When you sit at your desk and dream about escaping to idyllic beaches in the tropics, I bet fungus isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Floating in this environment for extended periods, every day brings a new unsavory supply from Mother Nature. At least for us, in our first year of living on a boat. It is winning the war. Last week I opened the closet where our hanging clothes are (our “nice” clothes) to discover my favorite shoes, sweatshirt, and a few other items covered in mold. The culprit: our foul weather gear, which hadn’t been washed in fresh water before it was stored. Sea water is a vehicle for all types of creatures.
The brand new sink drain I installed 2 months ago is already destroyed, eaten and rusted. Our deck, also newly redone and painted, has mysterious rust spots appearing across it, especially around the hardware. For a month I couldn’t figure out why all my clothing, the stuff I was wearing every day, had red smudges in strange places. It’s from the clothespins with metal springs, since banned. All plastic only.
Despite scrubbing the silverware and stainless steel mixing bowls with scotch brite and finishing with a fresh water spray every time we wash ( we don’t have a water maker, so dishwashing is with salt water), the next time I use them the rust beast is growing again. Everything must be used, all the time. Citrus zester, vegetable peeler, bread pan, kitchen tongs and my precious precious knives, all vulnerable to the silent killer. I fear having to leave them on the boat for extended periods. Then again, I usually travel with my knives.
Everytime salt water drips on the stove, soon afterward a spot appears. It is very unnerving to spend an hour cleaning something one day to find it returned to it’s deteriorated state a few days later. Most of my battles take place in the kitchen.
Salt from the sea is carried by the wind, attaching itself to every exposed surface on the boat. Soon afterwards hairs begin to stick as well. Does anyone know a good way to clean hair? Yesterday I proposed to Eddy that we both shave our heads. He’s no fun.
Salt water doesn’t just attack inanimate objects. A few weeks back it took a liking to my husband, and had a party with friends in a tiny little cut below his cuticle. Soon his finger was three times it’s normal size. Only when he began to clean the wound obsessively, 4-5 times a day, did the swelling subside.
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| Eddy, preparing to stick needles in his big finger
From Los Roques 2009 |
There are ways to use this climate to your advantage. Bread rises quite nicely, for example. At Arizmendi, my bakery in the Bay Area, there is a proofer, or rising box, set to 90 degrees. Here, the world is a proofer box. I left some red wine out with a cheesecloth over it for about 45 days, and the result smelled sweet and mild. I think I did make vinegar, but accidently spilled it all into the ocean when trying to remove the fuzzy mold from the top. More on that later. In the northern climates I think it’d be hard to create your own “mother”, or vinegar-fungus. I suspect making yogurt without a machine might also be possible.
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| Yeast is friendly fungus From Recipe Photos |
In the continuous quest for friendly fungus, all ideas are welcome! (As are tricks for preventing bad fungus)
June 12, 2009 at 5:10 pm |
i had a problem with moisture in my studio apartment. i started collecting those packets of silica granules that are packed into foods to absorb moisture. i had a pretty big stash. i scattered them in areas that were suffering, like the bottom of my closet and included them in storage for vulnerable valuables. i think it helped. don’t know if this is possible for you. traci, when you were in cooking school did you ever imagine that salt could do such things? good luck!
June 15, 2009 at 7:48 pm |
Vacuum sealer! I loved mine like a child until it finally gave up the ghost in New Zealand. We kept our “yachting whites,” dry food goods, electronics– basically, anything that really shouldn’t get moist or moldy–vacuum sealed. Not only does this create a waterproof package (and I mean waterproof: the bags can float and their contents won’t get wet), but in the case of clothing, it will smoosh everything very flat so it takes up less space. Also, since you have refrigeration, you can use the “boil in a bag” feature– make up some meals before you go to sea, vacuum seal, refrigerate, and you can boil in a bag for dinner. Delicious! Peter is a boil in a bag master chef, and he is very proud of his prowess.