CGTNORMANDIE

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!

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

I have thought about the OP's question for some time.  It is very difficult to single out one ship, one cruise, whose culinary offerings were so exemplary that they exceeded all of those on my other cruises.  

 

If I must choose one ship during two cruises it ought to be Royal Viking Sky.  My first night's dinner sailing from New York, I ordered a sirloin steak.  It was the best steak that I have ever eaten.  Was it the cuisine?  Was it the excitement of me starting my first long anticipated trans-Atlantic crossing coupled with a North Cape Cruise?  

 

Whatever.  The Sky's cuisine remained at a high level throughout the cruise.  With a genuine highlight being a Midnight Buffet held in the Main Lounge as we sailed by the North Cape.  

Hi RK,

Royal Viking was famous for their service and cuisine.  They were a luxury line with top notch food and service.  You were very fortunate to have sailed when you did.  Royal Viking flourished from 1972 to  1984.  Once it was sold to NCL things went down hill from there.  Savor the memories RK.

13 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Table side preparation:  I don’t think anyone did it better than the Italians.  Table side prep was an everyday occurrence on the Italian Line.  They claimed to have more than 1,000 pasta dishes that they could prepare on request. ..incredible!! 

Back in the days when the old Queen Elizabeth, the old Queen Mary, Mauritania II and Caronia II were sailing...in the 1950’s.  They had The Veranda Grills on the upper decks   These were special tariff restaurants that served special meals usually featuring dinner and dancing.  These were the forerunners of the Queens Grill.  They were famous for table side prep and flaming special dishes and desserts.  Some of the restaurant stewards actually had nicknames that alluded to their flaming specialties.  

6 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Egg Salad Really?????

Try it!  The egg salad addition to the roast beef will give you a whole new slant on RB sandwiches.  Go easy on the lettuce and tomato or even eliminate it all together.  This sandwich is a study in protein...and tastes great!  

Table side preparation:  I don’t think anyone did it better than the Italians.  Table side prep was an everyday occurrence on the Italian Line.  They claimed to have more than 1,000 pasta dishes that they could prepare on request. ..incredible!! 

5 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

CGT

BRAVO....

I too remember the one and only sailing that I took on the Noordam had a Sandwich added to the Lido Deck. They would make what ever selection you would like besides the regular usuals and a "Sandwich/Hero of the Day".

 

I ditto about the fresh cut off the bone roast beef sandwich. My favorite and is the favorite in my area of New York (Brooklyn), house contractors and laborers always order from the Deli - Fresh Cut RB, smear of Mayo, Cold Cut Machine Sheered Iceberg Lettuce, Sliced Tomato (summer - beefsteak), S&P on a Fresh Seed Italian Loaf of Bread (locally baked that morning.) Of course, a pair of Half Sour Dill Pickles.

 

Our favorite from the local Jewish Deli - Fresh Jewish Rye, Warmed Pastrami and Cole Slaw layered. Yes, pair of Half Sour Dill Pickles.

Now you are really making me hungry.  I agree with all the above!  Another combination sandwich is my standby.  Give me a fresh roasted roast beef sandwich in a fresh sub roll with Mayo on both sides and sliced beef steak tomatoes and lettuce, salt and pepper and freshly made egg salad!!  The egg salad gives this sandwich a whole new dimension.

5 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Once we return to restaurants again, I want to try a drink my Dad use to make.

 

Moscow Mule...... He had the Copper Mugs for the Drink.

 

It is starting to show up in restaurants after a long time.

The Moscow mule is a featured drink in the MSC Yacht Club...very good.

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

How could I have overlooked those two!  Well made, they are delicious!  

 

HAL's bartenders serve a drink called a Wang Wang.  I have never had one; I have heard that one is sufficient.  Two?  Someone may need to help you to "find your way home".  

RK, I think I will book a cruise on HAL just to try a Wang Wang!  
 

Wang Wang cocktail...

1/4 oz each:

vodka

gin

white rum 

Scotch

bourbon

tequila

triple sec

brandy

top off with orange juice and pineapple juice

Good luck trying to walk in a straight line after 2 of these!!

13 hours ago, GlobalMethod said:

It looks like this thread has a life of its own! ... 🙂 ...

 

Therefore, a quick story ... on an Azamara ship I asked a bartender, just for fun, if he knew which adult beverage was known as the "milk of the strong" ... no answer so my hint was it was a drink from Greece ...

 

that question still stumped this bartender and all others on the ship I queried ...

 

so for my demonstration I would ask for a shot of OUZO in a rocks glass ... it appeared crystal clear, of course ... then I would ask for a rocks glass of just ice and a spoon ...

 

then I placed some of the ice into the rocks glass with the OUZO ... within seconds I had produced a milky white drink ... "the milk of the strong" ...

 

I always sip my OUZO on the rocks! ... 🙂 ...

Ouzo on the rocks is nice but give me 5-6 or 7 star Metaxa!  This is my favorite brandy even preferred above the expensive French brandies.  

7 hours ago, seamus69 said:

That's where I got mine.  My team at work went to lunch at a Chinese restaurant to celebrate one of our co-workers retiring.  Everyone had one drink and I had my first Zombie.  Luckily, we had walked to the place and I didn't have to drive.  I avoided my boss the rest of the day.

LOL...they don’t call it a Zombie for nothing.  I love tiki drinks...probably because I love exotic fruit juices...and rum!  My current favorite is passion fruit.  Mai Tai,, Singapore Slings, Planters Punch, Scorpio Bowls, Navy Grog, Fog Cutters and...yes...Zombies are all in my wheel house.  

