Yanks, Beware - Independence of Seas

[spanner14]

I have a Weimaraner. Yeah, I know she is not of British descent but at least she is European.;)

 

...and my old boy in my avatar is a Border Collie, so he's definitely British! :)

[spanner14]

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) enjoyed cruising; his last trip in life was a cruise to Bermuda. There's beginning to be some buzz over here as his autobiography, that he delayed until 100 years after his death, is coming out soon. He was friends with Charles Dickens and Ruyard Kipling so there was a British connection, although Kipling was married to an American and living in New England at the time.

IMHO no man has had a better grasp of our American language or humor than he.

 

A lot of that bacon does elude me, as we don't eat much of it; much like chorizo.

As my small contribution to "Two peoples seperated by a common language!" we have a standard Manchester Terror, as I see a lot of dogs featured in your posts.

 

Speaking of Manchester, United is playing in Houston this week, should we be worried?:)

 

Gosh, that should be a fascinating read - the autobiography, I mean. It's a beautiful quote - so evocative.

[spanner14]

Actually from the site where I obtained the photo:

 

1. Irish and English bacon. Taken from the loin, with lean surrounded by a ring of fat. Cured and/or smoked.

 

3. Country bacon. Often heavily smoked, salty, and thickly sliced.

 

Any guesses on the others? :D

 

lol! Same bacon - different name! We call no. 1 "back bacon" and no. 3 "streaky bacon". :)

[BMT]

Sounds like fun to me! My son adored Geoff the CD on the Indy: he said he felt like he had John Cleese from Monty Python sailing with him!

 

According to Joff, even his wife calls him John - uncanny likeness to John Cleese:D:D Nice guy Joff.

[romnan]

As long as they serve scotch and a pint of Ale I will be Happy I don't know why so many Americans must think that "we" are the Center of the Universe,because we are not:rolleyes:

 

The entire purpose of Cruising and Travel in general is to meet new people,savour new experiences and come away with a better understanding of something other than yourself:)

[EmmaCel]

It's Huevos Rancheros BTW, and I usually bring along my own salsas both red and green.:)

.

 

Yeah! I was waiting to see if someone noticed that. I'm a New Mexican...finally, someone else who knows what it means to get your food "Christmas Style!" Red and Green all the way..

[Ocean Boy]

As long as they serve scotch and a pint of Ale I will be Happy I don't know why so many Americans must think that "we" are the Center of the Universe,because we are not:rolleyes:

 

The entire purpose of Cruising and Travel in general is to meet new people,savour new experiences and come away with a better understanding of something other than yourself:)

 

And this thread had remained fun and friendly with everyone getting along up until now.:rolleyes:

[Robb]

One of the great things about travel is experiencing the differences in various cultures. I have come to love the 'British' bacon. On our last cruise (out of Southampton) I learned about Marmite, yummy. Even found it in our local grocery.

 

Funny little story--we did an 18 day group tour in China a few years back. There were several ladies on the trip who did not like Chinese food and even two who were allergic to rice. Never could figure out why they took the trip. It was not like we were served steak and potatoes each meal. Actually, we never got that. All the meals were Chinese except for breakfast. :D

[GCurry]

...and my old boy in my avatar is a Border Collie, so he's definitely British! :)

A Border Collie help raise me on a West Texas sheep ranch, he kept me away from the rattlesnakes, got the big folk when I wus hung up on the barbwire, but we did have our problems with skunks!!:eek:

 

As long as they serve scotch and a pint of Ale I will be Happy I don't know why so many Americans must think that "we" are the Center of the Universe,because we are not:rolleyes:

Nope, it's usually where you live.:) But who knows, a few drams and a black & tan or two and Bobs yer uncle; we might even find some common ground.

 

The entire purpose of Cruising and Travel in general is to meet new people,savour new experiences and come away with a better understanding of something other than yourself:)

You got it, it's a short life and a big world.

 

Yeah! I was waiting to see if someone noticed that. I'm a New Mexican...finally, someone else who knows what it means to get your food "Christmas Style!" Red and Green all the way..

