Maryland School of Sailing and Seamanship - ASA 101

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the past year or so, the family and I have been attending the US Sailboat Shows in downtown Annapolis.  We've come to really enjoy the area, the vendors, having the opportunity to climb aboard so many different types of boats, and generally taking in the sites.  During our visits to the show, we took an interest in taking some formal sailing courses, gain experience on larger boats, and build our confidence and expertise so we could charter and one day cruise aboard our own boat.  We have sailed mostly boats 25ft or less up to this point without any formal instruction.

 

After talking to representatives from the various schools and reading up on the course offerings of each, we were consistently drawn toward the Maryland School of Sailing and Seamanship.  There were several reasons for this:

 

- The staff was genuine, friendly, engaging, and down-to-earth

- The price of the courses seemed reasonable and discounts were offered to those who attended the sailboat show

- The courses are longer in duration relative to some of the offerings from other schools, which meant more time to practice the skills taught with a qualified instructor

- We could "live aboard" during the class and experience a little taste of cruising life

- The school is in the quaint town of Rock Hall, MD, which is within a reasonable driving distance

 

My wife Amber actually took the lead in reaching out to the school to schedule the class.  She was excited and nervous.  I was just thrilled she was the one who had been motivated to take the class and I wasn't simply being the adventurous husband dragging her along on one of my exploits.  The class turned out to be everything we had hoped it would be and then some.  The difference in our confidence and ability from Day 1 to Day 4 were really amazing.  Everything from sailing knots and their applications, sailing theory, procedures for pre-departure, how to check the oil on the Yanmar diesel, how use all the equipment aboard the boat, invaluable experience with docking techniques and standing turns, proper sail trim, how to read the water, how to communicate with crew, anchoring, etc, etc.

 

Our instructor for this course was Don Boccuti, USCG Licensed Captain and Certified ASA Instructor.  Don is a patient, even keeled, and highly capable instructor.  His thorough explanations of not just how but why, his depth of experience and insight, as well as the thoughtful teaching style demonstrated a clear commitment to our success in learning the material and applying it on the water.  We had a lot of time to practice our newly acquired skills and develop as much mastery as one can hope to do within the framework of a four-day sailing course.

 

In the evenings, we enjoyed watching the sunset from the deck of the Island Packet 32 while docked comfortably in the slip at the Lankford Bay Marina.  We also enjoyed trying the local fair at some really great waterside restaurants in Rock Hall.  The town felt like stepping into another place and time where life happens at a slower pace and folks know and respect each other.

 

My wife and I had an unforgettable experience and both passed our exam with flying colors and demonstrated the skills on the water to earn our first level ASA Certification. We would highly recommend anyone who is interested in building a solid foundation of sailing competency and skill to consider the MD School of Sailing and Seamanship.  I know we can't wait for our next course in Coastal Cruising Basics.

 

*** This post was not solicited nor are we in any way affiliated with the MD School of Sailing and Seamanship. If you'd like to know more, feel free to leave a comment and we're happy to share our experience.  ***

Can Can Brasserie - A Meal to Remember

 Atmosphere...check

 

 Montrachet, St. Andre, and Camembert cheese plate = awesome...check

 Perfectly cooked Hake with a creative fusion dish...check

 Solid execution, presentation, textures, and flavors...check



Overdoing it with the lemon and cream cheese souffle carrot cake and white chocolate ice cream?  Rendered totally worthless for the rest of the evening.

Can Can Brasserie off Cary Street in Richmond is an institution and for good reason.  Fantastic service, amazing food, price appropriate, and great atmosphere.  Casual but fine dining where you can take your time soaking it all up.  Check them out...you won't be disappointed.

Bouchon Restaurant Richmond, VA - Review

Bouchon - the word is French for "cork" but it also traditionally refers to a type of restaurant found specifically in Lyon, France.  Bouchon of Richmond is located in Shackoe Bottom off East Cary Street, this bistro is a great spot.  The interior has an old town feel with original brick walls, large overhead lighting that looks like oversized lamp shades, tasteful modern art, and dark hardwood floors.  It's white tablecloth dining with an easy feeling.  The wait staff is on point, the menu is interesting, the portions surprisingly large, the wine list solid, and the food definitely above average.  It has an easy, relaxing feel which is appropriate for the French food culture.  The staff is down to earth and reassuring.  They want you to know it's totally OK to take your time making selections and proceeding through courses.  The food comes out piping hot and right on the heals of your previous course.

