The Most Basic Essential Foods

[tamicatana]

I'm Louisiana born, Louisiana bred; when I die, I'll be Louisiana dead...

...and I grew up with 'hominy' being corn which is treated with lye - it's like giant corn kernels. Put it in cornbread for a fun texture.




'Grits' or 'hominy grits' are dried, ground hominy

[w1651]

Go to the local diner supply if there is one and get lots of beans and pasta. Buying in bulk saves money and you have a larger selection.
Other then that walk the jungle and the beaches for crab,coconuts,bananas,bread fruit, mango's,papayas, etc. Get a good book on foraging in the areas you plan to cruise.

[trimarannaga]

Mung beans and lentils for sprouting. Yes you can have fresh veggies without a fridge. Also high in protien. Lentils unsprouted cook very fast. TVP. Peanuts cashews almonds. Dried fruits. Cocoa (to make chocolate cake without eggs) popcorn. Cous cous. Boullion cubes and corn starch to make quick gravies. Oatmeal.

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

Is Hasty Pudding best made with wheat flour or ground corn? I've purchased wheat and a grain mill from Lehmans, but haven't read up enough on the end-to-end process for making bread to go through the process yet ...
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Corn or Indian mush:
A North American version, known as corn mush or Indian mush, is in its simplest form corn meal cooked slowly in water until it thickens. Like grits or polenta, it may be eaten hot, or left to cool and solidify, when slices of the cold pudding may then be fried. This hasty pudding was once a popular American food because of its low cost, long shelf life, and versatility, and was eaten with both sweet and savory accompaniments, such as maple syrup, molasses, or salted meat.

[hellosailor]

"Cocoa (to make chocolate cake"
I'm not sure why that would have anything to do with eggs, since I've made cake with both. But anyone planning to bake with cocoa should also remember, "plain" cocoa for baking is not the same as "Dutch Cocoa" which is alkali processed, and makes a better cup of hot cocoa for drinking. The processed cocoa will make all your baking collapse.

[trimarannaga]

You may consider putting whole bay leaves into containers holding your dry stores to keep weevils away. Or maybe it kills them. Put whole bay leaves right into the stuff and remove before cooking. Pasta. Rice. Flour. Oatmeal. Popcorn. Etc.

[Astrid]

Is Hasty Pudding best made with wheat flour or ground corn? I've purchased wheat and a grain mill from Lehmans, but haven't read up enough on the end-to-end process for making bread to go through the process yet ...

In America hasty pudding is normally made with corn meal or corn flour. In England, it is usually made with oatmeal or wheat (wheat and barley was also used in a similar dish called pulmentum by the ancient Romans).

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by tamicatana

I'm Louisiana born, Louisiana bred; when I die, I'll be Louisiana dead...

...and I grew up with 'hominy' being corn which is treated with lye - it's like giant corn kernels. Put it in cornbread for a fun texture.




'Grits' or 'hominy grits' are dried, ground hominy

Ahhhh... the good ole baby puke...

[bobconnie]

Just a couple of things from Connies galley, theres a great chocolate cake recipe that substutes Mayonaise for eggs!! makes a really good moist cake ! just google mayonaise cake for the recipe! And our favorite hot cereal was Roman meal, but no longer find it in stores! but theres still good ole Oat meal, and Malt O Meal !! And of course the Vacume packer! buy in large amounts put a months worth in what ever containers ya use aboard and the rest package and store ! Rice beans pasta will last for almost for ever vacume packed!! and can be stored almost anywhere aboard !!

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

Thanks Astrid !! Interesting to see the different cultures using different grains.
Wow, pulmentum ... 6 years of Latin and never heard of it, but I'm Googling it now and learning about the dish. Thanks again for the info !!
Arma virumque cano ...
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Sprouting lentils onboard ... Awesome idea - Reminds me of building a cruising hydronic garden youtube video:

Building a Cruising Hydroponic Garden v.2 - YouTube

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Grits are a Southern staple - More than just a "Taste of Louisianna"
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Cocoa - I'll have to do a LOT of research with chocolate. I had actually done some research on the cacao seeds and fermenting them to make chocolate, but unless it's mixed with dried milk (that's how they get the milk to mix), you don't get that classic chocolate taste we all know and love ...
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Substituting mayo for eggs makes sense because eggs are at the heart of making mayo ...
Oatmeal - Always a good choice ...
Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer - Oh yeah !!
Wow, I've got to start making notes from all of the great suggestions !! Thanks to everyone !!!

[Astrid]

Arma virumque cano

'. . .Troiae qui primus ab oris
Italiam, fato profugus, Laviniaque venit
litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto
vi superum saevae memorem Iunonis ob iram;'

[JPA Cate]

Dennis,

We cruised for a year without refrigeration, and much of the cooking had to do with how can you "spark up" canned foods. According to the flavors you like, onions keep well at bilge temperature; also cabbage, garlic, and non-refrigerated eggs. (We have used un-refrigerated eggs up till their third month, by which time, you can scramble them or use them in baking, but they have become too runny to fry). Dried herbs keep pretty well when their lids are air-tight.

"?? Um, without making the natives angry with you ??" Dennis, good question, 'cause everywhere in the islands, the land and the surrounding sea BELONGS to someone. It isn't like the US or Australia. So, "foraging" unless you have permission is stealing in the opinion of the locals, something you might want to avoid. Kind of ruins the illusion, but that truly is how it is. And you are an ambassador from your country, wherever you go!

Ann Cate, s/v Insatiable II

[D_e_n_n_i_s]

Astrid - Oh the memories ...

Ann - That's exactly the kind of info I love to find - What can be kept at bilge temp while cruising. I had heard about eggs before, but not with the timeframe that you kindly provided !! That gives me a much better idea of how long they will store. Onions, cabbage and garlic - All now on my list

I've stocked up on spices to help those "canned" resources along a bit.

I had heard before that any land with inhabitants requires caution as natives consider each plant/tree/resource as belonging to either someone in the community or to the community itself as a whole. I guess foraging must be left to deserted islands, which are usually deserted because they lack a wealth of resources, especially water or have an abundance of unwelcome resources, like rats. Though I've read that rat is better than chicken .... got to get over the psychology of eating a rodent ... lol - Cooked meat provides more nutrition than plants - Though for anyone looking to learn how to identify plants for consumption, there is no higher source of info that I trust than eattheweeds.org - I have books from others and have done a LOT of online research on plants. There is a lot of misinformation out there so be careful !! Hit eattheweeds.org to find Green Deane's youtube videos as well.

[JPA Cate]

Dennis, store the cabbages with their stems down, and peel off the outer leaves for use till you get through it. It's more work than whacking off what you want with a knife, but the cabbage lasts longer. We have friends who did their own canning, and they kept carrots out, as well. The carrots get limp, but cook up okay.

Good luck with it.

Ann Cate, s/v Insatiable II, lying Tasmania

[kingwoodie]

i will catch seafood and that's where my protein will come from.

I would reconsider that position. Most of what you catch will be polluted in some form and not good for you. The only thing that you should stock up in large quantities is toilet paper. Hard to get in some areas. As for a stock of supplies just go with what you usually have at home and only take enough to make it to your first stop and shop the local markets. It's fun and the new foods you see will help you understand the society your visiting. And don't mind the flies their just visiting too.

Kingwoodie
s/v The Lady Margaret Ann