the night...

5.  Solstice Farm (http://www.solsticefarmstay.com/)  A comfortable, homey clean place with a wonderful atrium, and a crazy good breakfast.  Engage in conversation knowing it will be an extended engagement if you want it.

6.  Dinner in Port Hadlock/Irondale area.  We went to Halibut and the Scampi's, but if you want to really Do-it-up-Right, check out the Ajax Cafe.  http://www.ajaxcafe.com/funstuff.htm

Pick a designated driver (the one who has to spit), and go for it!

7. Take the Kingston - to - Edmonds ferry back.  If you get on before Noon.  Then you are home free.  And you will wonder why you don't go to the Olympic Peninsula more often.  It is SO close!

Have fun.