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Message board > Miscellaneous topics > Cheffing on a Hardy!!
Message 17 of 17
Posted by member Peter Cox on Tuesday 5 August 2025
Message 16 of 17
Posted by member Colin on Saturday 2 August 2025
Air fryer, possibly, personally don’t rate them but I could see that working.
Dreaded microwave ovens, possible to cook from frozen, cannot really understand how part of a pie (or whatever) can be piping hot and another part still cold!?!?
Cannot stress highly enough about Dremel's, every home should have one, simply awesome things and beat my B&D for milling out the stainless steel screw fixings captive in the upper hull, still couldn’t get my head around the fact the milling cutters, nor the stainless screws got hot during the milling, those cheap Chinese tungsten carbide cutters did the job and didn’t even lose their sharp edges after 24 or 26 screws!
Again ideal for working on fibreglass, another magic material!
Inverters, again an awesome thing to fit to your boat and relatively cheap and easy to do! Ours has 3 number 13 amp type sockets and no less than 4 no usbs! Wouldn’t be without one of them on board now!
Regards
Col.
Message 15 of 17
Posted by member colin on Friday 1 August 2025
Col.
Message 14 of 17
Posted by member colin on Friday 1 August 2025
(seriously - don't try this, use a stick or wooden spoon as way safer and far less messy - don't ask me how I know that too!)
Col.
Message 13 of 17
Posted by member colin on Friday 1 August 2025
It clearly has a thermal cut out as it kicked in a few times during the procedings, just in sinc with coffee breaks.
It flattened the domestic battery (120 ish Ahrs) but not until I had used it for most of the day!
Then I tried the milling cutters in my Dremel and found it was way better than the B&D for doing the job with only a few left to drill out and it takes way less power than the drill. (Doh!) I strongly recommend the use of the dremel for such around the boat, they are just awesome things!
We have access to shoreside electricity at 5 quid a day but I thought I could do it off the boats system, so I get the 'Yorkshire' thing! Also we would need a long extension cable to reach the nearest point!
So I don't know how much it would take out of the battery to run our crock pot, may try it some time to find out. The battery is maintained by a Solar charger, as is the motor starter battery system and that seems to keep things topped up nicely!
Of course you would have to prepare the ingredients and par cook things at home before taking up to the boat, well that would be the obvious thing to do and wouldn't be a problem! Food for thought? (pun intended!)
Actually the thought has me salivating! One of the best things is the aromas while the CP is doing its magic which is enjoyed for hours, indeed I have consulted the ships chef (also the First Mate and Anti Fouler) and she says it would all be very 'doable', so watch this space!
Will have to look into the stove top bread as that would complement any stews or whatever done in the crock pot!
Keep the suggestions coming guys!
Col.
Message 12 of 17
Posted by member DavidP on Friday 1 August 2025
Message 11 of 17
Posted by member Peter Cox on Thursday 31 July 2025
Message 10 of 17
Posted by member DavidP on Thursday 31 July 2025
A pal of mine swears by his Ninja Air Fryer when on shore power, from doing croissants to bacon and eggs. Mind you he has an Aquador 28. He is a retired headmaster and rolling in cash! I moved 3 years ago to Yorkshire and have already picked up some of the local traits, primarily relating to thrift! A popular phrase being, chuffin 'eck, how much! On a culinary note, I believe it is common practice up here to bung in some Hendos, whatever that is, into stews and soups.
Message 9 of 17
Posted by member colin on Thursday 31 July 2025
We have recently rediscovered use of our crock pot in our static caravan in Cumbria. (I am half Cumbrian and half Northumbrian but I am not sure which half is which! )
The added advantage is you have the lovely aroma of whatever it is you are cooking in the crockpot during the day as it's doing it's thing!
Loads and loads of tasty meals can be prepared in these things, lots of recipies as Angie has proven!
Just thought I would throw that into the discussion for debate!
What do you think?
Col
Message 8 of 17
Posted by member colin on Thursday 31 July 2025
I think I may even qualify for 'lapsed not poodler' as I confess I havent had one for a considerable time now, evident by the fact the one on the boat has passed it's 'use by date'!
The other staple on the boat was soup done in a pan on top of the hob burner, any soup of your choice really!
Back in my student days again, a trainee site engineer and I were sharing an office, he made his soup and brought it back to our shared office, he then proceded to open a packet of crisps and added them to the soup, I asked him what he was doing, he said 'dont knock it until you have tried it!'
Of course being young and daft back tthen (I am now considerably older but still daft!) I tried it the next time I had my tomato soup and have never looked back, it really does add 'body' to the soup!
My personal preference is for 'Tesco's own brand of T soup but really any soup of your choice really! Again Tesco's own brand of crisps are the crisp of choice, I don't work for Tesco's or have any affiliation with them other than being a longstanding satisfied customer of theirs finding their products largely far cheaper than branded goods and generally better or at least equivalent quality!
I do actually like watching cookery programmes on the tv with the top chefs but I seriously don't really figure on competing with any of them!
like I say, limited galley facilities on smaller boats seriously impede any culinary brilliance, we usually visit the local establishments and take it back to the boat - which is just as good with far less hassle!
