We were sailing in French Polynesia, exploring Raiatea and nearby Taha’a, about 130 miles from Tahiti. For all six Lake Superior sailors aboard Gauguin, our chartered Beneteau 43, this was living the dream. We’d all imagined sailing to the South Pacific in our own boats someday. In reality, we’d finally conceded that chartering was the next best thing. Even better, it allowed us to live a shared dream with friends.
The sailing was as spectacular as our dreams. Never before had we seen such beautiful expanses of water. We had our choice of pristine anchorages to explore. Everywhere, we met friendly, French-speaking people. All this, combined with the heady scent of tropical flowers nearshore, made us downright giddy. We were still enthusing about a sight we’d seen during a stopover on Tahiti, en route to Raiatea by air: Boxes sat outside homes like Western mailboxes—not awaiting mail, but the daily baguette delivery! We all agreed we’d prefer fresh baguettes to junk mail any day.
After a couple of days sailing and exploring, our starter provisions were running low. Critically, we were out of ice. The next day, we planned to cross to Bora Bora—a longer sail—so we headed to Raiatea’s main town, Uturoa, which has a supermarket.
Provisioning the next morning would prove challenging. The shopping list was divided among the crew so that we didn’t overwhelm the store by appearing en masse. Everyone had assigned items, but my husband, Radd, had been given only one: ice.
There was a reason for this. On past cruises, he’d earned a reputation for returning from provisioning runs with large quantities of everything except what was on his list. Once, he’d returned with an enormous bag of lemons, because, as he proudly exclaimed: “They were a good deal!” (We made lemonade.)
On past cruises, Radd had earned a reputation for returning from provisioning runs with large quantities of everything except what was on his list.
In Uturoa, we soon realized that provisioning would take longer than we’d thought. All the labels were (of course) only in French, so none of us were completely sure what we were buying. Locating lighter fluid for the stern grill was particularly interesting. Thankfully, the produce section was easier.
By the time five of us had regrouped on board and stowed our assigned supplies, Radd the iceman was still nowhere to be seen. His absence didn’t bode well. Before long, he appeared on the dock, carrying a large white bag with no label.
“The iceman cometh!” somebody shouted. We let out a collective cheer.
He quickly popped the bag in the fridge below as we got underway. After a perfect day’s sail, we were safely anchored in Bora Bora, ready for a swim and an icy cocktail.
We waited with anticipation as the precious white bag was slit open. Glasses were at the ready. And inside, we saw…frozen french fries. About 2 pounds of them.
After the moans, groans, laughter and ribbing subsided, we weighed our options. There were exactly two: warm cocktails, with a side of plain fries as our hors d’oeuvre.
The next day, I decided to get creative. I had aioli on my mind. Its origins are in France, and we were in French territory. Why not use it as a dip for fries?
Traditional aioli is made by blending olive oil, garlic and a bit of acidic lemon juice, sometimes with raw egg yolk added. We had mayonnaise, which contains oil, eggs and acidic vinegar. We had garlic. I decided to try an improvised version. For color, I added a bit of ketchup, and for zing, a little spicy mustard. I served the “easy pink aioli” on a platter surrounded by oven-baked frozen fries. It was a hit.
We’ll certainly never forget French Polynesia, but some of our best cruising memories are intertwined with food. Every year, we gather to reminisce about that trip, to share laughs and memories. We snack on (you guessed it) frozen fries and pink aioli. With frosty cocktails, we toast to far-flung sailing adventures with good friends—and to Radd, our iceman, who now makes sure we always have plenty of cubes.
Easy Pink Aioli Dip
- 1 cup good-quality mayonnaise
- ½ cup (or less, to taste) good-quality ketchup
- 2 tsp. spicy brown or Dijon mustard
- 2-4 cloves garlic, or to taste
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 1 small bunch parsley, for garnish (optional)
- 3 oz. frozen french fries per person
- Yields: 1¼ cup of dip
Place mayonnaise in a small mixing bowl. Mix in ketchup and mustard. Stir to combine.
Smash garlic and then finely mince. Add to bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, stir, then taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Add lemon juice (start with a small amount and add more to taste). Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let flavors blend.
Prepare frozen fries according to package directions. Alternatively, you can use fresh potatoes to make fries. This dip is also great with chips, crackers, bread and sliced raw veggies.
To serve, transfer aioli to a bowl, place on a platter, and surround with fries. Garnish with sliced lemon and parsley.
Cook’s Note: Aioli will keep for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Prep time: 15 minutes plus chill time
Difficulty: easy
Can be made: at anchor or underway
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