Go Back   Shipping History > Shipping Discussion > Mess Deck > The Galley

Tricks of The Trade

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 30th April 2017, 17:04
Kevjacko Kevjacko is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Posts: 36
Tricks of The Trade

OK shipmates, the first Galley thread on the new Shipping History site. It's an honour.
I quite often get asked when entertaining mates where I learned some of my cooking methods, and who taught me some of the tricks I use. Common one grinding garlic down with a pinch of salt using the flat of the knife until it forms a paste.
'At sea' is the reply to most of them. Sometimes when I cook using tricks and methods learned years back my mind wanders back to the day, and all the cooks that taught me them. My cooking skills are really a bastardization of all of them combined.
Any favourite tricks or tips out there?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 30th April 2017, 17:24
Varley's Avatar
Varley Isle of Man Varley is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Isle of Man, G.B.
Posts: 2,403
If an amateur may contribute.

If you like scrambled eggs with lots of pepper try instead chopping a quarter of a hot chilli and adding in before heating.

Smoked Haddock poached in milk. Again, if you need pepper on poached haddock, instead soak one chilli per pint of milk overnight and use that to poach the fish.

Seems to work with dishes cooked with dairy stuff certainly does not work when boiling gammon, almost unpleasant
__________________
David V
Lord Finchley tried to mend the electric light
Himself. It struck him dead and serve him right
It is the duty of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 30th April 2017, 17:54
tony allen England tony allen is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: aughton ormskirk lancs
Posts: 69
kev ...too many little tricks to mention ..before I was bedridden and son and daughter in law came to look after me she was a poor cook so she asked me how to do little things first .how to make a decent gravy ect .4 years late she has turned into a girl willing to try her hand at anything .soups where her big thing this winter.made me a thia curry this week .you right the little things from years ago just worm their way back. what the worst disaster thats happened in the galley in your time the would be a goof thread for you to start....cheers tony ex blue.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 2nd May 2017, 22:36
Kevjacko Kevjacko is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Posts: 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony allen View Post
kev ...too many little tricks to mention ..before I was bedridden and son and daughter in law came to look after me she was a poor cook so she asked me how to do little things first .how to make a decent gravy ect .4 years late she has turned into a girl willing to try her hand at anything .soups where her big thing this winter.made me a thia curry this week .you right the little things from years ago just worm their way back. what the worst disaster thats happened in the galley in your time the would be a goof thread for you to start....cheers tony ex blue.
Soups are a Saturday morning job for me Tony, depending on what I've got left to use up. I empty the fridge of last week's left over odds and sods before loading the shopping in. A big pan of whatever the ingredients make best is normally the result. Good idea on the Galley disasters thread. I'll start one off.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 3rd May 2017, 00:30
tony allen England tony allen is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: aughton ormskirk lancs
Posts: 69
your right sat morning soup from the left over. putting the right things together always good for me .aspesh when its cold outside and leave the kitchen open bit .young one nowadays just throw food away. my mum would as they say box their ears .cheers
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 3rd May 2017, 13:39
Dartskipper's Avatar
Dartskipper United Kingdom Dartskipper is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Paignton. Devon.
Posts: 1,246
Images: 293
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony allen View Post
your right sat morning soup from the left over. putting the right things together always good for me .aspesh when its cold outside and leave the kitchen open bit .young one nowadays just throw food away. my mum would as they say box their ears .cheers
You are so right Tony. Back in the days (when we were lads!) Monday night was almost always bubble and squeak for supper. If and cold meat was left from the Sunday roast, that was stripped off the bone and reconstituted with some onion, pepper and anything else to bind it together as "rissoles."
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 3rd May 2017, 17:13
BobClay's Avatar
BobClay United Kingdom BobClay is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cornwall UK
Posts: 1,530
Images: 73
My tip for the day:

