When in Trøndelag Choose Local

click image to enlarge

MS Vesterålen
Norway's Coastal Kitchen

Hurtigruten’s cruise along the Norwegian coast not only offers a whole host of incredible experiences and wondrous scenery, but is also a culinary journey. The on-board menus offer authentic Norwegian cuisine, which reflect both the seasons and the local specialties and cuisine of the regions past which the ship is sailing.

        Dinner in Trondheim

During our cruise through Trondheim on the way back south, Hurtigruten's Norway Coastal Kitchen featured local cuisine from the Trøndelag area in Central Norway.  This was one of the most unique local meals during our voyage.

“Sodd” means to seethe and is traditional soup of the region. Genuine Sodd from Trøndelag consists of meatballs and dices made ​​of lamb (mutton),  beef, and broth. The meatballs are made with cornflour, whole milk, heavy cream, ginger and nutmeg. It must be served with Skjenning, a flat bread that has been brushed with sugar and fresh milk on one side.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Norway's Coastal Kitchen


Click on the image to the right for more Blog posts about this trip.

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers


Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Artistry II Embarkation Dinner

click images to enlarge - more pics in albums

Dining on a River Cruise

Dining on a river cruise is very similar to the large cruise ship experience, but on a smaller scale.  Each evening the menu will offer starters, appetizers, main courses, and desserts that are unique as well as selections that are always available.

On Avalon, several wine and beer selections are also offered - some for free, and others at reduced pricing.

Our Dinner Selections

• Lamb's Lettuce with Potato-Bacon Dressing
• "Zuricher Geschnetzeltes" Pan fried strips of Veal Loin in Creamy Mushroom Sauce served with Rosti Potatoes
• Classic Vanilla Custard with Berries
• Freshly Sliced Fruit

View the rest of the menu in our photo album.

Dining Room with a View

Dining on an Avalon river cruise is open seating.  There were several different size tables for you to select from.   Pictured here was a typical table for six. 

You'll notice the large picture windows in the background.   We had a front row seat for all the action as our ship entered one of the 35 locks we'd traverse during the cruise.  If you look at the rest of the pictures in our photo album, you'll see that we were lowered quite a few feet before our ship exited the lock.  Also, the sun was setting making for an enjoyable backdrop.

^{Additional photos can be found on our Rhine & Moselle Shutterfly page}

Artistry 2 - Embarkation Dinner

Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChrisPappinMCC  Pinterest: CruiseWithChris Pappin and Facebook: CruiseWithChris Pappin Cruises Inc

Lunch at Metropolitan Hotel Athens

Buffet Lunch is Served

Our day in Athens began quite early with our arrival at the Acropolis around 7:30 AM.   After climbing the 80 steep steps and entering through the Propylaea, we explored this ancient city for several hours before heading to our second stop in Plaka.

All that walking has helped us work up quite an appetite for some food.   Our all day tour included a hot and cold buffet lunch complete with a glass of wine and Greek pastries for dessert.  Did we mention that we really love Baklava?

Metropolitan Hotel Athens
 

Chandris Hotels operates the cosmopolitan Metropolitan Hotel Athens located in central Athens.  With a view to both the Acropolis and the Aegean Sea, the fully renovated Metropolitan hotel is ideally situated in front of the Faleron Olympic Coastal Park for both leisure and business travelers.  If you are looking for a hotel in central Athens, we would certainly suggest investigating this hotel - the food was excellent as was the service.

When in Greece...

You must have some lamb, classic Greek Moussaka, Spanakopita, and Pastitsio (one of my favorites on the buffet it consists of luscious layers of seasoned ground beef, pasta, and a creamy bechamel sauce baked to perfection).  All these items and more were waiting for us as we arrived for lunch.  And, did I mention that they had several kinds of Baklava? See more photos:  Lunch Buffet - Athens

Following lunch it was time to continue our drive to Cape Sounion. Before we get there, we'll show you some of downtown Athens and the scenic drive to Sounion.

Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Albums.




Click on the image to the left for more Blog posts about this trip.

Connect With Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers


Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

 

Moderno Churrascaria

Norwegian Epic Moderno Churrascaria

Tableside Carving on Norwegian Epic

Norwegian Epic dining has a wide array of tastes to satisfy the most serious foodies' palate.  There are 20 dining options, each offering a unique atmosphere so you can have upscale and elegant one night, laid-back and casual the next.

Green Means Go ... Your Plate will Fill up Fast

Norwegian Epic's Churrascaria

A churrascaria is a Brazilian steakhouse.
Churrasco is the cooking style, which translates roughly from the Portuguese for 'barbecue'.

Save Room for Picanha

Passadores (meat waiters) come to your table with knives and a skewer, on which are speared various kinds of meat, be it beef, pork, filet mignon, lamb, chicken, sausage, fish, or any other sort of local cut of meat. A common cut of beef top sirloin cap is known as Picanha.   This prized cut of   sirloin is know for it's rich flavor.

Moderno's Meat Selections

Advice: Pace Yourself

If you've never been to a Churrascaria before, you could quickly find too much food on your plate.    In Moderno, just like in other traditional Churrascarias, there is a sumptuous salad bar which is typically where you start.    

Your table setting will include knife, fork, spoon, and two important items unique to a Brazilian steakhouse:   tongs to grab the meat selections and a card with red on one side and green on the other.    Turn your card to green and you'll be swarmed by servers displaying various cuts of meat.   Chose as many as you like to fill your plate.

Red = Stop

Tip #1:   Don't fill up on the salad, there's too much other food to savor coming up next.  You will be tempted because there are many of the great selections.
 
Tip #2:  Take a break and savor your meal.   The waiters aren't going to chase you out of the restaurant.   You want to enjoy your meal, and experience all the different meat selections.  

Tip #3: Communicate your likes and dislikes to your servers.   When the passadores bring a meat selection, they will usually have more than one meat doneness.  If you like your meats a particular way, let them know and they'll be happy to bring your choice to you. 

Tip #4: Leave room for dessert.   We couldn't decide what to have, so we chose them all.

Moderno Churrascaria is the best kept secret on Norwegian Epic.   It is well worth the extra service charge.   A restaurant like this on land would cost you around $50 or more per person not including beverages or dessert.

More Pictures on our FB Fan Page: Moderno Churrascaria Album