Captain Feeds First Mate

And, no, Captain Randy doesn’t feed First Mate Jody to the sharks. What I mean is, he feeds me – sustenance – so I stay alive. He’s what I call my galley b*#@h – others use that phrase differently, but here on Free Luff, Captain = GB. I say, “I need a snack,” and my GB jumps up and fixes me a snack. And not just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (although we love PB&J). It could be a cabbage salad, or pico and guacamole, or a gourmet quesadilla with sauteed veggies and just the right amount of browned cheese (the cheese that hits the pan and crisps up nice and brown). He leaves out raw onions because he knows they upset my stomach, but he’ll toss them in Thai food because they’re cooked with the other veggies and the tofu. He caters to me as if I were the queen – oh, wait, I AM the queen – the Queen of Free Luff Nation, thank-you-very-much.

In a nutshell, he makes his own yogurt, Thai chili paste, salad dressing, bread, tortillas – including huaraches and sopas, makes tasty beans from scratch, whips up desserts like Canadian tarts, macaroons, and banana bread, and, as a dedicated fisherman (hence the name, Captain Fishguts), grills up fresh fish like there’s no tomorrow – often with just a little olive oil and lime. And his eggplant parmigiana? Holy… Am I spoiled, you ask? Absolutely. I am spoiled. He makes sure we always have totopos (tortilla chips – my weakness) on da boat, along with other snacks that may help fill the void after a long swim or a hot workout. He’ll also ensure that if there’s an ice cream shop around, we duck in for a scoop or two. Or if there are no cones to be had, the Oxxo will do for a little novelty.

It’s almost always been this way. I mean, there was a time when I was single and cooked for myself, but once we got together and it became apparent that Rand enjoyed being in the kitchen/galley so he could create his delectable meals, I willingly got outta the way. While I have my own repertoire of go-to meals, like crispy potatoes and eggs for breakfast, no-nonsense pasta for dinner, or homemade granola, if your palate prefers food made with love and thoughtfulness – and patience, you want Captain Rand to cook. He puts his whole heart into the meals he makes – not just for me, but for our friends, too (well, when we could have friends aboard). And he loves going to a good potluck where he can share his fabulous artichoke-jalapeño dip (well, when we could go to a good potluck). And if he’s fed me too much over the course of the day, there’s always popcorn – yes, buttered and salted – for dinner. Just sayin’.

P.S. I do A LOT of f-ing dishes, but it’s worth it…I’m still spoiled.