Monday November 24, 2025
I have sailed with our Captain on previous ships, and when I know that someone has a particular meal they like, I will try to make it for them. One of the meals he likes is my Beet- Meat Shepherd’s pie. I usually make the topping with mashed cauliflower, but I decided to use the leftover mashed potatoes that I had in the fridge. I had fresh beets (I have tried making this with canned beets, but it lacks the fresh beet flavor). I had everything else on hand to make this treat. I am always happy when I join a ship that has individual chafing dishes. It makes serving easy, and I think they look more inviting when you see them sitting on the tray, waiting for you to choose one. In the photo to the right, you can see that I use a fork to run over the cold mashed potatoes. I like the little ridges that the fork leaves, and they crisp up nicely in the oven. I had enough meat mixture and mashed potatoes to make 8 servings. I wasn’t sure how well they would go, since I had the ever-popular clubhouse sandwich on the menu board. I thought I could always use the leftover beet-meat pies for supper. I don’t have as many crew at lunchtime, but I always have 26 crew for supper, whether they come in to eat or I make a plate for them to enjoy later. Much to my surprise, all the beet-meat Shepherd’s pies were gone by the end of lunch. Some who had never had it before came back and said they didn’t know what to expect, but they liked it. I always thank a crew member who tries something new, saying, “If you don’t like it, come back; I will give you something else.” The beet-meat Shepherd’s pie is a recipe I created myself and is worth trying.
I think it is almost expected to make a clubhouse sandwich the day after turkey is served. However, the toasters here are very slow, and I like to make the sandwiches to order. Like other ships, I made homemade rolls, and on the menu board -Clubhouse sandwich, toasted or on a double homemade roll. The homemade roll often wins out over the toast, and once that is decided, I start with the questions. Mayo? Miracle whip, Lettuce, Bacon, Tomato? I am surprised how many ask for no tomato. I served them with deep-
fried home fries and offered a basil mayo dipping sauce to go with them. I took the photo above before heading out to the galley to start my day. It was early, so there was nobody at the viewing center. I was there with Lorraine in March, and now I can visualize what it is like from the center, looking out at the ships. It’s a great place to see ships. I am always hopeful when we leave the Soo Lock that we will have a smooth crossing of Lake Superior. This time of year can bring some nasty weather. I overheard in the lunch line (the place where I pick up most of my galley gossip) that there was a storm coming on the 26th, I thought ok, that should be good because we should already make the trip to Superior by then. I don’t get seasick, but bad weather makes the job more difficult. There are usually ships ahead of us in Superior, and I thought perhaps we would have to anchor.
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