Dave's Live from Eurodam Trans-Atlantic, Aug. 27 - Sept. 12, 2013

[RetiredMustang]

Sat., Aug. 31, 2013 (Cont.)

(OK, I have figured out the photobucket issue. I have 2GB of free storage, and have only just now hit one percent of that with uploaded photos. Apparently, there is also a 10GB free bandwidth limit per month, which counts the photo file size every time a photo is viewed from an online location where I have placed it. I have reached that bandwidth in a week – apparently the photos on my thread have been viewed an average of 100+ times each. Wow. The bandwidth will reset to zero after each month, which in this case one month after I joined photobucket, which means in a few days. The photos will then reappear. In the meantime, I will use the CC photo gallery. This has drawbacks in that the max photo size is smaller, and there are only a few categories to post in – the moderators may move/remove an upload, in which case the photo will disappear from the thread. It does have the advantage of unlimited storage/viewing. I think in future blogs I will post large files, like daily programs, on photobucket and most photos on CC.

We now return to our regular blog, already in progress …)

Tonight’s dinner was well attended, despite the weather and the pitching and rolling of the ship. There may have been some under the weather, but the majority of passengers made early dinner at least.

Here are the menus:

I of course had the Dutch pea soup, which I followed with the English roast beef:

More later,

Dave

Edited September 1, 2013 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Sunday, September 1, 2013, at sea

The seas have diminished a bit, and the wind has really died down. Early this morning, we were sailing in a beautiful sunlit sea, with some land on the horizon. I turned on the map/scan channel on the TV and discovered that we are off the southeast coast of Iceland.

The ship must have made some good time despite the weather, and I anticipate we will have a leisurely sail along Iceland’s south coast today, and expect we will pull into Reykjavik on time tomorrow.

Here are today’s daily programs, at the smaller CC photo gallery resolution. I can still read them -- not great but OK -- on my my small netbook screen, so I hope they are readable.

More later,

Dave

[catl331]

Oh, Dave! Please stop tantalizing me with your roast beef. Can't wait to see your pics of Iceland. On my bucket list!!:)

[jtl513]

When I first joined photobucket a few years ago, I think I was told that there wasn't a limit. I must have a couple of thousand pictures there.

 

Hope there isn't a problem with photobucket.

Are you paying for it? Dave said there's a limit on what you get for free..

[innlady1]

Mine, too, Carol...this cruise is calling my name for next year!

Dave, the pea soup looks divine. Quite different in appearance from the one I make. I will try HAL's recipe wit the leek. I just do the carrots, potatoes, and ham w/peas.

Glad the seas have calmed down. LOVE the early morning photo off the coast of Iceland.

[sapper1]

Mine, too, Carol...this cruise is calling my name for next year!

Dave, the pea soup looks divine. Quite different in appearance from the one I make. I will try HAL's recipe wit the leek. I just do the carrots, potatoes, and ham w/peas.

Glad the seas have calmed down. LOVE the early morning photo off the coast of Iceland.

 

This is such an amazing cruise. Take it for sure. We did it as part of a collectors' cruise in 09 from Copenhagen. Iceland would never have been on our to do list but after our cruise stop we decided we could easily have spent some more time there. The scenery is amazing. The same can be said for the fjord cruising in Greenland.

We had the pleasure of meeting Dave and Mrs Dave on that cruise.

[CJcruzer]

Mine, too, Carol...this cruise is calling my name for next year!

Dave, the pea soup looks divine. Quite different in appearance from the one I make. I will try HAL's recipe wit the leek. I just do the carrots, potatoes, and ham w/peas.

Glad the seas have calmed down. LOVE the early morning photo off the coast of Iceland.

 

I think you need to do this cruise!:). I had it already booked, and this blog just reconfirms that I made an excellent choice:D

 

Mr. Dave, I am soooooo enjoying reading this blog, and drooling over the menus, and with all the pics and menus , I am homesick for HAL....

Edited September 1, 2013 by CJcruzer

[RetiredMustang]

Sun., Sept. 1, 2013, at sea (Cont.)

I have attended two presentations by Jon Sigurdsson, both of them excellent. This morning, he spoke about the volcano that erupted in Iceland in 2010, and disrupted air travel to and from Europe. This afternoon, he spoke about Reykjavik and the surrounding areas. Both presentations had superb photography.

We are looking forward to Reykjavik. Previously we have taken the Viking Trails and the Golden Circle all-day excursions, and enjoyed them very much. But, we did not see much of the city itself, so this year we booked a city tour and plan to stay in town after to wander, eat lunch and relax. Unfortunately, the Captain said it looks like the weather will be showery and overcast tomorrow, but we packed ponchos.

