Must Haves On Board?

[babykinz]

Not new to teh boards, just never posted, this board allows me to post in comfort.
Here is where I am at...
Within this next year my hubby and I will be living out our lifelong dream and buying a sailboat and moving in. Live Aboard
This means, for me , getting rid of all the crap ive collected over the years, which I will gladly do but want to know what to keep for the boat. I am thinking more in the lines of the Galley. I LOVE to cook and am having troubles with the thought of parting with my kitchen toys even though i know there will be no room.
So..whats in YOUR galley?
So far...I know I will bring my Magic Bullet, its small, so now what?'
I guess I should say we will be slipped snuggly into a marina with electricity so size is the only issue, right?

[camaraderie]

We got a lot of use out of a large toaster oven since it was big enough for meals AND had a broiler AND kept us from heating up the cabin with the propane stove. We MADE space for it!

[eryka]

Overall, it seems pretty personal - I'm a coffee junkie so the French press, filters, and thermos were a 'must.'

In general, we find that the amount of water to clean something is as much a limiting factor as space - that's why we have a couple of really nice knives but no food processor, for example.

[Melrna]

Here is a list in my galley of must haves:
Wok, I use this for everything.
Slice and dices hand machine - Plastic with stainless blades ( got it at the state fair)
Great knife set not good or OK but great knife set.
Large wide mouth thermos - I use it for keeping soups, chili and other foods hot during the day and for watches
Peculator coffee pot - I am addicted to coffee
Plastic bread pan that can be used in the oven. I cook not only bread but casseroles in it as well.
Hand chopper for ice and vegetables - Also bought at state fair.
Pressure cooker - Still learning how to use it
Just my short list. For a great book on the Galley I would highly recommend Amanda Neal's - The Essential Galley Companion.

[babykinz]

Thanks =)
I have been reading alot about pressure cookers on boats, I think I may have to buy one now and learn how to use it.

[eryka]

We also have lots of Tupperware containers or click-clacks for pasta, rice, flour, beans - you don't want to keep anything in cardboard or paper; transfer it to plastic. A good pan for broiling fish, one or two platters useful for appetizers (living aboard at a marina is a very social life), and a good rum punch recipe.

As for the gadgets, here's what we used to advise when we had the kitchen design-remodel business: Take everything out of your cabinets and drawers and put it in the basement. Now, go about your normal life. When you need a kitchen item, go downstairs and retrieve it and put it back in the cabinet. At the end of about a month, reevaluate. You will have a kitchen full of things that you really use. Then look at what's left downstairs. Sell it on ebay. Obviously you didn't need it.

[Cruisingdad]

We also keep: A cast iron skillet, nesting cookware (if you have not bought it you will love it... kinda expensive though), and totally agree about the good set of knives and pressure cooker and AManda Neale's book

Regarding the knives, we mounted ours on two magent bars behind a cabinet door. It would not seem to be safe to mount them out in the open (for obvious reasons) but truth be told, even during the hurricane, we did not have one come off (inside the cabinet). Get a little LED light to put in the dry storage and fridge. They mount really easily and last a long time. Makes getting in/out of it a lot easier as you can see what you are doing.

- CD

[Idiens]

I've not had too much success with my pressure cooker, standard advice though it is. I find my burners cannot put in enough heat to reach the higher pressures and hence cooking speeds and its a big thing to wash up.
Its actually amazing how little you actually need to cook, the advice to put it all away and only put on the boat what you actually use is good advice.

[SanderO]

We have some non stick pots and pans. If I were to live aboard I would add a 12" cast Iron skillet.

We have a cutting board which is attached to the gimballed stove which ables us to pour a cup of coffee on the tilt.

We use individual cup sized mellita paper filters for coffee... coffee ground to espresso or turkish makes a great cuppa. No coffee makers to break or clean. You can even get gold mesh filers and not even use paper. A paper towel works in a pinch. We use them at home and never use the numerous coffee makers we have.

Good knives especially some serrated... they double for cutting tubing.

Small can opener.

Veggie peeler.

Large pot for pasta with a lift out colander. You don't want to be pouring huge pots of boiling water. You lift out the SS colander to drain in the sink. Deal with the cooled water after dinner and you can use it for wash up a bit too. A pasta scoop is an alternative.. if you transfer the pasta to the sauce to finish it off. A good approach.

Sealable salt and pepper shaker

Garlic press.

Small vacuum... like a dirt devil. We do the vacuuming while the engine is running and someone is showering... replenish hot water, doesn't use amps and do all the noisy stuff at once.

Vacuum sealer for foods, spares etc... preserves and keeps moisture out. A must! Spare sealer bags.

Jef
sv shiva

Kitchen scissors

[Brezzin]

Fly swatter