Each year in May, I am overwhelmed with river kayaking (including new boat) lust. My longing to get my (new) boat into whitewater is particularly strong this year. During a trek to and from Asheville, NC, this past weekend, my daughter and I took the scenic route home through Tennessee along the Nantahala and Ocoee rivers. Fifteen years ago, I drove this distance at least bi-monthly to paddle one or the other. Alas, the demands of life wedged between me and my paddle. Now my spray skirt, dry suit, and dry bag have dry rotted. (Not to mention my boat’s design is archaic, judging by the sportier models on the river.)
(“Fantasy Chicken Salad” recipe follows)
Along the river’s edge, my daughter and I got out of the car to “scout” rapids. Longingly, I pointed out eddies behind rocks and along the river bends. She proudly spotted the “V’s” in the water flow, the commonly safe pathways through sets of rapids. At the last, and arguably trickiest, rapid on the Nantahala, we stopped for her to try out a new camera.
Eleni captured the beaming face of a woman, about my age, coming through a perfect execution of this heart-pounding rapid. When she eddied-out beside us, the woman exclaimed, “Wow, and I have not been in my boat for at least 10 years!” Sister, am I jealous. I wanted to grab her gear and abscond with her boat. Then, as she gaily drove her boat upstream and caught the current that would take her back to land, I wanted to yell “What did you eat for lunch?”
Lunch is a highlight of the 8 1/2 mile paddle, and the middle leg of the trip. It can take up just as much time as paddling, and by the time you get there, provide just as much pleasure. That is why one must have a securely sealed dry bag in the cockpit of the boat.
In my younger paddling days, a peanut butter sandwich, granola with loads of M&M’s, and an apple held me together for the above-mentioned end-rapid butterflies. These days, I am into savoring, so lunch would consist of a well-planned picnic.
My fantasy lunch would include a smoked chicken salad with dry-cured black olives and shaved fennel, along with a wedge of Asiago cheese and some crisp flatbread. I would snack on a mix of dried blueberries or cherries and low-fat granola, with M&M’s. Water to drink while I paddle, but there is nothing happier than an ice-cold beer at river’s end.
Fantasy Chicken Salad
1/2 small red onion
1/2 smoked or rotisserie-cooked chicken, or 2 roasted chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 small head fennel, trimmed, or 3 inner ribs celery
1/4 cup dry-cured or bottled Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Cut onion into very thin, vertical slivers. Soak in ice water 1 hour.
2. Pull chicken into shreds; place in a large bowl, and set aside.
3. Combine olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan; place over medium heat and cook until garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat; let cool. Stir in mayonnaise and juice and zest of lemon.
4. Pour mayonnaise mixture over chicken, and toss.
5. Cut fennel into very thin vertical slices, or thinly slice celery; add to chicken mixture along with drained onion slices, olives, and parsley. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
Makes 2 servings.
Debby Maugans [1], the author of Small Batch Baking, published by Workman Publishing, has over 25 years of experience writing about food, styling food and creating recipes for cookbooks and national magazines. She writes a weekly “Tables for Two” food column for the Birmingham News. (That’s Debby, above, in the kayak when she was 5 months pregnant!)
You can email Debby at debby@smallbatchbaking.com