Right out of the gate, each person recieves a hot section of fresh baked french bread with unsalted butter shavings with all the signs of deliciousness.  Crunchy golden crust outside, moist inside with large and small air pockets, and incredible flavor.  Seriously the bread is some of the best I've had.  It is almost impossible to stop eating and they keep bringing it.  I love the fact that they aren't stingy with the stuff but the down side is you fill up on it.  For an appetizer, we had the mini comte cheese ravioli with trouffle cream sauce.  It's served in a mini cast iron pan and basically amounts to a high-end version of mac and cheese.  This was amazing - perhaps the highlight of the meal for me, in fact.  For the salad course, we had the baby arugala and the shaved fennel.  Both great salads, but the arugala was the better of the two.  For the main course, we both went with fish to pair up with the Sav Blanc.  A classic: sauteed Trout with almond caper butter and haricots vert, as well as something a bit less common: roasted monk fish, wheat berry, and lemon herb sauce.  Both dishes were executed well but didn't really blow our hair back.  In retrospect, I would have ordered something else like the duck breast.  For dessert, we had to try the "best in Richmond" creme brulee and a shot of the blueberry sorbet, which was topped with a little dabble of creme fraiche.  These were both excellent choices.  Hard to say if the brulee was "the best" because I haven't eaten at enough restaurants in Richmond to make such a pronouncement.  I will say it ranked about 8 out of 10 compared to others I've eaten, which is a good score.

Overall, we had a wonderful meal with exceptional service and we will be going back to Bouchon again soon.  So far, I'd say it's on my top three list of best places to eat in Richmond.

Cuisinart Pro Clad Cookware

Now, ain't that a purdy piture?

Cookware is something near and dear to my heart.  The experience of cooking with quality cookware makes all the difference in the world.  It's insane really.  Rather than having to make do and resort to some pretty unconventional methods just to ensure a the right outcome, instead you actually get to focus on cooking and you can count on the result being consistent.  The cookware behaves in a highly efficient and predictable way. 

I have been looking for a set of professional grade clad stainless steel cookware for a while now and, to be honest, I wasn't sure it was ever going to happen.  If you look to buy a professional quality set of cookware made by top brands like All Clad or Calphalon, the price of just a couple of pieces will run you a couple hundred dollars even shopping at bargain base prices.  So like most everyone does these days, I decided to do a little homework on the internet and see if there was a comparable option available without having to spend $1200-$2000 for a set of professional grade cookware. 

I read reviews (tons of them) and I looked at a number of plausible options and as it turns out, I didn't need to take out a second mortgage just to get a set of decent cookware.  For the record, these were the criteria for the cookware I was looking for:

- Cookware with a copper or aluminum core (or both)

- The core needs to run up the sides of the pans, not just on the bottom

- The stainless steel should be 18/10 gauge (premium stainless steel that is resilient to rust and wear)

- Tight fitting stainless lids

- Oven and grill safe (up to 500 degrees F)

- Ok to use on gas or glass electric stove tops

- Dishwasher safe (although hand washing is always better)

- Strong riveted handles that would stay cool on the stove top

- Rolled rims for easy pouring

Sounds like a tall order and it was, but I quickly found this 12 piece set - Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless-Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set on Amazon and it met all of the criteria above.  It has received rave reviews from independent research and consumer reports and has been reported as being every bit as good as the top cookware brands.  A few people have made negative comments, but based on my read the problems they have reported are not anything unique to Cuisinart and were likely caused by overheating the cookware.  Aluminum is an extraordinarily amazing heat conductor and it requires very low comparable heat to normal cookware.  In fact, you would NEVER put this cookware on a High heat.  Water boils on Medium-Low to Medium heat with no problem.

If I do run into any issues, you'll be the first to know, but I am very pleased with the look, the feel, the construction, and the price of this cookware.  For $240, I really don't see how you could possibly go wrong.

Terrazas - Agentinian Malbec

For all you red wine fans out there, I have a good one for you.  Here is a 2008 Agentine Malbec from the Andes called Terrazas.  The first thing I noticed, was the nose of this wine. It is GREAT.  It's medium bodied with a nice forward fruit flavor of berries and plums, followed by slight spicy notes, a hint of vanilla, and a round smooth finish with moderate tannin.    Did I mention this is a Malbec?  This wine rivals many of the great Cab Savs I love and at only $12.99 a bottle, you really can't beat it.  I would pair with just about anything.  Grilled meats, beef, Italian dishes with tomato sauce, etc.

