Entertaining Onboard
And Cornmeal Crusted Cod w. New England Chowder Sauce
Leigh married a sailor, so when the weather’s nice, you’ll likely find her entertaining onboard their beautiful sailboat. Whether it’s weekly races, leisurely daytime cruises with friends, or weeklong adventures up and down the New England coast with their family—she’s a pro at hosting on the water.
This menu is both beautiful and foolproof—easy to prep, serve, and enjoy wherever you are. No boat? No problem. It’s just as perfect packed up for a beach picnic, a vacation meal with friends, or your 4th of July spread.
Lobster rolls and pimento cheese on one menu? It doesn’t get more “two southerners living in New England” than that, and we are here for it.
Onboard Menu:
Rum Punch
Pimento Cheese
Smoked Fish Dip
Mini Lobster Rolls
Summer Skewers
‘Elegant yet Easy’ recipe (subscribers only): Cornmeal Crusted Cod w. New England Chowder Sauce
Onboard Hosting Tips:
Packing snacks in divided trays that are ready to serve trays, such as this one makes serving apps super easy
We love to batch a cocktail to bring on board. We normally prep it at home and then bring in to boat in a big canteen.
Don’t want to prep anything? Some other go-to things we often bring on board are big sushi platters and pre cooked and seasoned shrimp with dip. We loved visiting our local fish market for all of these goodies.
You can never have enough ice! Designate one YETI cooler just for ice and using insulated cups will help with the melt.
What to wear essentials: : long kaftans, a cotton sweater for when it gets breezy, a hat with a string so it doesn’t blow away, boat shoes and terrycloth for getting in and out of the water.
Onboard Hosting Essentials:
For Subscribers Only:
Onboard Shopping List & Prep Timeline
NEW ‘Elegant yet Easy’ Recipe- Cornmeal Crusted Cod w. New England Chowder Sauce
July 2024 EYE Recipe: Linguini w. Clams & Salami
One of the most classic New England dishes is clam chowder. This past winter, on a ski weekend in Vermont, I had a dish with major chowder vibes, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. A piece of cornmeal-crusted cod sat atop a creamy, chowder-style sauce—and it was perfect. I knew I had to recreate it for you all!
It’s an elegant, cozy dish that feels restaurant-worthy but is surprisingly simple to make. Everything can be done ahead of time except for searing the fish, which makes it a dream for entertaining. Serve it with a crusty loaf of bread and a crisp green salad—this one’s a total stunner.