Getting the boat ready for Galveston Bay

April 5th was our first outing onto Galveston Bay.  

Now that we no longer have our Yamaha 8hp mounted off the transom, we plan to use our Mercury 5hp in the motor-well for the time being. 

Our outboards have needed some serious cleaning after all that usage in Mexico and then sitting for 11 months.  I cleaned out the carburetor, fresh spark plugs, tuned the idle nice and low, new zinc pad, flushed with fresh water, and ran a gallon of gas with seafoam through her.  She's running like new now.

Check back soon for a couple new posts from Claire, along with another mini movie.

tiny holes all clogged up

we unfolded our mainsail and rigged her back on

we have a Cal28

 here is some info i found in one of our books

on the Cal40 and the Cal25

diagram of how to rig a basic mainsail

looking out onto Galveston Bay

Piña is missing her sea legs after so long. 

she got sick.

fresh sacrificial zinc anode

i scrubbed all this growth off. 

see the new zinc?

pretty nice work station on the stern

there we are in our slip on the bottom of the chart.

the black line is our winding course out to Galveston Bay.

Settling into Spring

we have been busy trying to adapt back into society.  the Houston area is massive.  we have been warned of culture shock after spending a long time in secluded areas.  

claire has been gardening at the clipper house inn bed and breakfast behind the restaurant i am working in.  also, she has scored a chair at the salon next door.

i spent the end of April closing down Tabella.  We had a few great nights, with guests coming in from all over.  it was fun to use up what was left in the kitchen and just play around with dishes.  We have been closed for the past few weeks.  I am working with my boss David on a whole new restaurant concept.  While i am testing recipes, fully creating modern dishes, and organizing the kitchen to work with our plans; the dining room is getting fully remodeled.  During all this I have still been picking up all sorts of parties, luncheons, weddings, etc.  We are aiming to open the new restaurant by early June.

Modernists by day and Realists by night.  Claire and I will be here for a while, working our new jobs while working on Splendid Isolation.  

here is an assortment of photos from the past month or so.

Almond meal cookies with white chocolate and cranberries

new aluminum dock boxes we found on craigslist

Lump Crabcake, Black Bean purée, sautéed Mustard Greens

my half of the closet office

sweet pea crumbs

a new creation.

rough draft right here.

David and I seem to work well together, 

when he tells me Corn Ice Cream, I add Sweet Pea crumbs.

also, freeze dried corn (sprinkles) with Corn Cookie

Galveston Island

wine making

My office lately

Sous Vide

beets and carrots

our Yamaha 8hp 4stroke that has been on our transom since day 1

we removed the outboard for transport over land.

then i removed the stern mount for the motor.

we plan to use the motor well in the lazarette from now on.

she is one fine tuned machine.

real angel food cake

yard sale find

we live really close to west marine

lump crab cake, sweet peas, remoulade, buerre blanc

i caught piña a fish

and she ate it

David and I drove around scouting out local farms for use on our menu

proverbs farm

the frix-air

honey dew melon sorbet

best honey i've ever had. 

and i've had a lot of honey.

coplin bee farms

Grüner Veltliner i found at the wine store here

real angel food cake

white chocolate pot de créme

got a trim and shave from Claire

Claire Squared Hair

Frittata with Cucumber Tapenade

Claire volunteering some time in the dish pit

Rack of Lamb, haricot verts, tzatziki, confit tomatoes, potato crisps

blake, billy, i put together new patio furniture at the restaurant

we got to hang out with Brian again.

He came down from Oklahoma to finally purchase the trailer!!

i received this with my change at the store

Claire enjoying one of our pools

Black Drum, rice pilaf, haricot verts, confit tomatoes, sauce aurore

 i used the black drum to make fish stock, then the fish stock to make velouté, made my own tomato paste, finished with butter.

duck breast, sweet potato purée, summer squash, blackberry merlot reduction

rack of lamb, rice pilaf, haricot verts, roasted red pepper chutney

got the boat re-titled so we are over 30' which is legal live-aboard status for Texas marinas.

Pleasure Pier

asparagus custard