Over the past 10 years (I'm sure some would argue longer), South American wines, especially those from Argentina and Chile have been gaining steam in popularity and notoriety.  One of the fastest growing wine regions in the world, these wines are of extremely high quality, yet afford consumers with surprising value, breaking into the market niche in a major way.  The comparison is often made that wines in the $12-15 range from the Southern Hemisphere rival the quality of comparable European and Californian wines costing much more.  Another thing I like about this wine is the fact that the vinter is not skimping on quality.  Heavy glass with deeply punted bottle.  Metal capsules with real 1 3/4" cork closure.  Generally speaking, high quality bottling is a good indication that the contents will also be of higher quality.

At the risk of getting slightly off topic, something important for all wine enthusiasts to remember is the importance of experiencing wines from different regions of the world, of different varieties, and of different flavor profiles.  In other words, don't always stick to what you know.  Avoid the urge to alway buy full bodied Bordeaux reds just because you like that profile.  If you want to truly appreciate wine, you have to avoid developing a prejudice in your pallet.  If you don't you will judge all wines through a narrow filter.  Try tasting dry white wines from Australia and New Zealand for a month, then swap to full bodied Spanish and Portuguese reds the next, followed by California and Oregan Pinot Noir and Zinfadel, then back to German and Austrian Rieslings and Gewürztraminer, etc.  Trust, me you'll develop a whole new appreciation.

Firefly in Tennessee

Tonight, Amber and I went to one of our favorite restaurants in Nashville called Firefly Grill.  Our first time trying this restaurant was about a year ago and we were just as pleased then as we are now.  The overall motif is a very eclectic modern one and it is a relatively small place.  It has a very solid menu and a local following.  One thing you recognize immediately is the people are not aloof - you can walk in wearing jeans and it won't be a problem.  The wait staff is knowledgeable and the wine list is good too.

We started out with a small cheese sampler including brie, gorgonzola, gouda, pickled olives, pancetta, quince paste, blueberry preserves, fig confit, and honey roasted almonds.  For entrees, Amber had a panko crusted flounder stuffed with butternut squash over mashed potatoes with creme fraiche.  I had the pork tenderloin with mushroom sauce and homemade pasta.  To polish it off, a creme brulee duo of rasberry and chocolate brulees.  Amber went with the Sauvignon Blanc and I went with the Pinot Noir.

For me, the pork wasn't really very memorable but everything else was solid.  The flounder Amber had was phenominal.  All in all - great experience and a spot I highly recommend if you are ever in the Nashville, TN area.

Portuguese Chicken and Rice with Linguica

Amber, our friend Sarah from back in Columbus, the kids, and I had dinner over at our friends house last night.  The Frye family knows good food.  It's a passion our family's both share.  Mandy took the bull by the horns in the kitchen to make us a great dinner; Mike and I shared a Malbec as he played Sous Chef and I staged the chef.  The meal was a slight variation on her uncle's famous Portuguese Chicken and Rice with Chourico Sausage dish.  David Machado and his recipes have been featured on PBS and he has several very legit restaurants out in Portland, OR.  Check out the link to this particular recipe at Lauro Kitchen, an innovative take on the Mediterranean Bistro theme.

The variation to the recipe was the use of Linguica instead of Chourico. It was my first time trying this type of sausage and I really enjoyed it.  The flavor it imparted to the rest of dish was very enjoyable.  I love anything cooked in a Dutch oven, so I may not be impartial, but this meal met all of the criteria for goodness in anyone's book.  It is simple, inexpensive, colorful, and delicious.  Pair it with a Portuguese Vinho Verde and good company and you've got a perfect Sunday evening meal.  Thanks for sharing guys.

What Do Cupcakes and Wine Have in Common?