33 minutes ago, seamus69 said:

 

I love zombies but they turn me into one.  I'm a lightweight!

LOL...as long as you don’t end up wearing a lamp shade!  

Pate’...my favorite.  I have often made a whole meal out of three appetizers.  I love pate’ with bread and wine.  Escargots are a close second but the snails have to be fresh or fresh frozen...never canned.  Gravlax is another favorite along with prosciutto melone also anything en croute.  I love those puff pastry treats.  I long for good Beluga caviar with good Champagne (Moët et Chandon) but those days are long gone.

I think HAL does a good job with sandwiches according to the YouTube presentations I’ve seen.  Another trick I use at the buffet is to find some good bread or rolls and head for the carving station...then amble around the buffet for the extras.  There is nothing better than a hand cut roast beef, tenderloin roast, brisket, turkey, baked ham, pastrami etc.  

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

While reading a post on a different thread, a mention was made of Miami Vice.  It has been a long time since I ordered one of those!  Really, I had forgotten them.  So good; so attractive in the glass.  

 

 

Give me a Zombie!  

I’m back...finally!  Some of my favorite sandwiches are deli style.  Celebrity usually provides some good basics...turkey, brisket, corned beef, pastrami and baked ham.  One of my top favorites is The Turkey In The Straw.  This is light rye slathered with Russian dressing, fresh sliced turkey breast, baked ham, Cole slaw, Swiss cheese and two strips of bacon...incredible!  

Ohhhh...now you are really getting me hungry...but I have to go off to dialysis now.  We’ll continue this when I get back home in 5 hours.  Then I can tell you about some of my all-time favorites.  I can never understand why they put out those silly sandwiches  on the ship’s buffet??  What’s the point of having Italian bread with salami and cheese?  A half made sandwich is a travesty.  I once tried to get the Italian Maitre D’ on MSC to make an Italian sub...to no avail.  I guess he had never been in Boston or Philly...LOL.

12 hours ago, seamus69 said:

 

okay now you've done it!  melty cheeses makes be think of fondue!

Gruyere, Swiss, and a little white wine...accented with a little dry mustard and nutmeg!

Now you’re talking “the good old days” Seamus.  The time when our doctors didn’t affect our eating habits LOL.  I remember fondue being very popular in the 1960’s!  Everyone loved fondue...until our cholesterol numbers started to climb...LOL.

3 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

A Good Extra Light Olive Oil, Fresh Garlic and 3 day old Country White Loaf with crust cut off. Cut not too large and not too small. After the garlic gave the oil the scent I remove the garlic and toss in the Bread. 375 oven and toss cubes after about every 8 minutes. Towards the end a slight toss of dried thyme and dried dill. (These were from my last year's herb garden). Then maybe once more till cubes golden brown. We like to use them for soups and especially salads.

 

Fresh made, storaged in air tight container last for quite some time.

 

We use to know of a old style diner that use to cut up old rye bread and deep fry them. Use to use it for their Pea soup.

Excellent rendition BB.  I like to cube an Italian bread loaf and pan fry the cubes with butter and olive oil tossing them then throw in the herbs, Italian seasoning works for me.  I find thyme is too harsh.  Just as the cubes are finishing sprinkle on some grated Romano cheese and toss some more.  For the onion soup I slice French bread and do the same for a big crouton.  Then I ladle the onion soup into a crock, top it with the crouton and place the cheese...preferably grated gruyere but baby Swiss works in a pinch.  Place the crock under the broiler/salamander until the cheese bubbles and “runs down the side of the crock” (Thanks Seamus).  Using a properly prepared crouton really improves the finished soup.  

On 5/10/2021 at 5:45 PM, seamus69 said:

I forgot to mention French Onion soup is one of my favorites even on land 

French onion soup...must be made with good beef stock.  The last onion soup I had was on MSC and it didn’t even taste like onion soup.  I’ve seen it on RCI buffets and wouldn’t go near it.  Onion soup needs to be prepared in the traditional manner and finished under the salamander with gruyere over a properly toasted crouton.  Anything less is not French onion soup.

The next time you see the movie...”An Affair To Remember”, starring Carry Grant and Deborah Kerr, you will see the SS Constitution.   The restaurant scenes are classic.  They actually used the real First Class menus.  

Mulligatawny soup done right!  I think it was RCI who did it best?

10 hours ago, getting older slowly said:

Buffet best... any one which has what you want.. ( noting this can change on a cruise )

 

Use of said Buffet..... lunch port days.... and sometimes after dinner desserts...   

but not to sit in...    we take our food back to our cabin...

( if nice day for eating on balcony with some wine )..

 

Favorite food...... Chicken Caesar Wraps,, fries , salad  ( we bring our own creme balsamic vinegar ) ....  and it depended on what is on offer.

 

Prefer to eat in MDR...

 

Don

 

I am also guilty of taking food back to the cabin.  Usually it is a big sticky bun from the breakfast buffet since it’s not offered on the room service menu.  

On 4/21/2021 at 9:22 AM, kimstoess said:

My husband are booking two rooms. One is MSC yacht club family suite and one regular balcony. If my oldest daughter and mother are in the regular balcony can they join us on the yacht club pool deck?

Hi Kim,

Let’s get a clearer picture here.  What ship have you booked?  Please don’t take some of the comments personally.  They benefit everyone who reads them.  It sounds like you will need to book an inside YC cabin.  If you are on a Fantasia Class ship and in 12001 or 12003 then you can have your family visit you in those suites but not in the YC proper.    If you are in a Seaside Class ship then you will need to book an inside YC cabin for your daughter and mother.