Hurrah for Hamburgers

     One of two bread bibles on the market. The clerk at 

     the bookstore joked that this was how bread wars 

     were started.

After the weekend was over, armed with new tools - an oven-proof glove, chili-laden chocolate from the Brooklyn-based Mast Brothers, and a bread-making bible- I made my way back to the boat. The commuter train from Boston was filled with people in costume on their way to Salem for Halloween celebrations. I mean, every seat was filled. I sat down, intending to write or read or make a phone call, and immediately fell asleep.

For breakfast at Craigie on Main in Boston, I had what was touted as the best burger in Boston. Inspired, I stopped at the grocery store beside the train depot and picked up two bags of buns, ground beef, veggie burgers and ketchup.

As I approached the boat, Sugarbelle hollered out, "Cook, you're back. Hurrah!" I wondered how many of them were betting on my making a quiet escape into the night.

Back on the boat I immediately started to work cutting up red potatoes. I seasoned them with thyme, basil and oregano. Then I started on seasoning the hamburger and immediately realized that I hadn't bought enough. I dug through the freezer. I have a feeling no professional chef should try this. I defrosted a large piece of flank steak in the microwave, cut off slabs, chopped them into small pieces and added them to the mix. I made a small burger for myself while I was frying them and I quite liked it. It reminded me of low-brow version of Daniel Boulud's famous burger with short ribs in it (sans truffle and fois).

"Burger night!" cried Captain Wright as he entered the salon. "Hurrah!"