Cupcakes and wine?  In a word, disgusting.  Well, while cupcakes and wine obviously do not pair well, one winery, Cupcake Vinyards produces a very nice, inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc from the SB capital of the world - Marlborough, New Zealand.  This wine typically runs $8-10 a bottle and is a great value for such a clean, light bodied, crisp wine with a forward citrus note that is reminiscent of lemon and even pineapple.  It is a fairly dry wine, which makes me like it even more.  This wine pairs nicely with light dishes like fish or chicken.  While this wine is not what we might consider a great wine due to a less than perfect balance in its acidity, it is delicious and highly drinkable.  Anyone who knows wine also knows that a good bottle of wine doesn't have to cost you a fortune.  In fact, I find it a fun challenge to find excellent wines in the $9-14 range.  This is much more appealing than trying to compare expensive wines since the disparity tightens a great deal beyond the $25 range.  Besides, anyone who knows wine knows price doesn't necessarily indicate that the content of the bottle will be either great or even enjoyable.  In short this is a great little wine that I would recommend to anyone, in moderation of course.

Pairing Wine - The Basics

Let's be honest, most folks really struggle with how to choose a wine to go with their meal. You can tell because when they peruse the wine list, they just stare it over aimlessly. It might as well be written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. If they decide to experiment, the decision is given the proverbial olé with an eeny-meeny-miny-mo type approach. For the rest, they just pick something they've had before. Result - usually a total whiff. Forget any hope of pairing, just pray the wine is something you can enjoy.

That is a little exaggerated, but I bet it sounds familiar to most. I freely admit - that was my experience before I wised up and realized I didn't have to be a pro sommelier to make sense of a wine list. While you'll never know every vintner, some simple rules of thumb can help make sense of even the most daunting wine list and narrow down the search to a point where you can defer to the likely well acquainted server with confidence and direction. From there, you will usually end up with a nearly perfect compliment to your meal. So, here is a very high level guide based on my experience:

Step 1 - decide on your entree or meal. In pairing, you must choose the wine based on the food or choose the food based on the wine. It usually makes sense to go with the first approach.

Step 2 - assess the flavor profile of your entree or meal selection. Is it something sweet, spicy, rich, light, red meat, white meat, moderate, tomato based, creamy, etc.

Step 3 - don't sell out. Keep in mind you'll never appreciate the experience of pairing wine with a meal if you get firmly locked into one genre. Sure, you need to think of your personal taste preference in wine - something that leans more on the sweet or dry side, something fruity and light or bold and full bodied. But don't order Pinot Noir at every meal just because you think it's a safe call. It may be a totally inadept pairing - a wine you might otherwise really enjoy will seem average.

Step 4 - choose the wine. Keep the following in mind and you'll be on the right track: residually sweet white wines or blushes like White Zinfandel, Riesling, Chenin Blanc, and Gewurztraminer pair well with spicy foods, fruits, or dessert. Lighter dishes like shell fish, white fish, poultry, cream sauces, and mild cheeses with white wines with a crisp or buttery flavor like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Viognier. Light bodied reds like Pinot Noir and Zinfandel pair well with pork, veal, tuna, salmon and other moderately flavored dishes. Beef, lamb, game, duck, tomato based pastas, or braised meats pair best with fuller bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah (Shiraz), Sangiovese, Barbera, or Tempranillo.

Step 5 - suck it up. If in doubt, just ask your server for help. You'll never learn unless you ask questions.

Temple Fork Professional Series Fly Rods

The Pro Series are practicle, no non-sense rods which is why I own two of these little jewels. My 4wt I use for trout and panfish and the 8wt I use for inshore saltwater species like trout and reds. For the price and considering the no fault warrantee, I think the TFO Pro Series is an overall good value.  They do come with a rod sock but in my opinion should probably include a tube. I love a four piece rod because they are travel and storage friendly. The blanks are medium fast and cast like a rocket, so if you prefer more of a medium action, you should probably consider casting one before you buy. That said, the nice thing is these rods will launch an oversized fly and cut through wind. The guides are nice but the overall finish of guide wraps is only about a 6 out of 10. The blanks are matte finished and are constructed from IM6 graphite. The reel seat hardware is no frills. I find that the 6wt rods and smaller have much more appealing reel seat, sporting a carbon fiber finished insert and nickle coated hardware. My biggest beef with these rods has been with the  "premium cork" which turns out, in my experience, to be less than premium. That said, I will testify TFO customer service and no fault warrantee are the real deal and if you aren't satisfied, just send them the rod and a replacement comes back promptly with no questions asked. At the end of the day, it's easy to see why so many guides opt for the TFO Pro Series for daily use.  If you're looking for a practicle rod with good performance and a warrantee you can trust, look no further.