CGTNORMANDIE

12 hours ago, Lois R said:

I don't buy iceberg lettuce to keep in the house but I do enjoy a good wedge salad......the lettuce with some grape tomatoes (sliced), bacon and some really rich blue cheese dressing😃

Love a good wedge salad.  I always add blue cheese to the bottled dressing but I really prefer to make my own.

We were on a transatlantic RCI and one day they set up a huge salad bar in the MDR at lunch.  I had one of the best wedge salads I’ve ever had.  They even added more blue cheese on top of the salad!

4 hours ago, zekekelso said:

I know it’s important to respect other cultures... but eating fish for breakfast is a step too far for me. Nope, not gonna do it. Not gonna try it. Not on a boat. Not with a... well, you know the story. 
 

As to the question - favorite hot breakfast meal would be huevos rancheros 

LOL!!  Now there’s one dish I could never have for breakfast!!  

1 minute ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Hope you can indulge in Good Old Jewish Penicillin (Fresh Chicken Broth) during your recovery.

 

Congratulations too!

Thanks BB I’d be looking for French onion soup with that gooey crouton!  The Jewish Penicillin has an honored place on my dance card especially with wide noodles!

1 minute ago, BklynBoy8 said:

One of my favorite sandwiches are Grilled Cheese with various cheeses. American is traditional but a Vermont Cheddar is hardy. Fontina and Asiago not good. Heavity one is Swiss Cheese. Elegant would be Alpine Lace...

 

A good Egg Salad with crispy iceberg lettuce on White Toast is great!

 

Try making a grilled cheese with honey wheat bread and baby Swiss cheese!

11 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I don't think it's highly unlikely. Haven't you seen the thread about some people in a family in Yacht Club and some in "regular" cabin?

Heaven forbid!  We’ll have to alert the Yacht Club Police for interloping Bellas who are looking for free drinks!  

13 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Sounds much like a Monte Cristo.  Type of cheese and sauce may be different and it is grilled, not toasted.  Served with a jam whose flavor I don't recall.  Really do like that, but difficult to find afloat or ashore.  

 

A simple Grilled Cheese Sandwich with whatever cheese and bread:  always good.

 

Egg Salad?  No, not a sandwich that I would select.  Really am not a fan of hard boiled eggs and it took my Mother a very long time to convince me that I would like her pickled eggs in her Pickled Eggs and Beets.  They remain on my "edible" list, but not on my "preferred" list.  

LOL...egg salad is only good if it is made fresh and consumed right away.

9 hours ago, seamus69 said:

 

always nice when a medical procedure HELPS you indulge more instead of limiting you.  I wish you as much success with you kidney transplant as my sister had... 22 years, I think.  It was still working well when she passed away from unrelated issues.

Thanks Seamus.

9 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

I know most American's like the traditional breakfast of eggs, bacon or ham or sausage, home fries and buttered toast. With the side of assorted jellies.

 

I know ship board kitchens offer many other dishes. I remember but never tried on the QE2 - Haddock in Milk.

 

My favorite is Sunshiny side up eggs, smoky bacon or American Sausage, grill top shredded herbed potatoes and buttered english muffins.

 

In place of the Side Up eggs, a good Omelette properly made is even better.

 

BTW.....unless made right I am not a fan of oatmeal on the outside. If made right, brown sugar is great added taste.

Creamed Fin and Haddie aka Findon Haddock can be an exquisite dish served on toast, or in your case, on brioche.  It makes a great breakfast.  Another close relative to Fin and Haddie, served in Maine, is Chowder and Blueberry Muffin.  

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Not if the passengers give the wine or spirits to someone without a beverage package.

I think it highly unlikely that someone in the YC would be giving out booze to the pax...LOL.  I think that anyone in the YC should be able to bring whatever they want especially their own brand of tonic water, preferred wines, bottled water, etc.  MSC would only be saving money.  

