Closing in on Fort Lauderdale
We're on our way back home. I have 30 minutes of Internet time left, and I want to get ALL of it, so...
Remember what I said about "being good"? Did not happen. We had some lovely, lovely food nights, including the absolutely SPECTACULAR "Chef's Table," which was meeting the Chef de Cuisine of the entire ship, getting a tour of his galley and then a specially chosen, hand-created 7-course meal from him. WHOA. Appetizers with champagne, bread, salads, soup, meat courses, and dessert, with matching wines, and every course was explained, he told us what everything was, it was amazing.
Appetizers:
Kalamata olive stuffed with parmesian
Date stuffed with chorizo, piquillo sofrito
Focaccia with mascapone cream and proscuitto crudo
Langoustine & sun dried tomato fritters
2nd course:
"Tomatoes our Way!" Three cherry tomatoes, each done a separate way, one infused with white chocolate and cocoa butter (which was way more delicious than you might imagine)
3rd course:
Tuna Banh Mi -- Lemon bread, sesame crisp, miso cream and avocado gel (AMAZING)
4th course:
Cornish Hen -- caramelized, butternut squash, sofrito (this was SO DAMNED GOOD)
5th course:
Bavarois -- this was the soup. Spinach, green peas, warm turnip and apple juice. Strange, but strangely delicious.
6th course:
Salmon with pesto, herbed tomatoes, carrots, fava, mushroom dust, condensed beets (which were little crisp beets no one could stop talking aobut)
7th course:
Wagyu -- slow stewed short rib, potatoes, pumpkin fudge, tomato dust (WOW)
Dessert:
"Chef in a Candy Shop." A variety of selections.
Totally amazing. Every moment of it. I did get a little drunk on wine (they kept filling the glasses!). It lasted all night. Wonderful, worth every penny.
Today was the Chocolate Extravaganza on the Lido deck. I didn't QUITE try everything.
I believe I may have gained back all the pounds I lost back in August and September. I must be good when I get home, although Christmas is coming -- if I can drop back and behave the next few weeks, then get through the holidays, I should be good.
We'll dock in Florida tomorrow.
Remember what I said about "being good"? Did not happen. We had some lovely, lovely food nights, including the absolutely SPECTACULAR "Chef's Table," which was meeting the Chef de Cuisine of the entire ship, getting a tour of his galley and then a specially chosen, hand-created 7-course meal from him. WHOA. Appetizers with champagne, bread, salads, soup, meat courses, and dessert, with matching wines, and every course was explained, he told us what everything was, it was amazing.
Appetizers:
Kalamata olive stuffed with parmesian
Date stuffed with chorizo, piquillo sofrito
Focaccia with mascapone cream and proscuitto crudo
Langoustine & sun dried tomato fritters
2nd course:
"Tomatoes our Way!" Three cherry tomatoes, each done a separate way, one infused with white chocolate and cocoa butter (which was way more delicious than you might imagine)
3rd course:
Tuna Banh Mi -- Lemon bread, sesame crisp, miso cream and avocado gel (AMAZING)
4th course:
Cornish Hen -- caramelized, butternut squash, sofrito (this was SO DAMNED GOOD)
5th course:
Bavarois -- this was the soup. Spinach, green peas, warm turnip and apple juice. Strange, but strangely delicious.
6th course:
Salmon with pesto, herbed tomatoes, carrots, fava, mushroom dust, condensed beets (which were little crisp beets no one could stop talking aobut)
7th course:
Wagyu -- slow stewed short rib, potatoes, pumpkin fudge, tomato dust (WOW)
Dessert:
"Chef in a Candy Shop." A variety of selections.
Totally amazing. Every moment of it. I did get a little drunk on wine (they kept filling the glasses!). It lasted all night. Wonderful, worth every penny.
Today was the Chocolate Extravaganza on the Lido deck. I didn't QUITE try everything.
I believe I may have gained back all the pounds I lost back in August and September. I must be good when I get home, although Christmas is coming -- if I can drop back and behave the next few weeks, then get through the holidays, I should be good.
We'll dock in Florida tomorrow.