Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, jpalbny said:

Speaking of which, I'm making a batch of grapefruit sorbet. It is freezing up with some larger crystals and looks a bit more like granita. 

 

But it smells delicious! For which I am grateful! 😉  Hope it's as tasty as it smells.

OK, now I need some of your expertise [only in a voyeuristic way, of course – I'm not going to make sorbet, or any of the wonderful dishes you cook up!].  One of my disappointments on Azamara has been that the Gelato often has ice crystals.  On other cruise lines it is generally nice and smooth, unless it has been defrosted and re-frozen for another day.  But on Azamara is it almost always like that.  Can you give me advise to pass on to them?

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[Lirio]

I will be in Tampa this week to attend a conference. I will have 1 free day. Any recomendation? I do not want to go to any park....

[jpalbny]

I haven't been there in probably 30 years. But I remember the Dali museum which I enjoyed very much.

[Host Jazzbeau]

13 minutes ago, Lirio said:

I will be in Tampa this week to attend a conference. I will have 1 free day. Any recomendation? I do not want to go to any park....

St. Petersburg Chihuly Collection and Dali Museum.

[zqtchas]

[jpalbny]

13 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

OK, now I need some of your expertise [only in a voyeuristic way, of course – I'm not going to make sorbet, or any of the wonderful dishes you cook up!].  One of my disappointments on Azamara has been that the Gelato often has ice crystals.  On other cruise lines it is generally nice and smooth, unless it has been defrosted and re-frozen for another day.  But on Azamara is it almost always like that.  Can you give me advise to pass on to them?

 

Not sure. I've only been doing this for a short time. AFAIK, the churning process while freezing reduces the size of the ice crystals. My recipe book says that corn syrup and/or honey helps prevent that too. I've used agave syrup as well.

 

In my brief experience, the high fat content of real ice cream also helps prevent crystals. I was surprised to read that Gelato is made with milk, not cream, so perhaps the lower fat content makes it more prone to developing crystals? Supposed it's churned more slowly and comes out more dense, thus it tastes richer. I have not yet tried making Gelato. 

[Camillus112]

1 hour ago, Lirio said:

I will be in Tampa this week to attend a conference. I will have 1 free day. Any recomendation? I do not want to go to any park....

 

You may enjoy eating at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City (part of Tampa).  It is a fine Cuban restaurant with traditional food.  It is a lively, interesting place to interact with locals of the Hispanic community.

[Lois R]

3 minutes ago, Camillus112 said:

 

You may enjoy eating at Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City (part of Tampa).  It is a fine Cuban restaurant with traditional food.  It is a lively, interesting place to interact with locals of the Hispanic community.

Hi, I agree with Camillus on this recommendation!  I have been to Ybor City and to La Columbia Restaurant multiple times and love it😀👍

Hi Cam, good to see you again!

[QueSeraSera]

9 hours ago, jpalbny said:

the churning process while freezing reduces the size of the ice crystals

 

agreed, its why partially melted ice cream placed back in the freezer gets crunchy, no churning during the refreeze in the fridge, if its melting might as well have seconds 

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Today's funny.....

 

 

Have a great safe fun day all!

[zqtchas]

[zqtchas]

[mysty]

6 minutes ago, zqtchas said:

 

I think I should have this tattooed on my forehead.  It would serve as a caution. 😅

[UKCruiseJeff]

The secret in life is having wonderful alternatives to both cruises and vacations like having someone you really love to irritate being locked in a home or two or car with you and realising that they do not  hate you sufficiently to be irritated with you. 

 

It is also about recreating all the things you have enjoyed about your travels when you are locked in back at home and find yourself incarcerated. 

 

For example,  spending silly amounts of time being obsessed.  Being obsessed is good. 

 

For example learning how to make and then  repeatedly making the best bread you have ever experienced  or tasted and sharing it with the previously mentioned incarerated  partner.  Or the best pizza you have ever tasted.  Or the best espresso you have ever tasted.  Or the best pizza AND espresso you have ever tasted.  Or the best battered fresh fish AND chips (fries!) you have ever tasted.  Or the best curry you have ever tasted.  Or the best char siu you have ever tasted.  Or the best beer you have ever tasted.  

 

And having a truly world class wonderful partner who doesn’t understand how much better they could have done. 

 

And a balcony overlooking the clear blue sea on a sunny day somewhere or other.  With a plate of seafood and very cold champagne. 

 

In other words having alternatives under your own limited control. 

 

Love muchly xx. 

 

Jeff

 

 

[mysty]

 

4 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

The secret in life is having wonderful alternatives to both cruises and vacations like having someone you really love to irritate being locked in a home or two or car with you and realising that they do not  hate you sufficiently to be irritated with you. 