I lived in Albuq. and loved it. I do miss Tostadas Compuestas and Stuffed Sopapillas with the red and green and Najavo Fry Bread as they don't serve them down here. They might be a bit harsh for this crowd however.:)

[srlafleur]

Personally, I would LOVE it if more cruises would have food and entertainment reflecting the local culture, regardless of the departure port.

In the Caribbean, steel drums by the pool is about it, if they even have that. There may be have something "Caribbean" (ie. with coconut) in the MDR occasionally and that's about the extent of the available food exotica. They even have that if you're sailing the Med.

I'm not complaining, really, but I'd like to remember that I'm someplace other than home, even while onboard the ship. I'd like a sense of place.

A shop on board dealing in locally-made (wherever that may be) products/souvenirs (nice stuff - not junk) would be a nice addition to any ship - do away with the gold-by-the-inch, if necessary.

[marielco]

Just so we are all talking the same thing, can you identify your favorite bacon...

 

 

1 looks like the normal back bacon I would eat for breakfast here in Ireland and 4 I think is streaky bacon - much too much fat on that for my liking.

[Sancho_proudfoot]

We've done both the Indy out of Southampton and the Freedom out of Port Canaveral, so have experienced both sides of the coin.

 

We had Ken Rush as CD on the Indy, and although he tried with the Brit theme, he admitted struggling with some bits.

 

As for the food, I can't say I noticed a huge difference; I actually quite like the crispy American bacon anyway. OK we had a Brit comedian on the Indy, and enjoyed it, and an American comedian on the Freedom; there were jokes and comments from the American comic, which had the 'local' audience roaring with laughter; hey, it's about a US TV show we haven't seen, but if the Brit comic had made jokes about EastEnders I wouldn't expect the overseas guest to get it.

 

As for trivia, we played on both ships. On the Freedom, we were up against a rather loud American Lady who described herself as the Queen of Trivia. We beat her, and took the prize...........not once........not twice .................. but THREE times. The CD's staff doing the quiz were taking the questions out of huge quiz books which seem pretty international.

 

As many posters above have commented, part of the true joy of the cruise is meeting other folk, not from the other end of your country, but from whole other continents. I always look forward to breakfast and lunch in the MDR to chat with other cruisers, hopefully not all from the UK like me!

[Captain Jake]

I would like to see more foods reflecting on the home port.One of my biggest disapointments on my first Caribbean cruise was that the fruits served were basically the ones grown here.I was hopping for a variety of tropical fruits

:cj

[peteukmcr]

Just so we are all talking the same thing, can you identify your favorite bacon...

 

 

Number 1 please - back bacon. Number 3 looks like streaky that I'd only use at Christmas for my 'pigs in blankets' to accompany the Roast Turkey for Christmas dinner.

[reallyitsmema]

2 is canadian bacon

4 is traditional american bacon

5 is pancetta

6 is slab bacon

[Mr. Luckytoo]

Just so we are all talking the same thing, can you identify your favorite bacon...

 

 

1 Irish and English bacon. Taken from the loin, with lean surrounded by a ring of fat. Cured and/or smoked.

2 Canadian bacon. Precooked, very lean, cured and lightly smoked, and cut from the loin. (Known as "back bacon" in Canada.)

3 Country bacon. Often heavily smoked, salty, and thickly sliced.

4 Standard bacon. Sliced and packaged, usually with the rind trimmed.

5 Pancetta. Italian bacon from the belly that is seasoned, dry-aged, and cured - not smoked.

6 Slab bacon. Pork belly with fat, lean, and rind, that has been cured and/or smoked, but not sliced.

 

I've had #1 in the UK and on Celebrity Equinox in the Carribbean - not my cup of tea

 

#2 I like on my Eggs Benedict

 

#3 - This is my favorite but not what you see on the ships

 

#4 - THIS is what the ships have and it's very greasy so they cook it a LOT.

 

#5. Had this in Italy last year and really enjoyed it, more than I thought

 

#6 I wasn't aware of this until I did this search.

