Emily Comes to Visit - Chatting & Snacking

When Larr and I had dinner at Cascades, inside of the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, I started my meal with a charcuterie, cheese and fruit plate. It was so much fun to eat that I decided that I wanted to create something similar for Ethan when he came home. Ethan has been home for a while, so I was just waiting for the right night to fix up this treat.

On Wednesday I had jury duty and got out a bit early, so I decided to make a nice meal. Ethan called me that afternoon to let me know that Emily, his good friend and favorite chef from the boat, was in town. He asked if she could join us and of course the answer was, "yes, of course." So I set to work gathering the fun food and putting together a nice presentation. I always think of my friend, Natalie, when I do this kind of thing. She creates such treats for me often and with such lovely little bowls. Some time I will do this for her.

I enjoyed getting a chance to meet Emily in person and hear here stories of life on the boat. Since it is really just life to them, it was hard for them to come up with very many stories. Still, I liked hear about how the galley kitchen is set up, how she plans for, shops for and cooks for the crew. Ethan tells me that being the ship's cook is the hardest job on the boat.

I picked up most of the fresh stuff from Whole Foods where the produce guy and I tasted things to seek out the most interesting and in season varieties of fruits. I especially loved the Thomas Concord grapes. I also really like the figs, but everyone else was less thrilled about them. The mango was the best I have ever had.

Then I made my way over to the cheese and meat counter where the guys there let me have samples and offered suggestions. I told them about my plans and they were very enthusiastic assistants in putting together a great spread.

Emily told me a story about Ethan making breakfast on the boat one morning. On the days that Emily has off, other crew members have to step up to take her place for a meal and cook. Ethan has always loved to make breakfast, so he volunteered to take a shift. Emily explained that he would be making a fairly straightforward breakfast of eggs, toast, etc. She also handed him some cans of crescent rolls and told him to make them. He had never seen them so he cracked the can open. unwound the dough and seperated out the triangles. He then layed them out on a pan and cooked them until they were baked. He thought that it was a bit odd that they did not puff up. Later he learned that the triangles of dough were supposed to be rolled up and formed into crescents. Johan, the first mate, loved them. He told Ethan that his triangle toast was a lovely vessil to relay his marmalade to his mouth. Emily had to giggle at that a bit. The next time that someone was needed to take over a breakfast shift, Johan smiled and nudged Ethan to get him to volunteer as he wanted more triangle toast.