 

It is also about recreating all the things you have enjoyed about your travels when you are locked in back at home and find yourself incarcerated. 

 

For example,  spending silly amounts of time being obsessed.  Being obsessed is good. 

 

For example learning how to make and then  repeatedly making the best bread you have ever experienced  or tasted and sharing it with the previously mentioned incarerated  partner.  Or the best pizza you have ever tasted.  Or the best espresso you have ever tasted.  Or the best pizza AND espresso you have ever tasted.  Or the best battered fresh fish AND chips (fries!) you have ever tasted.  Or the best curry you have ever tasted.  Or the best char siu you have ever tasted.  Or the best beer you have ever tasted.  

 

And having a truly world class wonderful partner who doesn’t understand how much better they could have done. 

 

And a balcony overlooking the clear blue sea on a sunny day somewhere or other.  With a plate of seafood and very cold champagne. 

 

In other words having alternatives under your own limited control. 

 

Love muchly xx. 

 

Jeff

 

 

 

Something the nasty has taught me has been that if left to my own devices I become bored very quickly.  With limited social interaction, no place to go, no fun plans to cook up, no interest in television I developed the attention span of a gnat.  It has been a struggle to redevelop focus and concentration.  In hindsight I would have been better served to find a hobby.  It's not too late I suppose.   I'll have to give that search some serious thought.  In the meantime.....

 

[Mr Luxury]

28 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

The secret in life is having wonderful alternatives to both cruises and vacations like having someone you really love to irritate being locked in a home or two or car with you and realising that they do not  hate you sufficiently to be irritated with you. 

 

It is also about recreating all the things you have enjoyed about your travels when you are locked in back at home and find yourself incarcerated. 

 

For example,  spending silly amounts of time being obsessed.  Being obsessed is good. 

 

For example learning how to make and then  repeatedly making the best bread you have ever experienced  or tasted and sharing it with the previously mentioned incarerated  partner.  Or the best pizza you have ever tasted.  Or the best espresso you have ever tasted.  Or the best pizza AND espresso you have ever tasted.  Or the best battered fresh fish AND chips (fries!) you have ever tasted.  Or the best curry you have ever tasted.  Or the best char siu you have ever tasted.  Or the best beer you have ever tasted.  

 

And having a truly world class wonderful partner who doesn’t understand how much better they could have done. 

 

And a balcony overlooking the clear blue sea on a sunny day somewhere or other.  With a plate of seafood and very cold champagne. 

 

In other words having alternatives under your own limited control. 

 

Love muchly xx. 

 

Jeff

 

 

Where do we send the medal to 😀

[UKCruiseJeff]

1 minute ago, mysty said:

 

 

Something the nasty has taught me has been that if left to my own devices I become bored very quickly.  With limited social interaction, no place to go, no fun plans to cook up, no interest in television I developed the attention span of a gnat.  It has been a struggle to redevelop focus and concentration.  In hindsight I would have been better served to find a hobby.  It's not too late I suppose.   I'll have to give that search some serious thought.  In the meantime.....

 

 

M,

You must continue to make the cooler what it might be and is.  

 

You are the beacon and saviour of the club we “suggested” all those years back and started all those years ago.  And you have hung on in there and elevated your position from entering and taking the stool at the far end of the bar through to tap dancing on the bar to keeping it open and flourishing.  The continued renewed threads I suspect has had some millions of views.  Good grief. 

 

My inquisitiveness on whether there might be a place where in the future good health of what might be of the interweb the thoughtful and strident people who might be strident and demanding but who are also courteous and inquisitive at the same time thoughtful and receptive has proved to be reliant on one or two elusive components.  The first is whether all those that understand this can drown out as a clear majority of the wonderfulness  of the world genuinely represented or will the louder voice of those that are nasty will make those others not bother.  I think it turns out that the interweb will not be the goodness for all because the negatives and commercial imperatives will always conspire against what might have been wonderful for what will in the end be the product of all the lowest common denominators.  

 

It is and has been a wonderful exploration but lovely decent people will I believe turn out to be shouted down by those that are not.

 

And so sadly we either all reverse this or shrug and move on.  And if so curiosity might have been sated but aspirations thwarted. 

 

But for you.  Simply do the best  you can on any given day. 

 

Jeff

[silkismom]

Jeff, I have your bread making instructions from the Cooler in Feb 2019 in my favorites, one of these days I'll get going and make them, thanks again.

[UKCruiseJeff]

7 minutes ago, silkismom said:

Jeff, I have your bread making instructions from the Cooler in Feb 2019 in my favorites, one of these days I'll get going and make them, thanks again.