I find my electric tin opener to be far safer that the old fashioned jab and cutter tool.
__________________
"I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
Corporal Hicks
(Actually Ripley said it first.)
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 3rd May 2017, 19:37
Pat Kennedy's Avatar
Pat Kennedy Pat Kennedy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Wirral
Posts: 78
Images: 72
Kev,
Where did ship's cooks learn how to make those rubber fried eggs?
Pat
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 3rd May 2017, 20:03
tony allen England tony allen is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: aughton ormskirk lancs
Posts: 69
from yellow rubber ducks of course...
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 4th May 2017, 08:50
Ray's Avatar
Ray United Kingdom Ray is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Sunderland
Posts: 30
Images: 49
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Kennedy View Post
Kev,
Where did ship's cooks learn how to make those rubber fried eggs?
Pat
:
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 4th May 2017, 15:05
sibby sibby is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: cromer norfolk uk
Posts: 50
Images: 6
On the first ship I was on we used to pay for our own grub, as we had no radar we very often had to anchor in fog in enclosed waters. So sometimes we ran out of grub, but the mate and second engineer used to find rotten veg and meat bones and make the best soup, covered with a clacker made by the mate. Very tasty when you are hungry.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 8th May 2017, 16:37
Kevjacko Kevjacko is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Gateshead, Tyne & Wear
Posts: 36
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pat Kennedy View Post
Kev,
Where did ship's cooks learn how to make those rubber fried eggs?
Pat
Hi Pat.
Funny you should ask that. By some strange coincidence in my experience eggs only went wubbery when someone upset the cook. Strange how that used to happen.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 8th May 2017, 17:07
BobClay's Avatar
BobClay United Kingdom BobClay is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cornwall UK
Posts: 1,530
Images: 73
Probably the origin of that old joke that when you complained to the Ship's Cook and got the reply: "You don't like, eat somewhere else !!"
__________________
"I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
Corporal Hicks
(Actually Ripley said it first.)
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 8th May 2017, 19:29
tony allen England tony allen is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: aughton ormskirk lancs
Posts: 69
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ray View Post
:
we'll on the bluies we would put a large tray in the oven layed out with bacon ..when nice and crisp remove and add little more dripping crack 3 dos eggs and put back in the oven.. if you where doing twenty or so for the crew and stewards .saloon were always fried as ask for .never had a rubber egg fried my own over easy ....
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 15th May 2017, 08:49
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dublin,but I'd rather be in Stavanger.
Posts: 2,921
After the 4 to 8 morning watch the Engineers deserve "Eggs to Order". The hung over buggers on day work were very lucky to get the rubber eggs with the crispy rims.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 15th May 2017, 10:55
BobClay's Avatar
BobClay United Kingdom BobClay is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cornwall UK
Posts: 1,530
Images: 73
When we were kids ... we used DREAM of a rubber egg.
__________________
"I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
Corporal Hicks
(Actually Ripley said it first.)
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 17th May 2017, 19:33
Pat Kennedy's Avatar
Pat Kennedy Pat Kennedy is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Wirral
Posts: 78
Images: 72
Quote:
Originally Posted by tony allen View Post
we'll on the bluies we would put a large tray in the oven layed out with bacon ..when nice and crisp remove and add little more dripping crack 3 dos eggs and put back in the oven.. if you where doing twenty or so for the crew and stewards .saloon were always fried as ask for .never had a rubber egg fried my own over easy ....
Tony, by the time they reached the sailor's mess you could play ping pong with them.
I soon learned that omelettes, even cooked with only one egg, were a better bet, and from then on most of my seagoing breakfasts were omelette butties.
Regards,
Pat
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 18th May 2017, 00:07
Varley's Avatar
Varley Isle of Man Varley is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Isle of Man, G.B.
Posts: 2,403
Lucky man. You'd have thought an idiot could make a good omelette. Not this one I regret.
__________________
David V
Lord Finchley tried to mend the electric light
Himself. It struck him dead and serve him right
It is the duty of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 18th May 2017, 20:18
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dublin,but I'd rather be in Stavanger.
Posts: 2,921
Did you ever see the omelettes' made on Saturday Kitchen? I wouldn't give them to Fido.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 18th May 2017, 23:16
Varley's Avatar
Varley Isle of Man Varley is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Isle of Man, G.B.
Posts: 2,403
That's because Fido wouldn't trust anyone who watched day-time television.
__________________
David V
Lord Finchley tried to mend the electric light
Himself. It struck him dead and serve him right
It is the duty of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 19th May 2017, 12:25
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dublin,but I'd rather be in Stavanger.
Posts: 2,921
I'm a bit of a slob and watch the occasional day-time programme.
there are enough do-gooders to carry out the works of mercy:-

To feed the hungry.
To give water to the thirsty.
To clothe the naked.
To shelter the homeless.
To visit the sick.
To visit the imprisoned, or ransom the captive.
To bury the dead.

To instruct the ignorant.
To counsel the doubtful.
To admonish the sinners.
To bear patiently those who wrong us.
To forgive offenses .
To comfort the afflicted.
To pray for the living and the dead.

Whilst not a practicing Do-Gooder I generally adhere to the above with the exception of "To forgive offenses", forgiveness is not an Ulster trait.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 19th May 2017, 15:38
Varley's Avatar
Varley Isle of Man Varley is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Isle of Man, G.B.
Posts: 2,403
I have not (yet) visited the imprisoned. To admonish sinners seems a little hypocritical. Sod, completely, forgive offenses and bear patiently those who wrong me (unless it is only the patience of one waiting for the hangman to arrive). Time spent praying would be better spent in attending to the other commendable 'beatitudes'.

And if that's all there is on daytime television I would fit into the list something about steering the viewer away from this perversion of entertainment.
__________________
David V
Lord Finchley tried to mend the electric light
Himself. It struck him dead and serve him right
It is the duty of the wealthy man
To give employment to the artisan
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 2nd June 2017, 15:44
Engine Serang Northern Ireland Engine Serang is online now
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dublin,but I'd rather be in Stavanger.
Posts: 2,921
Epsom Derby Meeting now on ITV, not to be missed.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 2nd June 2017, 15:52
Dave McGouldrick Dave McGouldrick is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Forfar Scotland UK
Posts: 192
'Who called the cook a c***t?'
'Who called the c***t a cook?' - Of course you can substitute any other position for cook - Mate is good.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 3rd June 2017, 09:14
Naytikos Cayman Islands Naytikos is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cayman Islands
Posts: 128
My first trip on a 'real' ship (i.e. not a trawler), Benmacdhui. I always asked for a hard-boiled egg at breakfast. One day the egg was served barely boiled at all; the white was still translucent. Not being one to cause a fuss I began to eat it only for someone (don't remember who, could have been the 3/E), to call the steward and insist he take it back. There was a general hubub and I wished I could crawl away and hide.
That evening the same steward came and warned me that his boss, the Chief Steward, had taken umbrage and was blaming me, so had begun boiling an egg from then with a view to it being served when I requested a hard boiled egg at breakfast the next day. So, he said, I will order a fried egg for you without saying who it's for.
So said, so done: the next day I got a fried egg and apparently the Chief Steward went ballistic at his carefully prepared hard-as-a-rock egg not being claimed.

Things like that were one of the reasons I left British ships at the first opportunity.
Reply With Quote
Post Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 16:23.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.