The Galley - Must haves, Don't Needs, Wish List

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Ha ha! I've been working on simplifying my palate! I always say "we eat simply" but I found myself a bit overwhelmed attempting to cook some favorites on our "new" boat. On our old boat we were only out for a week and cooked camp style meals. But our new boat is our home so I attempted meals like I normally cooked at home.

Funny enough the issue isn't the cooking, it's the clean up! One little bitty sink makes the chore harder.
Extra counter space, including that for resting a large basin on to act as your 2nd sink, can be added fairly easily. You simply build a large folding shelf onto the end of your galley cabinetry. Lifting it up, & locking it in place like the leaf of a folding table when needed. Which, such extra counter space generally protrudes a bit into the walkway that leads from one's companionway steps through the center of the saloon.

The other option is to add a 2nd, recessed sink. And to recess it just enough so that the (custom) cutting board cover for it fits flush with the tops of the rest of your galley. Thus you get a seamless work space that converts to a sink once the meal's over, & then back again.

I'm also trying to develop a liking for instant coffe, black. This would really cut down on time spent chasing coffee and cream. And storing the stuff! So far, no dice! I have found Oro brand coffee OK, but but.....so we stopped at Costco and bought 15 lbs more coffee. Am I hopeless?

Good coffee is a necessary vice. And one that I doubt will prevent your entry into Valhalla. Quite the opposite most likely. Dehydrated coffee is why astronauts return to earth. They want the real deal

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

A question on this. What do you do in terms of maint. on the grinder in order to keep it free from the ravages of corrosion? Since some of them have a good number of steel, & aluminum parts. Which, if said parts get oiled, then ground grains will clump & stick to said corrosion preventative, non?
Though I know that some metal bits, much like my carbon steel cleaver, both take on a protective patina with time. And are kept corrosion free (mostly) by frequent use.

Its a Moligrano electric grinder.. stored in a ziplock bag and use it for coffee beans and whole spices.. clean it with a half inch paint brush.

[SecondBase]

For galley - def subscribe to "THE BOAT GALLEY" blog. Well-curated discussion on a surprising mix of topics and free. Helped me troubleshoot my fridge 12v issue-more value than I expected from the title.

I'm in week 2 of hand ground coffee and with the flavor bump it is now hard to imagine going back to preground. The peacefulness of the GF sleeping thru while you hand grind starts a misty morning on the hook in a certain civilized way.

Over time you might want to convert everything you run to 12v or manual with manual slightly preferred. I demand 30 years of trouble free service from my ceramic manual coffee grinder which is why I chose manual. The working spare is used to grind white pepper.

We got rid of the actual trash can when it obsolesced in favor of a 10x12x6" crate with a plastic grocery bag in it for trash. Keep the bin right on the counter. Tie off after the meal and into a kitchen size trash bag kept in the dink.

Setup your dining table as a chopping station for your sous. This also keeps at least one crew member out of the way.

I have a double sink which people compliment but honestly haven't figured out much benefit beyond rinsing dishes?

In port I use a higher end (maybe $300) induction burner + cast iron. On the hook Origo. Buy a fire blanket. And remember propane is great, until it isn't...glad to share a second hand horror story. There's some American fixation with propane which I suffered from as well. Would NEVER have it on my boat again. With the fatalities we perhaps don't get enough "after" perspective on propane the photo of the dock fire doesn't communicate the lesson learned.

The Compleat Cruiser has some out of print yet outstanding tips for galley cleanup on a simple boat. Don't expect to hear those tips at the boat show focused on curved wood veneer.

I'm tossing my magma grill which has always (for me) been more of a chicken briquette maker than a proper grill. The Le Creuset grill pan is OUTSTANDING at extending the illusion around my culinary skills.

Lastly source locally by paying rapt attention to the harbor you are in. There may be a lobster boat coming in nearby twice a day but you only pick up on that by observation.

[Ida_Lewis]

This looks interesting for coffee, although I haven't tried it yet:

https://www.suddencoffee.com

I tried a French Press, but hated cleaning it, so I moved to this, and make the coffee directly into a thermos pitcher:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I love my little grinder, works great and easy to store:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And I like this coffee: Miscela d'Oro Americano Drip Coffee Beans [2.2 lb] | Espresso Zone

[JPA Cate]

Sea Dreaming, and whoever else is interested:

Jim loves his coffee. (I am a tea drinker.) We started with a manual grinder for the coffee beans, and it took a wave and rusted solid. So, i bought him an electric grinder, and it is still in use, as of yesterday. He does drink instant on passages, if it's too bumpy to brew coffee, but passages are really a small part of cruising, most time is spent at anchor or tied up somewhere. If you guys love coffee, don't sweat it, enjoy it. You may even get to where you roast your own in a cast iron skillet, as green coffee beans keep better than already roasted ones.

