Great New Cookbook for all Boaters

Carolyn (left) and Jan (right) with Lin and Larry Pardey at the Annapolis Sailboat Show. Lin says, “The Boat Galley Cookbook answers almost every question I have ever been asked about cooking afloat.” - The Boat Galley Cookbook Carolyn Shearlock

Cover 160 wide - The Boat Galley Cookbook © Carolyn Shearlock

And they discovered that there really wasn’t a comprehensive cookbook designed for cruisers. They made do with the cookbooks they had, adapting recipes to the realities of cooking aboard a boat. When they couldn't get foods such as sour cream, English muffins, spaghetti sauce or yogurt, they learned to make our own. Other times, they experimented with substituting ingredients – maybe the result wasn’t identical, but it was still tasty.

And as Carolyn and Jan traded their recipes, tips and substitutions with each other and other cruisers, they realized that they weren’t the only ones who wanted a comprehensive galley reference. So they set out to write it, turning their folders of notes into The Boat Galley Cookbook, researching and experimenting whenever they found gaps in their knowledge.

You could say that it took them four years from 2008 to 2012 to write the book, or you could say that they have been working on it since 1998 when they went on their first bareboat charter prior to owning their own boats. But the good news is that it’s now available (links to retailers are at the bottom of this article).

At 451 pages, The Boat Galley Cookbook is a comprehensive galley guide needed on every boat, whether for a weekend sail or a cruise around the world:

Inside you'll find:
• 800+ recipes made from readily-obtainable ingredients with hand utensils, including numerous choices to suit every taste: not just one cake but 15, 19 ways to prepare fish, 9 regional barbeque sauces, and so on.

• Step-by-step directions to give even 'non-cooks' the confidence they can turn out tasty meals without prepared foods.

• Practical tips from substitutions, provisioning and food storage to troubleshooting oven hot spots and more.

• Detailed instructions on unfamiliar things like making yogurt and bread, grilling virtually every food imaginable, preparing and cooking freshly-caught fish and seafood, cutting up and boning meat, cooking in a Thermos and baking on the stove top, as well as lots of tips on how to do things more easily in a tiny, moving kitchen.

• All this in an easy-to-navigate format including side tabs on the Contents to help you find your way and extensive cross reference lists at the end of each chapter.

The Boat Galley Cookbook has been out for about a month now, and it’s already getting rave reviews from cruisers who have used it.

'The Boat Galley Cookbook answers almost every question I have ever been asked about cooking afloat.' -- Lin Pardey, voyager and author

'Carolyn and Jan have created a practical and incredibly useful guide for a boat galley that I anticipate will become THE staple cruising galley cookbook.' -- Brittany, a full-time cruiser and author of Windtraveler.net

'What a great reference. . . not only recipes but everything else you need to know, . . .whether it's for a weekend or you're a full-time cruiser. It's an amazing compilation of tips, tricks and methods to live and eat well while cruising. A great book and well worth the money. Don't go cruising without it!' -- Margaret, a part-time cruiser, on Amazon

'Shearlock and Irons share everything you need to know to make great meals in a cramped galley and have fun doing it.' -- Beth Leonard, author of The Voyager’s Handbook

'I recommend this book to all new as well as seasoned sailors.' -- Sue, a full-time cruiser, on Facebook

'I LOVE LOVE LOVE this cookbook!' -- Leslie on Pinterest

The Boat Galley Cookbook is available in over 90 countries worldwide in print form – electronic editions (Kindle, Nook, iTunes and more) will be available shortly. Get yours now!

In Australia you can get it at Fishpond. Here's the link: http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Boat-Galley-Cookbook-Carolyn-Shearlock-Jan-Irons/9780071782364