Tonight, the Pinnacle is having a special dinner, the Taste of Librije, featuring the cuisine of Jonnie Boer. Below is the menu:

Taste of De Librije…

North Sea Scallop – black garlic pearls and celeriac juice

------------------

Maine lobster with green bean coulis – butternut squash quinoa salad

Angel Noir, Lady Librije White, Burgundy Chardonnay, France

Oysters on the Beach – foie gras, ollorosso sherry and ginger

Angel Negro, Lady Librije White, Verdejo Fermentado

Goat Cheese with Hazelnut – hazelnut puree and chips, cucumber juice

Angel Negro, Lady Librije White, Sauvignon Blanc, Spain

-------------------

Lobster Bisque Foam – Alaskan King Crab, brioche croutons and tarragon

Angel Noir, Lady Librije White, Burgundy Chardonnay, France

Chilled Clear Tomato Gazpacho – black olive, celeriac and sweet and sour beetroots

Angel Noir, Lady Librije Red, Reserva Romanico

-------------------

Seared North Sea Cod with Speck Ham – coconut foam and lemon grass

Angel Negro, Lady Librije White, Verdejo Fermentado

Duo of Lamb Loin and Crusted Lamb Neck – lentil sprouts, watercress and carrot coulis

Angel Negro, Lady Librije Red, Tempranillo, Spain

North Sea Turbot with Iberico Ham – potato and morels

Angel Negro, Lady Librije White, Verdejo Fermentado

Broiled Beef Tenderloin – parsnip puree, roasted leek and “hache”

Angel Noir, Lady Librije Red, Burgundy Pinot Noir, France

-------------------

Deconstructed Apple Pie – vanilla gelato and Chantilly-style cream

Rice Chocolate Stones – tuille and red curry marinated strawberries

Assortment of Sorbets

 

More later,

Dave

[cruz chic]

Wondering what are those bitterballen taste like ? They look fried ? Like falafel?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I believe that they are a Dutch meatball but to me they don't taste that way. The have a gooey inside and they taste like melted cheese to me. I'm not doing them justice. They are fried. Sooooo yummy. I'm not a meatball fan so I was surprised to hear that is what they were.

[cruz chic]

Dave, thanks so much for all your effort on this blog. I really appreciate it and love reading it every day.

[Copper10-8]

Hi Dave, enjoy Reykjavik! Hope you'll have a chance to take a look at the Hofdi House where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986 at their Summit meeting. The beginning of the end of the Cold War

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Food and menus look wonderful.

[CoronaCRZR]

I believe that they are a Dutch meatball but to me they don't taste that way. The have a gooey inside and they taste like melted cheese to me. I'm not doing them justice. They are fried. Sooooo yummy. I'm not a meatball fan so I was surprised to hear that is what they were.

 

 

Bitterballen are not like traditional meatballs. Here is a description from Wikipedia:

 

 

Bitterballen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbɪtərbɑlə(n)]) (plural of bitterbal) are a savoury Dutch meat-based snack, typically containing a mixture of beef or veal (minced or chopped), beef broth, butter, flour for thickening, parsley, salt and pepper, resulting in a thick ragout. Most recipes include nutmeg and there are also variations utilising curry powder or that add in finely chopped vegetables such as carrot. The ingredients are combined and cooked, then refrigerated for the mixture to firm up. Once firm, the filling is rolled into balls roughly 3 to 4 cm in diameter, then battered in a breadcrumb and egg mixture and deep-fried. They are typically served with a ramekin or small bowl of mustard for dipping. They are eaten in Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands, Belgium, to some degree in Indonesia, and hardly anywhere else. The very similar but spicy cutlets of Sri Lanka can also be made with fish instead of meat.

Bitterballen are very similar to kroketten (plural of kroket) in their ingredients and preparation/cooking methods, as well as flavour, though the larger kroketten have a distinct oblong sausage shape, but with a similar diameter. The bitterbal derives its name from a generic word for certain types of herb-flavoured alcoholic beverages, called a bitter in Dutch, and are popularly served as part of a bittergarnituur, a selection of savoury snacks to go with drinks, at pubs or at receptions in the Netherlands.

 

 

Ted

[RetiredMustang]

Sun., Sept. 1, 2013, at sea (Cont.)

About midday, we passed a frontal zone from sun to cloud. Since then, the weather has gotten progressively suckier. It is raining, the seas have picked up, and the ship has closed the weather decks. It is not as rough as last night, but it is not a night to stroll the decks, either. We only hope that this passes and tomorrow in Reykjavik won’t be like this.

We lazed about for the rest of the afternoon, and then went to our early seating dinner. Here are the main and dessert menus:

I had the shrimp cocktail for starter, probably the most ordered dish on HAL. I did not take a photo because, hey, everybody has seen the shrimp cocktail. For the entrée, I considered the duck to make it a trifecta of weird birds (after the quail and the pheasant), but decided on the tenderloin and grilled shrimp. I didn’t take a photo because I forgot until I was half-way through (D’oh! Can’t shoot … eating).

I did remember to take a photo of dessert – the vanilla soufflé:

More later,

Dave

[cruz chic]

Bitterballen are not like traditional meatballs. Here is a description from Wikipedia:

 

 

Bitterballen (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbɪtərbɑlə(n)]) (plural of bitterbal) are a savoury Dutch meat-based snack, typically containing a mixture of beef or veal (minced or chopped), beef broth, butter, flour for thickening, parsley, salt and pepper, resulting in a thick ragout. Most recipes include nutmeg and there are also variations utilising curry powder or that add in finely chopped vegetables such as carrot. The ingredients are combined and cooked, then refrigerated for the mixture to firm up. Once firm, the filling is rolled into balls roughly 3 to 4 cm in diameter, then battered in a breadcrumb and egg mixture and deep-fried. They are typically served with a ramekin or small bowl of mustard for dipping. They are eaten in Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, the Netherlands, Belgium, to some degree in Indonesia, and hardly anywhere else. The very similar but spicy cutlets of Sri Lanka can also be made with fish instead of meat.