 

What have you been eating since then ?

 

Give us this daily someone else's yesterday bread. 😄

 

But I genuinely cannot convey my genuine appreciation of my earlier efforts even if you have it turns out let me down by not doing it and joining the dough clan. We had us a potential convoy. 

 

Snif … snif ….

 

Jeff x

Edited September 5, 2022 by UKCruiseJeff

[Mr Luxury]

1 minute ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

What have you been eating since then.  

 

Give us this daily someone else's yesterday bread. 😄

 

But I genuinely cannot convey my genuine appreciation of my efforts even if you have it turns out let me down by not doing it and joining the dough clan. 

 

Snif … snif ….

 

Jeff x

I think he might still have a few slices of Mothers Pride left over 😁

[mysty]

23 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

M,

You must continue to make the cooler what it might be and is.  

 

You are the beacon and saviour of the club we “suggested” all those years back and started all those years ago.  And you have hung on in there and elevated your position from entering and taking the stool at the far end of the bar through to tap dancing on the bar to keeping it open and flourishing.  The continued renewed threads I suspect has had some millions of views.  Good grief. 

 

My inquisitiveness on whether there might be a place where in the future good health of what might be of the interweb the thoughtful and strident people who might be strident and demanding but who are also courteous and inquisitive at the same time thoughtful and receptive has proved to be reliant on one or two elusive components.  The first is whether all those that understand this can drown out as a clear majority of the wonderfulness  of the world genuinely represented or will the louder voice of those that are nasty will make those others not bother.  I think it turns out that the interweb will not be the goodness for all because the negatives and commercial imperatives will always conspire against what might have been wonderful for what will in the end be the product of all the lowest common denominators.  

 

It is and has been a wonderful exploration but lovely decent people will I believe turn out to be shouted down by those that are not.

 

And so sadly we either all reverse this or shrug and move on.  And if so curiosity might have been sated but aspirations thwarted. 

 

But for you.  Simply do the best  you can on any given day. 

 

Jeff

 

I'm currently dripping tears on my keyboard J!  There are no adequate words to express my "thank you" for your post.  The Cooler has been the saviour of my sanity since I first dipped my toe in the water.  It was my duty to pay it  forward and to keep the water clean(-ish) and available to all who enjoyed the taste.

 

Unfortunately the world has become an impatient and often times hostile place.  The Cooler is a place of refuge from the vitriol that threatens to swamp social media and social interaction.  I believe our personal responsibility lies in resistance.  The Cooler denizens continue to be folks who respect, support and laugh with each other.  I am grateful for this community of like-minded souls and very thankful that you had the foresight to create our favourite "bar".

[Lauranne]

While I rarely post, I look forward to the humour and banter around the water cooler. Mysty, I can always count on you for a great joke each day. As a fellow Canadian, I get your funnies unlike the dry British humour that sometimes eludes me, I enjoy the back and forth of those actively participating on this thread. UKCruiseJeff, during the past few years my husband has made it his mission to perfect many dishes of numerous cultures. His char siu and bao buns are a thing of joy and beauty. I am truly a lucky gal. Keep up this positive, inclusive thread as I’m sure that there are many who read daily with a smile on their face. 
Lauranne

[mysty]

3 minutes ago, Lauranne said:

While I rarely post, I look forward to the humour and banter around the water cooler. Mysty, I can always count on you for a great joke each day. As a fellow Canadian, I get your funnies unlike the dry British humour that sometimes eludes me, I enjoy the back and forth of those actively participating on this thread. UKCruiseJeff, during the past few years my husband has made it his mission to perfect many dishes of numerous cultures. His char siu and bao buns are a thing of joy and beauty. I am truly a lucky gal. Keep up this positive, inclusive thread as I’m sure that there are many who read daily with a smile on their face. 
Lauranne

 

Thank you so very very much Lauranne!  🥰

[QueSeraSera]

Yes.  This is truly an unusual, positive thread.  Sanity, humor, and the ability to laugh at ourselves makes a mix no other thread I've seen can match.  Plus, food!  So glad you're all here, & Jeff for starting this, and a tip of the hat to Mysty and now @Lauranne for Canada carrying us on.

Now, this past summer (would it PLEASE be past, too da** hot!) we visited Ireland for the 1st time and had some delicious soda bread - admittedly slathered in excellent butter - and would like to experience it again.  I've already bought a bottle of Jameson's which, as I recall, had something to do with my enjoyment on at least one occasion.  But, if anyone knows about this soda bread, would appreciate assistance in recreating it here in Virginia.