 

I'm amazed at the things I learn on Cruise Critic :D

[uksimonusa]

Haven't read the rest of the thread yet but felt prompted to reply re. the bacon - my DD's favourite breakfast - because (sorry :o) none of us liked the bacon on FOS. Please someone, tell me it's decent Brit-style back bacon!

 

They had Bacon Bacon on the Freedom in April, although only for about the fist 2 hours of breakfast. They also had English Bangers on the dinner buffet a couple of nights, could never understand why they didn't have them both together for breakfast. Hope they still have them next week!!

 

Just so we are all talking the same thing, can you identify your favorite bacon...

 

 

#1 gets my vote

[Mr. Luckytoo]

Number 3 looks like streaky that I'd only use at Christmas for my 'pigs in blankets' to accompany the Roast Turkey for Christmas dinner.

 

Peter, 'pigs in a blanket'? at the holidays?

 

I thought that 'pigs in a blanket' was a hot dog rolled in a pastry and baked?

 

 

Is this what you were referring to? :confused:

[Captain Jake]

My favorite bacon is 3 .Both 3 and 4 need to be cooked slowly to render out the fat.They cooked it correctly on my Celebrity cruises but maybe the volume prevents them from cooking it correctly on RCCL.

:cj

[spanner14]

Peter, 'pigs in a blanket'? at the holidays?

 

I thought that 'pigs in a blanket' was a hot dog rolled in a pastry and baked?

 

 

Is this what you were referring to? :confused:

 

I think Pete's probably talking about what he and I call "Pigs in Blankets", which is little cocktail sausages or chipolata sausages, wrapped in streaky bacon (no. 3 in the bacon picture), and baked in the oven to serve with the Christmas turkey.

 

I also use streaky bacon laid diagonally across the turkey's breasts to keep it moist while cooking.

 

Anyway, that's what we call Pigs in Blankets - although those in the picture above do look yummy :)

[spanner14]

A Border Collie help raise me on a West Texas sheep ranch, he kept me away from the rattlesnakes, got the big folk when I wus hung up on the barbwire, but we did have our problems with skunks!!:eek:

 

 

lol! Funnily enough, Border Collies and German Shepherd Dogs helped raise my Dad on his Grandfather's farm in South Wales. My aunt, then a toddler, wandered off across the farm and fell asleep by a hedgerow - the dogs stayed with her until she was found.

[geoherb]

Our best trivia team ever was a nice mix of nationalities: a woman from Scotland who lived in Canada with her Hungarian husband, a Yankee who lived in Florida with her Hungarian husband and who were married in South Africa and had lived in several places around the world, and us--two good old Southern boys who happen to be fond of show tunes.

 

When I studied in London for one month, breakfast was fried eggs, corn flakes, and either broiled tomatoes, English bacon, or baked beans. I grew fond of the English bacon, but never developed a taste for baked beans at breakfast.

 

And for this Southern boy, no ship I've ever been on has had good grits.

[PurpleJet]

Thank you for your kind words, and I for one do not take any insult, BUT,

I do have to say one thing, we do NOT have an accent. It is called English the way we speak is how it is supposed to sound ...................Well okay maybe those that are from "Up North" Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, or those from the West Country or Norfolk, and definately those from Birmingham, yes they have accents.

 

Well okay maybe you are right after all :D:D:D:D:D

 

 

Chip Do you speak like Hugh Grant then eh?! lol :p

 

Yorkshire and proud lol!

 

 

Black pudding is nasty!

 

Yorkshire puddings (My grandmas) are the best!

 

Toad in the Hole!! Oh yes!

 

Am jus off t' pub cos theres nowt on t' telly love.

[moogiechompy]

mmmmm, pigs in blankets, the only acceptable use for streaky bacon :D

 

 

 

Someone mentioned marmite, I LOVE marmite, please don't tell me I've been missing it on the ships, do they have it on Indy?

[PurpleJet]

I also love marmite and pigs in blankets (not together)

 

have you tried marmite rice cakes they are sooo nice!