Can you follow a recipe?
marinated artichoke hearts over egg white, cherry tomatoes stuffed with mozarella, parmessan, olives and capers
Well that’s what my boss asked me over lunch while anchored at San Fruttuoso just outside Portofino.
Before we go to that let me tell you where we have been cruising, before coming to Portofno and my worries not having the chef on board and my provisioning.
It’s been over 12 days that I have not had day off. The family arrived for the May 1st weekend and spent our days cruising the area, anchoring at Cap d’ Antibes – their villa is not too far from the famous Hotel du Cap and some days at Cap Ferrat. On those days of course we had C the family chef.
a joy to get away from the boat I went up above the hill and saw this breathtaking view
On the kid’s last day we served lunch for the whole family on the deck. Chef made leek and mushroom pie, chicken skewered on lemon grass and the usual lunch for the kids: boiled eggs, tuna, rice cakes, sliced cucumber and carrots.
Then we pushed the plan for Portofino. The initial plan was to leave Tuesday before lunch giving me time to shop food for the crew and some fresh greens for them as they love vegetables crudités and the dips I do for them.
fresh crudites which I prepare almost daily, I just vary the greens and dips.
I normally just stick around to their favourite, greek yoghurt which I add dill, chives sometimes fromage blanc.
The other favourite is avocado dip. Sometimes I add fluid crème fraiche or mousse of fromage blanc to make it less dense.
As soon the kids left with C (the bloody chef was laughing at me when I asked me if they were flying commercial…. Private of course!!!) the boss decided to meet us up in Cap Ferrat for the night, anchor there and early morning to depart for Portofino.
yummy focaccia which the boys – captain and deckhand love so much
Oh dear. Well I know that even I haven’t got much for the crew I also know I can feed them pasta all week long. Spaghetti with pesto sauce etc as I will be given a chance to shop then I should not worry.
But they did asked me if I can cook for them.
Cook???
I rang the driver…. I said to him send me what ever kosher meat there is available at the fridge. Mrs G cereals and fresh milk.
But then the Captain said nothing to worry they will eat out. But I had to do them breakfast.
My boss idea of French toast actually sent me floored. He asked me to dip white bread slices on the beaten eggs and fry them and serve his fried bread with fried cherry tomatoes.
Luckily the green grocer at Portofino sold sweet cherry tomatoes.
portofino, as the boat was entering the port i grabbed my camera before my hands get full handling the fenders and the lines. I love these buildings and the quaint cafes and bars on this side.
Mrs G is easy with her porridge. C before he left has given me instructions what to do. But one day too she asked me to go to Portofino’s only bakery to buy some PANETTONE GENOVESSE.
It felt like Christmas. Toasted panettone with melted butter. Heaven!!! I gave some to the crew as well.
Then on Wednesday evening just before they went out for dinner she called me to the salon.
They want to go somewhere in a beautiful bay to anchor and lunch.
Lunch? “Shalimar, can you prepare us lunch? Maybe if you can find a good mozzarella and fine olive oil…. Tuna fillets and if you can find ruculla?
And perhaps a selection of foccacia.”
Well as long money is not a question then I found the finest mozzarella and olive oil. Even got potted basil and some marinated artichoke hearts and peppers stuffed with tuna.
portofino at night
So we anchored in front of San Fruttuoso. If you hike this place along the ridges from Portofino this is around 2 hrs walk. A marvellous view awaits you.
So comes lunch. I made capressese. Mix salad leaves with shaven parmesan. A plate of with tuna fillets, grated carrots, chopped celery, sweet corn, radishes and the stuffed pepper. I served them foccacia formaggio, naturalle and with some olives.
Served them espresso with bacci (kisses) and coconut macaroons which I found at the bakery. Somehow these tiny goodies are so good that even the owner kept telling me if my boss love her desserts, famous Italian people at Dolce Gabbana keep going to her place. OH well…..
Back to the question if I can follow a recipe.
I think its gotten so obvious I can cook for the food that come out from the galley are very much well presented and with great taste (easy Shalimar!!!)
behind some restaurants before dinner start i saw these kitchen crew having a break.
I was serving them when Mrs G asked if I can follow a recipe. Since am a bad liar I said yes.
Mr G: What kind of food can you cook?
Me: Basically what comes my cravings dictate me to cook. But I do European food a lot.
Mrs G: How can you call your cooking style?
Me: ( I nearly cracked up since I have been caught unprepared for this trip) I said basically what I have been serving you the last few days is what I call CREATIVITY.
What ever the green grocer has available and what I can find at the fridge.
Mr G: Asian? Spring rolls, noodles….
Can I deny that? Luckily the boat rolled slightly bit and the whole conversation ended.
the galley when I did the boss breakfast.
Then I text to Chef who is happy cooking for the kids at Regent’s Park:
We need to discuss seriously our provisions for the coming trips.
We will be cruising for 3 weeks in Aeolian islands, Amalfi and Capri this July.
Will post other photos on other blog… click here…
and chef C feeling unwell after the boat rolled slightly bit…..this was somewhere in Cannes
I can’t follow a recipe since I am a bit rebellious. Usually i just whacked up something i found in the fridge or whatever is left behind.
