50 States, Day 257

 At Sea, Cruise Day 5. SPECIAL FEATURE: CULINARY FUN



Since we spent today cruising, this is a good opportunity to study and enjoy food. The first order of business today was the Culinary Demonstration. I believed this to be as exciting as watching paint dry, but went anyway. Surprise, the demonstration was informational, interesting and amazingly funny. The Princess chef David MacDonald Greeves and the maitre d'hotel Francesco Ciorfito created food masterpieces- that is, Greeves did and Ciorfito created disasters. He dropped pasta on the floor and shoveled it back in the pan. Next he rinsed it with Windex, then colored it using green and red spray bottles. He also sneezed on the food and added a half can of red chiles.  Meanwhile, Greeves made a pesto dish, a shrimp pasta dish, and tiramisu. So one instructed while another entertained. Atsa nica. That's Italian for 'good job.' 



Afterward we toured the galley, a stainless stainless steel room dedicated to fine providing quality cuisine for hundreds. Assorted food carvings livened up the spotless counters. 

QG and I ate lowbrow for lunch, a Princess Dream Pizza, with parma ham, buffalo mozzarella and fresh grape tomatoes. Most delicious.

At the dress up dinner (where I suffered through wearing a tie) we enjoyed tasty meals with appetizers, soups, salads, main courses and desserts. Don't forget the tray of cookies to pick through as well. Below are a few samples for your enjoyment:

 
Boiled Lobster tails with King Prawns and Lemon Butter Fondue, paired with a side of asparagus and rice pilaf.


Slow Roasted Pheasant "Forestiere" served with gravy, sautéed mushrooms, pearl onions, crisp bacon and rissole potatoes.
 

Rollatine Ripiene Zucca, Marscapone e Noci. Baked crepes filled with pumpkin, marscapone and walnuts, thyme cream sauce.


Banana Cream Pie with Bavarian Cream, chocolate vanilla swirl.


And finally, the fam, enjoying some of the fine food. People speak of cruises and talk of all the food that you eat, but I'm impressed with the quality. And I've taken chances with food this week, such as escargot (very nice), calamari, goat cheese and oysters. A cruise provides a great chance to take risks with food. You no likey (that's Italian for 'maybe I should have picked something else') you simply stop eating it. Something else will come along, trust me. And the fam, breaking every rule of good manners and hygiene, are quick to slide a plate to another member. "Try this." Should have listened to the safety talk at the beginning. Well, we use the hand sanitizers, so there. 

Finding Your Beach Update:

A sat on our cabin deck and glanced up from my book at the view. Water and sky to the horizon. I thought to myself, "I don't know which direction we're going. Not even sure where we are, exactly. Don't know when we'll get to our next stop. And I don't care."
Ahhh. It may not have been for a long time, and it certainly isn't for most of us, but for a while, I found my beach. 

Wonderful

Tomorrow, snorkeling on the Princess Keys. We'll see if the camera still works underwater. See you then.


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