43 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

At least on HAL ships in their Lido Restaurant, boiled eggs of different duration of cooking usually are available.  In the MDR, I have observed someone ordering a soft boiled egg served in an egg cup.  

I believe you are talking about a 3 minute egg.

2 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Chicken Livers......I've never seen them on a cruise ship at all. Not sure if it would be used as a canape during at a bar pre dinner or during a World Cruise Club Reception.

 

In a restaurant on land I like Chicken Livers already prepared with Chicken Fat as a Pate, finely chopped red onion, chopped egg and egg whites. Almost like caviar. When with toasted brioche points. 

We used to see pasta Caruso on the menus all the time...back when a farinaceous course was offered.  Chopped liver on brioche sounds just right!

A nice snifter of Grand Marnier is just right after a meal.  

3 hours ago, seamus69 said:

Midnight snack on a ship? 

Pizza or nachos

Definitely pizza!

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

"Sliders" are something that I would buy at a White Castle burger restaurant.  They do not belong--in whatever concoction--on a ship's menu.

 

 

Fried Chicken Livers!  ☺️  Love them!  I like fried chicken hearts and gizzards as well, but you might not agree, I expect.  😀

 

Their was a Spanish cheese/melon appetizer that was served on the Eurodam in January, 2020:  Manchego Cheese.  Very good and different from the usual pairing of Prosciutto with melon.  

Chicken livers Caruso...one of my favorite Italian sauces.  Chopped (chicken) liver is definitely one of my favorite deli items.  Served with a side of Mayo, red onion and crackers!  
 

Spanish cheese/melon sounds similar to Italian prosciutto melone...wonderful.

5 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Joe's American Grill which is on Newbury Street was a stop we found on our first time in Boston.

Down the street from the Public Gardens.

It  as it sounds is an All American Menu.

Unfortunately it is quite a walk from the drop off point for the QM2 in town, but we enjoyed seeing Boston Commons, Public Park Gardens and the elegant Newbury Street.

Had a basic burger to get us thru first time but last time was Steamed Lobster.

To return the second time I remember it well the first time.

Next year we are visiting Boston we should attempt to see another restaurant nearer to the drop point.

Next time head for the North End.  Just grab an Uber from the ship for a quick ride.  You will find one great Italian place after the other.  

On 5/11/2021 at 5:20 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Exactly what I learned while I was being raised.  A child tax credit?  That would have been most welcome to my parents.  I remember my Grandfather had a large garden in his backyard, planted grape vines (and made wine from many of those grapes), and bartered his services as a house painter for clients that provided items that he could not afford during the Depression and WW II era.  My Grandmother learned to make homemade noodles; more inexpensive than trying to buy such.  (And, they were more delicious than what we find in the grocery today.)  

 

The "hardships" that we have to endure today are surely issues for some of us who live in the 21st Century.  Not being able to go to a restaurant without wearing a mask.  Is this a "hardship" or is it "trivial"?   Kroger's ran out of toilet paper!  Is this a "hardship" or maybe a lesson in conservation of one's resources that we, the people of today needed to learn?  

 

To keep this thread somewhat on track:  Were there "memorable restaurants" during the Great Depression and during the WW II era?  I have little doubt that there were.  An example is New York City's Rainbow Room which opened in 1934 and must have done well.  1942, it closed because of WW II and did not re-open again until 1950.  Because of Covid-19, it is now closed.  

Yes there were many memorable restaurants running during the Great Depression.  Boston was loaded with old line restaurants and taverns...before The Boston Redevelopment Authority sterilized the old city beginning in the late 1950’s.   Many of those restaurants were legends.  I could name at least a dozen or more that I remember and none of them exist today...so sad.  

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

The Food that I remember and like quite awhile ago was on HAL was there Bread Pudding w Topping Sauce.

 

On the QE2 in the early 80's we use to enjoy the Midnight Buffet in the what was known as the Columbia Restaurant. So many stations in the different parts of the restaurant was setup.

