This summer, or was it spring, I altered course to feast on fish caught in the North Channel and prepared on the chunk of Aikens Island’s Canadian Shield. It was a delicious meal shared with eight other well-heeled cruisers. Our contribution was several loaves of boat made bread. I had heartburn for several days afterward but no matter.
Every year Charlotte and I struggle with provisioning Carrie Rose for her summer holiday. Weird things that we would never eat in real life seemed to show up in her stores. This year we determined to be more realistic with our choices. No odd ball canned creations from the various ethic stores we frequent in Chicago. The other issue was one of size or amount. In the past the tendency has been to stock too much as if we might decide to cross an ocean and needed to be prepared least our last port of call did not have a grocery.
So what did we bring: Two bottles of Alberto’s wonderful olive oil (this is another whole story), two bottles of Mario Batali marinara pasta sauce, several tins of salsa, a couple of different soups, two cans of refried beans (still wondering why), pesto (a great seasoning when cooking vegetables), four boxes of different types of pasta, and whole grain (a mistake) and white rice. Of course there is other stuff. Peanut butter, jam, crackers, cereal, granola, cookies, flour, yeast, individual containers of applesauce and pears, vacuum packed tortillas; you get the idea.
We have a small reliable refrigerator/freezer that the solar panels keep running without the use of much fossil fuel. This allows for cheese, eggs, butter, milk, mayo, and more importantly cold wine and beer.
Beer in not much of a concern as Canada has very good taste in this regard. Wine is more the problem, not the opportunity as it is fashionable to say of misfortune these days. For the most part once out of urban areas the wine selection quickly deteriorates into wines with cute names and labels. I try to stock Carrie Rose’s cellar with a better class (I proudly admit to snobbishness) of wine. The impending border crossing complicates this fun task.
Canada has rules in regards to firearms and alcohol. Upon crossing the border these seem to be their only concern. Do not quote me but I think it is two bottles of wine per person. I could look it up but I have given up. There is a lot of myth surrounding it and to back it up everyone has had a different experience with CANPASS.
CANPASS is the border check-in process that needs to be done at the first port of call. I called up, gave our names, and the boat’s name. The polite person on the other end welcomes me back to Canada and asks if we are carrying firearms — the answer is no — and alcohol — the answer is yes. For the last two years I rattled off a precise list and started to do so again when I was stopped by a sweet voice that interjected, “You have ship’s stores, correct?” It took my neurons a second to comprehend and then I said, “Ship’s stores, correct!”
Now after I got back to the boat I started to think of all the extra Tavel rosé; Vouvray, Touraine and Sancerre Sauvignon blanc; and Southern Rhone Grenache and Mourvédre I could have brought, a missed opportunity. Canada’s LCBO (government alcohol store) surprised us this year with a better selection of wine. It may be that they know their market well for as we travelled east into more populated touristy regions the wine got better.
Proof reading the above I realize that if anything I have gotten exceedingly pickier. Well, if age has its perks, and I can’t see that there are many, then picky I shall remain. Maybe next year I will test my luck with a few more bottles of glorious wine to enjoy with our simple peasant fare.
CANPASS
As Charlotte likes to call it, "gruel."
A North Channel Fish Fry
Aikens Islands Rocky Beach
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