The question that has come across many people's head about the tipping system in cruiselines is vry confusing. And believe me,  guests who are on vacation will surely not want to keep a pen, paper and calculator to calculate gratuity for waiters and room stewards.

It is high time the companies understood this.All the companies know how to be customer oriented and look for customer satisfaction. But they don't realise at all that by pushing the calculation onus of tipping onto the guests to avoid paying these staff, they are actually putting the guests in agony. Like i said, no one on vacation would want to spend time and money calculating gratuity.Why don't the companies give the guests a  notice which says exactly  how much cash has to be paid to which staff doing the guest service?
With the present system, due to inflation many guests still don't pay the staff because they have an option not to pay. These staff are left in tears and no one cares for them, with a remark that " probably your service was not upto the mark and so the guest did not pay you." Absolutely no one to turn to for help or even to get some consoling words.

The calcutaion is such:-
Waiter
3.50USD per day per guest
assistant waiter
1.50USD per day per guest
room steward
i don't know how much may be 2.75USD per day per guest.

But who is aware about all these information? The staff also blames the guests of not paying without being aware of the fact that the guest too   unaware of the very same fact.
Who is to be blamed and who is going to take the onus of informing the unaware American guests cruising with us so many times a year? Guests think that we are being paid handsomely by the cruiseline companies, but no one knows that we depend on the guests entirely to be paid for our services.
Point to be thought about keenly.
Ciao bellas and bellos.
LOLZ

More about Hurricanes

Shameful as it was, that the military came 3 days late to help the residents of Louisiana..................... around the same time in Mumbai, India........... rains disrupted the life for same time but the residents helped each other to safety and army came to help in 24 hours unlike Louisiana where people were busy looting and destroying everything around. The Bush administration also came under heavy fire from almost all quarters for this incumbent approach.

Unity in Diversity was displayed at its highest in Mumbai while it was at its lowest in Louisiana.
Even at this time, the crew of Carnival Cruise Lines worked and toiled hard to give all possible help to the residents of Louisiana when they required it the most. And didn't we do a very wonderful job???? Yes we did. Full marks to Carnival.

We pray for them and also pray that such things don't ever happen again to shame humanity. God Speed.

Hurricanes

Sorry friends first of all i want to apologise for not being able to appear online. it was raining cats and dogs in Kerala, south of India................. maybe the advent of the southwest monsoon. These monsoons remind me of the hurricane season in the United States. Every year, agonizing people and making them lose and leave their homes and go away from their places. Then they come back once the hurricane has passed by and rebuild their homes. The three that i would rate the worst are Katrina, Ivan and Rita. Even the very thought of them makes me go scary and goose bumps all over me.


Thousands and thousands of people have gone through hell and have had to start their lives all over again. Carnival as a company and its crew members on board all them beautiful ships, have also played their part to gather monetary help drop by drop and built oceans in millions to help our American brethren and their families.  Irrespective of caste, creed, color of skin, religion, the crew members of Carnival hailing from more than 100 countries have donated graciously to help the American public every time a hurricane strikes the American coast.
Katrina in Louisiana, shook the administration off of their feet and help from all quarters started pouring in after 36 to 48 hours only. But, the Carnival ships that were near to the coast brought out the best we could through the crew member volunteers and common man helped common man without waiting for the Administration to reach out to the common man.

I am already so over whelmed and agonised just thinking of those days, i am crying. Sorry, Shall catch up with you guys later....................... I am sorry.

Cruise Recipes

Some more exquisite recipes for you all to enjoy making and tasting for you and your near and dear ones.

Classic French Baguette

Ingredients:
7.5 cups of all purpose flour
3 cups of cold water
1/4lb fresh yeast
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
egg wash (equal mix of egg white and water)



Putting it Together:
mix everything except the flour first and then knead the flour. Cut in portions, roll and rest, covered with dark plastic, in the fridge.

The Secret:
the dough should rest for a minimum of three days

Baking:
after three days, stretch the dough, brush with egg wash, make some cuts on top for design, and bake at 325F for about 20 minutes. After baking, rest the bread for a minimum of one hour.

Chicken Marbella

Ingredients:

8-12 chicken pieces, thighs, drumsticks and split breasts
4 cups red wine
7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup sliced red onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Coarse salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 cups small whole white mushrooms
2 tablespoons flour
1 ½ cups large pitted prunes
1 ½ cups stuffed green olives

Putting it all together :

Combine the red wine, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, red onion and thyme in a large non-reactive bowl. Marinate the chicken overnight or for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Strain the marinade and set aside, discarding the solids.

Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Sauté the mushrooms in the hot oil until browned. Remove the mushrooms, leaving behind any oil.

Sear the chicken in the skillet until browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan, leaving behind any oil and drippings.

Whisk the flour into the drippings and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the strained marinade into the flour. Bring to a boil and add the chicken, mushrooms, prunes, and olives. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Continue to simmer the sauce until it has thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Serve over rice, polenta or egg noodles.

Chicken Kiev

4 chicken breasts
2 cups flour
4 eggs beaten
2 cups breadcrumbs

Filling

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped garlic

Mix all the ingredients for the filling and refrigerate overnight.

On the thickest part of the breast, the skin up, cut a pocket in the breast about one inch wide by about two inches deep. Fill the hole with the butter mixture, about two tablespoons. Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs into separate containers so that you can bread the chicken in them, flour first, egg second and breadcrumbs last.

Deep fry the breaded chicken until brown and then bake at 350 degrees until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Grilled Lobster Asian Style

2 big river prawns or lobster
1 tablespoon soya sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
3 clove of garlic (chopped)
½ tablespoon chili oil
½ tablespoon coriander (chopped)
½ tablespoon basil leaf (chopped)
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon chicken powder
½ tablespoon sugar

Method
Cut lobster at the back side from head to tail and devine
Put all ingredient in a bowl Mix well, season to taste
Marinate lobster with the sauce and grilled until golden
Bake lobster in oven about 15 minutes. Serve with steamed rice

Pan fried Sea Bass Fillet

Ingredients

Bouillon
1x1-1.2 kg sea bass
Sea salt
Peppercorn, crushed
Olive oil

Barigoule-style Vegetables
200g broccoli
1 small zucchini
1 artichoke or 2 baby artichokes
1/2 red bell pepper
8 small onions
50ml olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled
Salt, sugar, pepper
200ml light fish stock
1 sprig basil freshly chopped

Sauce:
100ml water
3 star anise
50ml cream
Juice of 2 lemons
50ml olive oil

Herb Salad:
Parsley
Dill
Chervil
Balsamic vinegar
Peanut oil
Salt

Preparation
1. Prepare the fillets of fish, remove the pin bones and keep refrigerated.
2. Prepare the vegetables: Cut the zucchini, the artichokes, the bell pepper and onion into rectangles. Trim the broccoli into florets. SautŽ the vegetables in olive oil, add the garlic cloves, cover for a few minutes, and add the fish stock and the basil at the last minute.
3. Prepare the sauce: Boil the water with the star anise, strain onto the cream, and then add the lemon juice and olive oil. Pour into a blender and mix. Keep warm.
4. Mix and season the herb salad.
5. At the last minute, pan fry the fillets skin side down in a non-stick pan, until just cooked.
6. To serve, place the vegetables in the centre of the plate with the fish on top, salad to one side and drizzle the sauce around.

Hi, I am back with some more recipes of starters and main courses. and shall continue with more recipes of these in days to come.

 

STARTERS
1. ANDEAN POTATOES & CHEESE SALAD.

Preparation time: 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
Oil or butter -- 1/4 cup
Onion, minced -- ½ cup
Garlic, minced -- 3 to 4 cloves
Optional: 2 aji amarillo (yellow chili peppers) to give soup more color and make it spicier
Andean potatoes, peeled and diced -- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
Water or stock -- 4 cups
Milk -- 1 cup
Salt and pepper -- to taste
Queso fresco or mozzarella cheese, shredded -- 1 cup
2 fresh avocados
Toasted small corn kernels

 Method
Heat the oil or butter over medium flame in a large pot. Add the onion, grlic and chopped chilis. Simmer until the onion is translucent.
Stir in the potatoes, water or stock, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are falling apart, 30-45 minutes.
Mash the potatoes up with the back of a spoon to thicken the soup, leaving it a little chunky. Stir.
Remove the soup from heat and stir in the cheese.
Add the avocado slices to the soup.
Serve immediately with toasted kernels on the side.

2.CREAM OF PUMPKIN SOUP. 
 Ingredients:
1 pound pumpkin, cleaned and without skin (small cubes 1 inch x 1 inch)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 medium leek, white pork only, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic
1/2 gallon vegetable stock
2 cups heavy cream
dash saffron
salt and pepper
olive oil

Garnish:
chopped cooked lobster meat
roasted pumpkin seeds
tarragon leaves
whipped cream

To prepare the Pumpkin Soup:
Bring a soup pot to medium low heat; add a drizzle of olive oil to cover the bottom. Add pumpkin cubes and cook until softened (without caramelizing). Add the onions, leek, carrots and garlic; simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, saffron and heavy cream; bring to boil. Turn the heat to low and cook slowly for 50 minutes. Use a blender which can be immersed into the pumpkin and puree the soup. Put the soup through a sieve so it is smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish:
Place a small dollop of whipped cream in the center of the soup. Add lobster, roasted pumpkin seeds and a tarragon leaf.