Bitterballen are very similar to kroketten (plural of kroket) in their ingredients and preparation/cooking methods, as well as flavour, though the larger kroketten have a distinct oblong sausage shape, but with a similar diameter. The bitterbal derives its name from a generic word for certain types of herb-flavoured alcoholic beverages, called a bitter in Dutch, and are popularly served as part of a bittergarnituur, a selection of savoury snacks to go with drinks, at pubs or at receptions in the Netherlands.

 

 

Ted

 

Thx for the info. I appreciate it. They were served with mustard on the O.

[cruz chic]

Sun., Sept. 1, 2013, at sea (Cont.)

About midday, we passed a frontal zone from sun to cloud. Since then, the weather has gotten progressively suckier. It is raining, the seas have picked up, and the ship has closed the weather decks. It is not as rough as last night, but it is not a night to stroll the decks, either. We only hope that this passes and tomorrow in Reykjavik won’t be like this.

We lazed about for the rest of the afternoon, and then went to our early seating dinner. Here are the main and dessert menus:

I had the shrimp cocktail for starter, probably the most ordered dish on HAL. I did not take a photo because, hey, everybody has seen the shrimp cocktail. For the entrée, I considered the duck to make it a trifecta of weird birds (after the quail and the pheasant), but decided on the tenderloin and grilled shrimp. I didn’t take a photo because I forgot until I was half-way through (D’oh! Can’t shoot … eating).

I did remember to take a photo of dessert – the vanilla soufflé:

More later,

Dave

 

Love this update. Hilarious! Hope the weather improves. It sounds totally sucky.

[CJcruzer]

I am so loving this blog! thank you so much for doing this...

 

Dave - Pork Cheeks, on the menu is......exactly as it sounds, the cheeks of a pig? did you get to see this dish?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks Dave

Glad we just finished dinner -- or I would be panting for that vanilla soufflé.

[rajkr74]

Sat., Aug. 31, 2013 (Cont.)

 

Tonight’s dinner was well attended, despite the weather and the pitching and rolling of the ship. There may have been some under the weather, but the majority of passengers made early dinner at least.

 

 

 

 

Dave,

I think you missed out on the Grilled Halibut with Lemon Foam that night! We had this fish on our Baltic cruise and it was the best halibut I have ever tasted taste and I love good halibut. If I had not been so full that evening I would have ordered another entrée of it.

[cruz chic]

Dave,

I think you missed out on the Grilled Halibut with Lemon Foam that night! We had this fish on our Baltic cruise and it was the best halibut I have ever tasted taste and I love good halibut. If I had not been so full that evening I would have ordered another entrée of it.

 

Rick, I had it on the O and found it very ordinary. The fish was overlooked and there were no potatoes or starch on the plate. That's just wrong:D.

[rajkr74]

Rick, I had it on the O and found it very ordinary. The fish was overlooked and there were no potatoes or starch on the plate. That's just wrong:D.

 

Yes, if you overcook it, it can be the worst halibut you every tasted. And frozen halibut gets "rubbery". I must have gotten lucky on my dinner? ;)

[JamesEM]

On the Sept. 1, 2013, menu there was an item unknown to me, does anyone know what Braised Pork Cheeks are?

[RetiredMustang]

Hi Dave, enjoy Reykjavik! Hope you'll have a chance to take a look at the Hofdi House where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986 at their Summit meeting. The beginning of the end of the Cold War ...

 

 

 

John,

 

That's one of the things on our list of things we wanted to see, me being an old Cold Warrior and all. I don't think it is on our tour, but it is along the path from the city to the port that we plan to take, weather permitting.

 

Dave

[RetiredMustang]

Dave,

I think you missed out on the Grilled Halibut with Lemon Foam that night! We had this fish on our Baltic cruise and it was the best halibut I have ever tasted taste and I love good halibut. If I had not been so full that evening I would have ordered another entrée of it.

 

Rick,

 

I like a good piece of halibut now and then, but usually don't eat the fish dishes as something else always seems to be better. But, I hope they do this year what they did both trips we've taken in the past. The ship bought fresh fish in Nanortalik (and the nearby village Apillatoq), and on the next day, they had an amazing fish lunch on the Lido deck. Here's hoping!

 

Dave

Edited September 2, 2013 by RetiredMustang

[RetiredMustang]

Monday, September 2, 2013, Reykjavik

Well, the weather improved overnight, and we pulled into Reykjavik in a mix of sun and clouds, with occasional rain showers. Not too bad, and I hope it continues. We are in port with the Ariania.

We depart soon for our city tour, and I will let you know how that goes. Here are today’s daily program.

And the Reykjavik prt guide:

More later,

Dave