The Menu: Cinnamon and Gunpowder
From smoked eels steeped in tea to homemade ravioli, and chocolate mole flavored with soy sauce, Wedgwood whipped up dishes for Captain Mabbot that would make even the saltiest sailor salivate (say that 5 times in a row). Luckily, we’re not stuck aboard a creaky ship with weevil-infested cornmeal and salted meat Chef suspects was once a horse. So let’s throw open our pantries and see what we can create with a little imagination.
Drinks
Raise your sails with this tropical rum old fashioned from Queen Bee Mixology, a boozy nod to Wedgwood’s pineapple-banana cider concoction aboard The Flying Rose. I couldn’t find Plantation Pineapple Rum or banana coconut simple syrup, so I used Malibu Pineapple Rum and coconut syrup instead. It’s still delicious, making it the kind of drink you can imagine being passed around the captain’s table. Bottoms up!
Appetizer
Captain Mabbot once savored Wedgwood’s rum-poached figs with blue cheese and honey, a dish good enough to earn him another week aboard The Flying Rose. I adapted Bourbon and Honey’s recipe by using dried figs, and the result is a rich, sweet and savory appetizer that’s elegant enough to win over even the fiercest pirate.
Fresh Black Mission figs are only in season for a few months each summer, so I used 12 to 15 Sun-Maid dried Black Mission figs instead, which I found near the raisins at my grocery store. To mimic Wedgwood’s rum-poached figs, I soaked them in ½ cup rum and ½ cup hot water for about an hour until they plumped up, then drained and patted them dry before continuing with the recipe. I also sprinkled a little chopped fresh rosemary over the dish before baking
Main
One Sunday, Wedgwood serves Mabbot a classic French bouillabaisse topped with spicy cream. Try Familystyle Food’s recipe inspired by Julia Child, packed with fish, shellfish, and vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s the kind of meal that just might have kept Wedgwood from walking the plank. If you don’t have shrimp shells and fish heads for the stock, simply substitute bottled clam juice for some of the water. Not in the mood for seafood? Try the sun-dried tomato puttanesca from Must Love Home instead, another dish Wedgwood prepared to earn another Sunday aboard The Flying Rose.
Side
Wedgwood kept a yeast starter alive by tucking it close to his heart and feeding it various liquids. That starter is what gives sourdough its rise and signature tang. Recipe Tin Eats’ cheese garlic pull-apart sourdough is a buttery, cheesy side that’s perfect for sharing.
Dessert
End your meal on a sweet note with The Modern Nonna’s vanilla-scented amaretto cookies, inspired by the cookies Wedgwood baked for Mabbot. With just four ingredients, these cookies prove that simple can still be life saving.
As we drop anchor and reflect on this swashbuckling adventure, remember that some of the best meals come from making the most of what you have. Owen certainly did. The next time dinner doesn’t go as planned, take a page from his cookbook and get a little creative. No pirates required.