3.GRAVLAKS

Scandinavian heritage displays great expertise in the arts of pickling, smoking and curing meats and fish. This dish – easy to prepare and made by Scandinavian housewives along with the pickling of herring – is now available world wide in gourmet restaurants. Salmon is the fish to use traditionally. The literal translation is “buried Salmon” and refers to the age old practice of salting and coating the fish with herbs and dried spices and then burying it as winter sets in. The ground freezes and in Spring the following year there is still a plentiful supply of food to be simply dug out of the semi-frozen ground.

The Curing Salt
½ lb sea or table salt
1 lb granulated sugar
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons juniper berries
2 tablespoons caraway seeds
3 tablespoons whole white peppercorns
1 large bunch of fresh dill, chopped.
Honey Mustard Sauce
4 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
Ground pepper
Juice of one whole lemon
Method for Gravlaks
One side of salmon, skin on and all bones removed. Belly and fin base trimmed and any membranes removed. If you do not want to do this yourself, a good fishmonger will prepare it for you.
Warm the caraway seeds, juniper berries, coriander and peppercorns until hot.

With a pestle and mortar or grinder crush all the dried spices until roughly ground. Alternatively, place them in a food processor and grind them a little. You will find that the heating of all these spices allows the oils and aromas to be released more easily.

Add the spices to the sugar and salt, mix them evenly and if possible place covered overnight at room temperature. Now take a shallow container and sprinkle an inch layer of the mixture on the bottom. Place the fillet of Salmon skin side down on the mixture. Coat the remaining salmon with at least an inch of the mixture, making sure you cover all areas. Cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap on top, place a weight on top and cure in the refrigerator for 36 hours.

You will see that a large amount of juices collect in the dish. Keep some of this and use a little to add more flavour to your accompanying mustard sauce.
Remove the salmon fillet from the tray, scrape off and discard the curing salt. Rub the flesh with some extra virgin olive oil and coat liberally with the chopped dill. Now it is ready to slice and serve.
4.LEMONGRASS CURRY SOUP
Ingredients:
1 pound of lemongrass
4 tablespoons of Madras curry powder
1/2 pound of shallots diced
7 ounces of white wine
34 ounces of chicken bouillon
27 ounces of cream
a little honey
the juice of 6 limes
4 tablespoons of butter
corn flour ( add based on the consistency you want)
a pinch of sugar
olive oil for sautéing
2 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
freshly ground salt and pepper
Optional:
Fried shrimp and peeled shrimp
1 finely chopped spring onion as a garnish
Chili strands for garnish
Hammer the lemongrass with a meat mallet until tender, or chop it finely. Gently saute the curry powder, shallots and lemongrass in a little olive oil. Pour in the white wine, add the chicken bouillon, bring to a boil, and simmer under low heat for 30 minutes. Pass the stock through a fine sieve before reducing over a low heat for another 10 minutes. Now add the cream, and bring to a boil again briefly before adding the honey, sugar, balsamic vinegar and lime juice to taste and then stir in the butter and corn flour to achieve your desired consistency. Just before serving, make the soup frothy using a hand blender. Put in warmed soup plates. Garnish with finely chopped spring onions, strands of chili and salt and pepper. For a special touch, a little fried shrimp might be added to the soup, and a peeled cooked shrimp pr tow may be hung on the rim of the soup bowl. Serves 8 people.

MAIN COURSE
1. BLACK COD WITH MISO
Marinate this dish overnight. The sauce also works well with beef and salmon.
For Nobu-style saikyo-miso sauce:
½ cup sake
¾ cup mirin
2 cups white miso paste
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
For fish:
4 black cod fillets, about 8 ounces each. Bring sake and bring to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil for 20 seconds to evaporate alcohol. Reduce heat to low and add miso paste, missing with a wooden spoon. When miso has dissolved completely, increase heat to high and add sugar, stirring constantly to ensure bottom of pan doesn’t burn. Remove from heat once sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Set aside ½ cup of sauce for plating the next day, use the rest as marinade. Pat fish thoroughly dry with paper towels. Cover with saikyo-miso sauce and place in a glass dish or bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat broiler to high. Lightly wipe off and excess miso clinging to fillets, but do not rinse it off. Discard marinade. Place fish in a broiler pan, and broil until surface if fish turns brown, about 2 minutes. Reduce temperature to 400˚F.
Move fish to center of oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer fillets to individual plates. Add a few drops of reserved sauce to each plate.