 

Cheese station, Bread station, Seafood in Ice Carvings, Flambe stations like Banana Foster, Beef Carving Board, etc........... + Desserts.....

 

Best desserts:  The French Line...bar none.  Every night was a new experience.  Nobody made a better creme patisserie, bavarois, pate’ choux and pate’ feuillette’.  
 

Best Buffet:  HAPAG Lloyd...onboard TS Bremen.  Quality surpassed quantity...Beluga Caviar, giant shrimp, fresh Maine lobster, prime beef, etc. etc.  A close second was onboard Regency’s MS Regent Sea...again the emphasis was on quality...including a perfectly roasted 175 pound pig.  

8 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

🤣!  Never heard of that.  But, as a Methodist, I will take a full measure of ginger ale.  What would my Minister think?  Don't know, but I don't think that she would disagree and probably ask "where's my drink"?

A Presbyterian: Maybe that is an old New England expression but every bartender I ever met knew what it means.  You are simply cutting down on the sweetness of the ginger ale and allowing the taste of the whiskey to dominate.  Not at all like watering down...the soda water or seltzer keeps the drink fresh and not flat.

2 hours ago, seamus69 said:

 

well that's a shame.  gotta listen to the doc...most of the time.

 

I was trying to find a lower cholesterol cheese that would still be worth making fondue with and struck out. 

 

Hopefully you will find other guilty culinary pleasures that will make you happy

 

Bon Appetit!

 

 

Thanks Seamus the good news is that I am now getting closer to a kidney transplant.  That will enable me to indulge in infrequent pleasures...LOL.

4 hours ago, seamus69 said:

Actually, I never found fondue very hard to make but then I cook a lot of dishes that are hard and/or time-consuming.

 

It is definitely a social dish.  I can't imagine making it for just myself unless I was depressed and trying to relive better times.

 

We have a small chain of fondue places in my area as well.  I don't know if they made it through Covid but seem to be doing well up until that point.

They were fairly expensive and not close to our house and so we never tried it, I just kept hinting it would be a nice dinner to get as a birthday present.

 

 

The more we have to pay attention to our diets...as we age.  Fondue is a study in cholesterol.  As much as I love fondue my doctor says NO.  After losing my kidney function in 2018 my diet changed radically.  Cheese is a no-no on a kidney diet.

Sighhhhhh.

7 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Not toot my horn, but I really think Cunard does a class act with soups. On the QE2, QM2 and rest in peace from the past Caronia, I think because of the type of kitchens we've seen on tours. They make every effort with their proteins, bones and etc.. to use the essence not to waste anything. Like Jaquen Pepin says "Nothing in the kitchen should go to waste. Many things can be tossed in the Soup Pot".

 

Excellent broth's and consomme's......

Every great kitchen has a stockpot.  When I was a lad and worked at the Ritz we had a Saucier who could make every sauce known to mankind.  The stockpot was always full with every left over vegetable and bone.  The bones were always roasted with aromatics before they were dumped in the stockpot.  Every great soup or sauce must start with a good stock as its foundation.  

The worst onion soup...MSC.  They have no clue.  The best onion soup...SS France.  They owned the patent!  Princess and RCI were just so-so.  

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

 

I am not a gin and tonic drinker.

 

I prefer a Canadian whisky (CC or Royal Crown) with 7-Up or, for variety, Ginger Ale.  Schweppes is preferred over Canada Dry.  (But, sometimes, I have to take what I can get.)  

I like a Presbyterian...Crown Royal, 1/2 ginger ale and 1/2 soda water.

The next time you pick up a tonic water try reading the ingredients.  You will be stunned.  I stopped using tonic water years ago and I loooove a good gin and tonic.  Now I make the tonic water by mixing frozen lime fruit juice concentrate (like lemonade) with lemon and lime soda water...and so much better for you.  Bombay Sapphire works for me!

Favorite omelette: grilled ham, sharp cheddar cheese and sautéed asparagus tips!