Bon voyage and bon appetite all!
Col.
Message 7 of 17
Posted by member DavidP on Wednesday 30 July 2025
Message 6 of 17
Posted by member Colin on Friday 25 July 2025
Lol!
Takes me back to my student days, start of term no one bought the really awful minced beef (?) pies sold in the canteen, by the end of term, everyone was eating at least 4 a day, evident by the gravy spillage down your tee shirt or whatever! Just gross and at least one of the lecturers had to immediately leave the room if they saw anyone appear with one!
Yes the variety of noodle dishes is quite bewildering and easy to prepare and serve even on a single burner hob. We have had many nice meals aboard our Hardy but all bought from local take away’s, still good though eating on the boat, it’s always nicer! Have to admit here, the only ‘emergency’ not poodle on board has never yet been used and is well past ‘use by date’ not that I suppose that matters a lot really as they are as dry as a stone and sealed in, probably just need to use more boiling water and added crisps?
Always favour the chicken not poodles somehow, I don’t think I am man enough for the curry ones! They used to do a nice sweet & sour one but I haven’t seen that one in the shops for years. The secret is patience and allowing it to reconstitute and repeat stirring does the trick but some of the sweetcorn can be challenging and the pieces of mushroom (?) I have found just impossible so I just discard them!
I challenge anyone to come up with much more on a single burner hob with integral gas cartridge.
We kind of favour our boats ‘raw’ and free from such clutter as we have enough boating related clutter on board anyway!
Good subject this, I hope you get more (and more useful) responses to what after all is a large and enjoyable part of boating - eating aboard!
Regards,
Col.
Message 5 of 17
Posted by member DavidP on Thursday 24 July 2025
Message 4 of 17
Posted by member Colin on Thursday 24 July 2025
I suppose it all boils down to (no pun intended) what sort of craft and galley facilities your boat has as this can be quite limiting!
Most of the craft we have owned over the years have been fairly small and basic (under 20 foot) where really ‘not poodles’ and warmed soup really are the limit.
Some larger boats feature well stocked galleys where it might be possible to prepare a full roast dinner and more adventurous cuisine, having fitted microwaves and full ovens and the like.
In our small touring caravan with full awning, (it didn’t float well but we did cover a lot of Scotland with it over the years!) we had a decent little kitchen set up and It surprised me just how Angie was able to produce some fine meals without resort to use of a can opener or even kettle!
Generally though, we preferred to go to a local place to dine or to bring back food to the boat or caravan as that seemed the best solution for us!
I was rather hoping that you got a better response from those clever people who can serve up a feast from a two burner hob, or our present appliance, a single burner hob! (even more challenging!)
Col.
Message 3 of 17
Posted by member colin on Saturday 28 June 2025
1. 'Not Poodle' as I call them, enjoyed many of these over the years on boats and the empty containers come in for a lot of uses including cleaning paint brushes and the like as they tolerate solvents well! (well the ones I had did)
Much maligned snack in my opinion! Unfairly too as done correctly, they are really tasty and warm snack - just add boiling water and scrunched up crisps of any flavour (look away again) probably qualifies as 'completative'? A culinary delight on a cold day on the boat. (mental note to myself - check auto spell chequer!)
The problem is - people dont give them enough time in the making and therefore don't enjoy the full experience.
I have found leaving them for as long as you can before trying to eat them pays dividends - not always easy if you are hungry! Also constant stirring is the key! After the initial boiling/ cooling method, a quick reheat in a microwave oven if you have one handy pays dividends! (no we dont have one on our boat!)
Only downside (for me) is the little bits of mushroom (?) in some of them that defies any attempts at reconstitution with boiling water! (I actually love button mushrooms fried in butter - but that's me!)
Honestly I do like them!
If Marie (Editor and lovely person) ever allows me magazine space to recount my boating memoirs ('It shouldn't happen to a Mariner but it happened to me!') I will recount stories like the time an empty pot noodle cup actually helped us out of a scrape when the engine on our boat emptied it's oil into the bilge sump and it saved the day!
2. Tomato soup (has to be Tesco's own brand for me) warmed on our little two burner galley stove (gas cartridge type) and yes sorry - the scrunched up crisps added again (those of a nervous disposition look away again) to taste!
Downside - Angie cannot stand the smell of Tomato soup so I have to do it and eat it far way from her olfactory senses. (is that an actual word or one I made up again?) (auto spell checker?)
On a cold day on the boat, these culinary masterpieces can save the day and put a real smile on my face!!!
Col.
Message 2 of 17
Posted by member DavidP on Wednesday 25 June 2025
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Message 1 of 17
Posted by member DavidP on Wednesday 25 June 2025
I know this is a little off-piste but I thought I'd ask the question anyway!Today, whilst on my Hardy Pilot, I rustled up a couple of boiled eggs, which incidentally were very nice!! It was then I had a completative moment and I wondered that boiled eggs are really bargain basement cooking, I pondered what culinary delights fellow Hardy owners with a lowly 2-burner hob have created?? With this in mind, I would love to hear of any other, rather more ambitious meals that have been created. You never know, we could produce a Hardy Owners Cookbook. Beat that Delia and Nadiya!!
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