2. VEGETARIAN BLACK BEAN CHILLI

1 pound dried black beans, soaked overnight
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes (with juice) roughly chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 orange, scrubbed well and quartered (with peel)
2 teaspoons Tabasco hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley for garnish

1: Rinse the soaked beans and place in a large pot. Cover with water to 1 inch and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour.

2: Add the remaining ingredients except for the Tabasco and cilantro. Continue to simmer for 1 1/2 hours longer or until the beans are tender (if necessary, add more water to keep the beans from sticking).

3: Remove the orange quarters from the chili. Season with Tabasco and divide the chili among bowls and sprinkle with cilantro.

3. GREEN MANGO SALAD WITH FRIED FISH
Fish fillet (any kind of white meat fish) 1 kg
Green mango (grated) 1 kg
Carrot (Grated) 300 g
Onion (Julienne) 200 g
Slice shallot 40 g
Roasted peanut (pound) 60 g
Basil leaf 10 g
Fish sauce 4 table spoons
Sugar 1 table spoons
Salt
Flour 80 g
Water 50 ml
Egg 1 pcs
Method
Mix flour and egg with water in a bowl mix well.
Cut the fish fillet into strip about 2 cm and mix with flour and deep fried the fish until crispy.
Peel green mango and wash use grater to grate mango, marinated with salt about 15 mm and squeeze the juice out.
Put fish sauce in a small bowl with sugar stir until the sugar melt.
Put mango, carrot, onion together and pour the sauce to mix season to taste.
Prepare the plate and put the salad on the plate and sprinkle slice shallot, basil leaf and roasted peanut on top.

4. SAUTEED BEEF TENDERLOIN
Ingredients:

60 milliliters vegetable oil
2 kg. beef tenderloin, cubed
600 gr. purple onion, thickly sliced
150 gr. yellow chili pepper, cleaned and thickly sliced
500 gr. tomatoes, seeded and cut into six pieces
225 gr. red wine vinegar
12 portions of soy sauce
12 portions of sauté sauce
100 gr. butter
2 kg yellow potato
Chopped cilantro

Beef seasoning
20 gr. chopped garlic
5 gr. cumin
5 gr. oregano
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation
Marinate the beef one hour prior to preparation. Prepare the French fries. Pour some vegetable oil in a frying pan and heat until it starts to smoke. Add the beef and sauté over high heat, moving it so neither the beef strips nor the sauce burns. Remove the beef from the pan and lower heat to medium. Add the chili peppers and onions. Sauté these for a few minutes and then add the tomatoes. Season the beef with salt.

Add the vinegar and cook until it evaporates. Pour in the soy sauce and continue cooking until it reduces. Then add the sauté sauce, cooking until it reduces, as well. Return the beef strips to the pan and sauté, making certain throughout the process not to overcook the onions. End by incorporating the chopped cilantro and butter. Serve with French fries.

5. PASTA TRIO
Pasta Trio is a combination dish of three different pastas, each with a sauce from one of three different regions of Italy and each representing one of the three colours of the Italian flag: Trenette pasta with a green Pesto sauce (from the Ligurian Region around Genova), Farfalle pasta with a red, tomato Pomodoro sauce (from the Napoli area) and Penne with a four cheese sauce (from the north).
Sounds like too much work? Not really - and the results are worth it! Cooking the pasta is as simple as it usually is. The trick is in the three sauces.

The Pesto Sauce is easy enough. In a food processor, purée 2 cups of fresh basil, 1/3 cup chicken stock, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts and 2 tablespoons crushed garlic. Toss with Trenette pasta.

For the Pomodoro Sauce, sauté 3/4 cup chopped onions with 2 tablespoons crushed garlic until tender. Add 3 cups of sun-ripe tomatoes, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, a couple of bay leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for about an hour. Toss with Farfalle pasta.

For the Four Cheese Sauce, make your favourite white sauce and add, according to taste and consistency required, gorgonzola, provolone, pecorino and bel paese cheese. Toss with Penne.