Jim built me a drop down leaf table to extend galley space in our first "Insatiable", it really makes a difference, and UNCIVILIZED's approach to it really will work well. If you have a salt water pump in the galley, do pre-wash with it, then dishes into the largest bowl. Finish washing. Let air dry, if there's time. Dry and put away if necessary. (On passage, it's sometimes more prudent to dry and put away right then.)

Ann

[Hudson Force]

Man, I do love my coffee too! I started drinking the stuff when I was about 55. I drop a few teaspoons of the pre-ground stuff in a filter and flip on the switch, but the stuff comes out disturbingly hot. So, I pour a little cold water into the mix. 'makes it easy to be done with. Yeah, nothing like a good cup of coffee in the morning for the non-discriminating palate!

Sometimes I let my second cup sit around for a few hours and it's still good. The stuff never goes flat or spoils! Perfect for on the boat.

[redhead]

I bought a Black & Decker grinder for $10 about 15 years ago fully expecting it to break and then I could get the expensive one I really wanted. Wouldn't you know, the B&D worked back in NY for 8 years, traveled across country in our RV, moved onto the boat almost 2 years ago, and is still rust free and working a charm. No Zip lock, no nothing. I don't understand it myself!

Sent from my SM-T550 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[SecondBase]

If it works it works and something 15 years old is often better quality. [emoji106] one galley wishlist that I initially thought was a negative was the Up Galley in my Pilothouse. Having had a view while cooking and socially connected aspects of galley and cockpit at the same level I realized it more like the open floor plan so prominent in new home design. I'm definitely sticking with the up galley.

An Origo can also cook easily in the cockpit or beach. I'm torn between the 2 burner and single burner. I have the double but rarely use the second burner.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by jcapo

Magma Nesting Cookware

I don't know that we would have ever bought that product but it was a gift and they are wonderful. Solved a lot of storage problems.

John

I have a set and love it. One of the best features is the fact that the pot handle comes off and you can use it on multiple pots. Makes cooking with numerous pots on a small stove easier, and makes washing them in a small sink easier with no handle.

A warning to those using Correlle plates (and I do still use them); they are tempered glass and if they shatter, they explode into an absolutely mind-boggling number of small razor sharp shards. Be careful that they are stowed well during a passage as the clean up after one shatters is time-consuming and a bit nerve wracking if in a seaway.

For a french press I use an OXO plastic version, uninsulated but very compact and sturdy. Pour off one cup and the rest goes neatly in 500 ml thermos which I take up on deck and fits in a cup holder at the helm.

Also have a one cup Melitta gold cone filter for one-off cups of coffee. Have always kept one of these around since college:

[Tafa]

Originally Posted by Tortuga's Lie

We also have a small set of good chef knives in a wooden knife block secured to the bulkhead with a shield that prevents knives from flying.

I would love to see how you made it..... wondering if you can post a drawing or a picture (if you have ample internet of course)

Cheers,

Tafa

[Sea Dreaming]

Originally Posted by Ida_Lewis

This looks interesting for coffee, although I haven't tried it yet:

https://www.suddencoffee.com

I tried a French Press, but hated cleaning it, so I moved to this, and make the coffee directly into a thermos pitcher:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I love my little grinder, works great and easy to store:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


And I like this coffee: Miscela d'Oro Americano Drip Coffee Beans [2.2 lb] | Espresso Zone

I just checked out that "sudden coffee" - Holy over priced caffeine fix Batman! 8 cups for 19 bucks?

Thankfully, if one is in Mexico or other places in Latin America, one can buy "oro" and it's not too bad! And far far less expensive. Our last purchase was about 2.25 for a big jar (about 60 cups).

Ann, I would be interested in roasting my own coffee. If I come across green beans along the way, I will give it a try!

[JPA Cate]

^^^^I haven't done it myself, it was a friend who did, and she said a heavy skillet was necessary, and agitating the beans, so they get an even roast. Roast 'em as dark as you like....

ANn

[Tortuga's Lie]

Originally Posted by Tafa

I would love to see how you made it..... wondering if you can post a drawing or a picture (if you have ample internet of course)

Cheers,

Tafa

Let's see if I can post it..........it shows the plexiglass guard in the "open" position. This guard swings upward and pins in place preventing the knives from falling out, if ever inverted! When I built it, I angled the bottom of the wood block so that the guard can swing under it plus you can easily clean under it by doing so.

[Tafa]

Brilliant.... I will definitely make a similar one for my boat.... Thank you so much for sharing...

Tafa