Cat Tales

March 2008

 
 

View from the Bridge 		 
 

Jim Bergeron, Commodore

How did you get stared in sailing? Did you go out with a friend who owned a boat? Did you think that it looked like fun and you decided to take lessons? Was it the result of reading a sailing adventure in a book or magazine? We all have stories to tell and like all sailors we have the habit of embellishing the tales.

I got my first taste of sailing when a friend invited my previous wife and me to accompany him for an overnight cruise from Annapolis to Queenstown in 1971. He owned a 28ft , 1934 Casey sloop. We had wonderful weather for late September. We had planned to eat dinner ashore. Our host had never been to Queenstown and when we got there we discovered that there were no restaurants in town. We rushed up to a general store and managed to buy several pork chops minutes before the store closed. We had a great dinner onboard and later I had to row ashore to walk our Scottie before bed. It rained that night and the sound of the rain falling in the deck and the cabin roof and the gentle rocking of the boat at anchor let me sleep more peacefully than I had in years. In the early morning hours, the dog indicated that she needed to go ashore. As I rowed her through the anchorage, she discovered the ducks swimming nearby. Before we reached shore, Christie had successfully awakened everyone on all five boats swinging at anchor. I don't think we were very popular at 6:45 on a Sunday morning! Our host told me that it wasn’t good form to cause such a stir at that ungodly hour! I had a wonderful sailing experience that weekend and our host, Henry Meneely invited us back for many more overnights and day sails in the following years. I later bought the boat from him. But that’s another story.

 
 


Spring Member Meeting
Hellas Restaurant
Millersville, MD
March 16, 1:00 PM 		 
 

Lucia Casale, Lucia

Dirt-cheap eats!

This place meets all the criteria for a CCYC meeting:

  • Private room with no room fee
  • Plenty of parking
  • Cash bar
  • Buffet menu for only $28 per person

That’s right! I said $28 per person, which includes taxes and gratuity. Please hold your applause. Just be sure to bring my gold stars to the event. On a fact finding mission to Hellas Restaurant & Lounge, Bob and I discovered a restaurant that should be on the Washingtonian’s Dirt-cheap Eats list. The food is very good, generous portions, plenty of parking, clean and easy to find.

Buffet Menu

First Course

  • Spanakopites (Greek Spinach & Feta pies in Phyllo Pastry)
  • Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Balls
  • Greek Salad

Main Course

  • Spinach & Cheese Ravioli Parmigiana
  • Chicken Francaise (lightly breaded chicken breast sautéed & served with a light lemon sauce)
  • Slice Beef Top Round au jus

Sides

  • Roasted Pearl Potatoes
  • Mixed Vegetable Blend
  • Homemade Bread Rolls & Butter

Desserts

  • Assorted Dessert Platter (baked on premises)

Beverages

  • Soft Drinks
  • Hot Tea
  • Fresh Brewed Ice Tea
  • Coffee

Note: We're again asking for payment in advance, with no refund for no-shows. Please mail your check for $28 per person made out to CCYC to our Treasurer, Diane Benyus, at 128 Silopanna Road, Annapolis, MD 21403.

Hope to see you there!

 
 


CCYC Brunch
April 13, 11:00 AM 		 
 

Lucia Casale, Lucia

If you've checked the schedule on our website, you saw the Brunch is scheduled for April 13th. The initial plans were to hold it at Pirates' Cove in Galesville, MD starting at 11:00 AM.

Joan Savage has a friend (Jean Barnak) who is part of the Pentagon Memorial Project (http://memorial. pentagon.mil/), scheduled to be opened 9/11/08. Jean may be able to arrange a tour for CCYC members on April 13th, which means we would see some of the aspects of the construction which won't be visible once it is finished.

The Memorial is still an active construction site and hard hats (provided) will be mandatory along with clothing restrictions, i.e., long pants, long sleeves and closed-toe firm sole shoes. Boat shoes are not acceptable.

The plan would be to tour the site starting at 11:00, then have brunch close by, Pentagon City or Old Town Alexandria, at 12:30. Members can certainly just come for brunch.

As soon as we receive enough responses to indicate members' preference between the Memorial tour and Pirates' Cove, we will send out a notice to firm up attendance.

 
 


Food Glorious Food! 		 
 

Marie Yates, Prego

Following in Lucia’s steps as your 2008 food editor will not be an easy task. I hope to continue the tradition of interesting recipes and/or ideas. My goal will be….K.I.S.S. (keep it simple sailor). You will notice a decidedly Italian flavor to most recipes keeping with the tradition of economical and fresh, seasonal ingredients. As we get closer to sailing season, I will stick to galley-friendly ideas for you to try out on all of us at our monthly raft-ups. For March, what’s better than SOUP !!!

Lentil Soup

  • 6 oz Green Lentils
  • 1/2 Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 Stick Celery, finely chopped
  • 1 Carrot, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Rind of prosciutto (small chunk)
  • Small bunch of rosemary, sage and thyme tied together with string (or placed in cheesecloth and tied in a knot)
  • Chicken Stock to cover
  1. Rinse lentils in cold water. Soak 2 hours, or overnight, in water. Drain and rinse again.
  2. Sauté (fry in medium hot sauté pan) onions, garlic, celery and carrots in olive oil until transparent (approx. 10 min), stirring occasionally. Add the lentils and prosciutto, cover with chicken stock. Add the string of tied herbs or the cheesecloth filled with herbs to the pot and simmer gently for 1 hour or until soft adding water if it becomes dry. Stir occasionally.
  3. Remove herbs, salt and pepper as desired. Serve with a teaspoon of olive oil infused with rosemary, sage and thyme. (warm olive oil on stovetop with a branch each of rosemary and thyme, and a couple of sage leaves.

Buon appetite !!!