I rarely follow recipes – i love to play with my food too much.
Those vegetable crudites looks so fresh. I always thought that french toast always has milk with the egg? But then i’m not French – i could be wrong. hehe. But i used to have this served to me by a friend.
It’s been lovely reading your adventures. Keep posting them.
By the way, those cocktail sticks looks fab! Did you make them yourself or did you buy it made? I have plenty of tiny shells – i might just copy this… you don’t mind ha? So creative ka nga kasi.
Take care Sha.
I love the travel and scenic fotos of Portofino inday Sha so keep it coming.
I can follow a recipe but I always end up putting a little bit of a twist to it. Of course, it doesn’t always work out and then I berate myself for not sticking to what was written. Hahaha!
Keep the updates coming!!!!! Yo know aside from creativity, there’s one more thing your food has: DRAMA. 🙂
Oh my Lordy what a breathtaking view. I wish I’m with you enjoying the walking on that hill. I can’t follow recipe, even for a salad like that. Honestly, I don’t know what mozarella, parmessan or capers is anyways. Kapag may dips, it’s pikka-pikka food to me, hehehe.
How are you my lovely chef?
Sha,most of the time they do not give the exact amount or quantity of ingredients in a recipes… so often times we end up adjusting to our taste…
I think you got lot of imaginations as you love to cook too.
Working and having good life at the same time with all these travel experience. Lucky you!
that is a relly weird french toast but it soudns yummy (I love cherry tomatoes!).
Your Portofino pix are amazing… Keep it coming!
hi sha! Parang ang sarap ng work mo ‘no? You get to travel a lot. Sobrang sosing ng mga boss mo ha. Kaiingit hehe
Nice to see what you are up to Shaz!
hi sha!
busy busy!
i normally follow recipes the first time i attempt on cooking something new..but the diychef in me always daunts me to try a different approach most of the time…well other than the lack of the required ingredient at times…
when will i ever get to portofino..that night shot is definetely lovely…
btw, busy as you ang your prob with internet now..i am tagging you just in case you haven’t been tagged yet!
hahaha, lingaw kaayo ko sa imong mga food and travel adventures, sha! uy, mura ug ma-‘discover’ man ka nga chef-in-the-making. 😉
you know, i can follow a recipe about half-way…and then the ‘creative’ side in me takes over and i throw all caution to the wind and start doing it ‘my own way’. 😉 most often it turns out fine, sometimes i make a mess of it. but hey, my guiding philosophy in the kitchen (and in life) has always been to “approach love and cooking with reckless abandon”. hahaha!
btw, your photos are great! i especially enjoyed the one of the kitchen crew taking a break. and also that of portofino at night…it just looks so dreamy and romantic. sigh.
Portofino. ahh, that town brings a lot of good memories!
I’d love to be in your shoes for a day, Sha, just to crusie around the Med in your boat na sosyal kaayo. 😉
ha ha …who’s weird relly or the french toast
portofino. wow! you certainly get to go to places that i read only from the books…
hi sha
great portofino night shot there! i normally follow recipes esp. when i’m cooking something new…but then the diychef in me prevails!:) well, other than the lack of the exact ingredient hehe…btw, i tagged you..if you have time, du’uh! or if you haven’t been tagged yet…
i know you’re lovin’ it..i mean your current job!
Charles pointed me over. You have gorgeous photos. I don’t think I could follow a recipe if my life depended on it. “Improv” is most of the way to “improve” after all.
I must admit I don’t often follow the recipes, but I follow my heart and that guides me to the right direction most of the time 🙂
Portofino is so beautiful, I was there before I had a digital camera. Your pictures are gorgeous! Fabulous “job” you’ve got.
Whatever fancy Italian words you said…makes my mouth water eventhough I have no idea what they were; they just sound so good! Anyhow, your job sounds so exciting; you have the luxury to see exotic or romantic places in Europe. I live vicariously through you haha. Good luck and stay safe. You can cook for me any day.
As you know I never follow a recipe. Everything is in “tantya” or approximations passed down from generations of cooks.
And your cooking style is creative indeed, haha! Tahnks for sharing Portofino…
Food, scenery, everything looks beautiful, Shalimar. I hope you’re doing well, I guess you don’t get sick on the boat 🙂 Take care.
Sha, your pics of Portofino are beautiful! I also enjoyed reading about your experiences there. Hope you continue to enjoy your stay there! Take care, God bless! 🙂
Sha,
Long time i live in italy but never been in portofino, great pics you got there! Living the life of the rich and famous huh!!! Ricepe, who follows them? Feed them with your art, that’s what i say.
Hey, the portofino aerial view foto shot you sent me was fantastic. Very pretty, thanks!
i enjoyed reading your stories sha… not only the food but all the adventure and those photos of beautiful places….
Sha, I totally envy your itineraries! The aeolian islands are the “it” place for those is the know…any with private yachts and planes…
Hi, very nice pics. Especially that one on the night. Was the Falo of San Giorgio right?
Take more Portofino pics here
This small village is very unique.
Jeff.