Serve all pasta together and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Some trivia (funny one though) for you all for brightening up on a Monday morning. I could never forget my first 

debarkation talk on the Carnival Spirit. Our cruise director decided we needed a little humor and proceeded to tell 

us some of the questions he had been asked from past passengers…..Most of them were funny and stupid. But I 

would not term them questions as stupid only because I want to give some respect to the passengers. LOLZ ;)

1.  Does this elevator go to the front of the ship?  (This isn’t Star Trek.)

2.  Does the crew sleep onboard?  (Um, versus being flown off at night in a helicopter?)

3.  What do they do with the ice sculptures once they melt?  (They make ice tea with it?)

4.  What time is the midnight buffet?  (Hmmmmmm…….)

5.  In the photo gallery, a passenger exclaims, “How will I know which pictures are mine?!”

6.  Does the ship make it’s own electricity? (Don’t you see the extra long extension cord off the back of the ship??)

7.  Do I put my luggage outside my stateroom before or after I go to bed?

8.  Is the water in the toilet salt or fresh?  (WHY do you want to know?!)

9.  Is this island completely surrounded by water?

10. Two women were sitting by the pool. One of the ladies asked the cruise director what kind of water did they fill the pool with — fresh water or sea water? The cruise director answered, “Sea water.” She then asked, “Does that explain why the pool is so rough today?”

Some more from Carnival Pride:

1. A lady was having a difficult time finding her way around the ship. While getting on an elevator, she asked, "Does this elevator go to the front of the ship?"

2. Two elderly women were staring at the numbers of the floors listed above the elevator door. When asked if they needed any assistance, One lady asked, "How are we going to be able to reach way up there to push the button for our floor."

3.There was some kind of mix up with a woman's room and the room steward was trying to arrange for her to move to a different one.  He asked, "Would you like an inside cabin or an outside cabin?" She replied, "Well, it looks like it might rain today. Can I have an inside cabin?"

4. Two women were sitting by the pool. One of the ladies asked the cruise director what kind of water did they fill the pool with -- fresh water or sea water? The cruise director answered, "Sea water." She then asked, "Does that explain why the pool is so rough today?"

5. A young man after seeing for the first time the beauty of an ice sculpture asked, "What do you do with the ice sculptures after they melt?"

6. While walking around on the ship during the first day of her cruise, a young lady was impressed with so many crew members working so hard. She stopped a passing officer and asked, "Does the crew sleep onboard?"

7. "What time is the midnight buffet?" (Reply: I don't know, would you like to guess?)

8. "Do you generate your own electricity?" (Reply: No, there's a long underwater extension cord plugged in at Miami!)

9. "Is this island totally surrounded by water?" (Reply: Let me see, is "island" the key word in your question?)

10. "Is the water in the toilet salt or fresh?" (Reply: Why? Are you planning to drink it?)

11. What language do they speak in Alaska? (Reply: Let me see, in what country is Alaska located?)

12. "How high above sea level are we?" (This question was actually asked while floating on the sea.)

13. The walls of the photo display room were covered with hundreds of passenger photos. Without thinking, someone blurted out, "How do we know which pictures are ours?"

Some more from Carnival Destiny:

"Does the crew sleep on board?"

"How far above sea level are we?"

"Is the island surrounded by water?"

"Are all Caribbean islands the same size?"

"How does the captain know which port to go to?"

"Can we get off in the Panama Canal?"

"Does the ship generate its own electricity?"

"Does the elevator go up as well as down?"

"Why is the sauna so hot?"

"Are there two seatings at the midnight buffet?"(Probably because there were 2 seatings for dinner normally.)

"Do we have to stay up until midnight to change our clocks?"

"Does the chef cook himself?"

"What happens to the ice sculptures after they melt?"

"What time's the 2 o'clock tour?"

"Where's the bus for the walking tour?"

"Can you see the equator from the deck?"

"Does the ship dock in the middle of town?"

"I'm married, but can I come to the single's party?"

"How many knots does the ship go to the gallon?"

"Does the island float?"

"Do you send the laundry ashore?"

"Do these stairs go up as well as down?"

"Why is it my 3-year old can wear shorts but I can't?"

"Do we have to eat dinner at both seatings?"

"I know that ships often serve smoked salmon, but I am a non-smoker"

"Can the iced tea be served hot?"

"Can you please change this spoon for a fork? I've already got five spoons."

"Why can't the late-night show be in the morning?"

"Do we have to leave the ship to go on the tour?"

"Does the helicopter tour leave from the upper deck?"

"Will we have time to take the shore excursion?"

"If I don't buy a shore excursion, am I allowed off in port?"

"Are the entertainers paid?"

"Why aren't the dancers fully dressed?"

"How do we know which photos are ours?"

"Will the ship wait for the tour buses to come back?"

"Will I get wet if I go snorkeling?"

"Is the doctor qualified?"

"Who's driving the ship if the captain is at the cocktail party?"

"Does the sun always rise on the left side of the ship?"

"Is trapshooting always held outside?"

"Should I put my luggage ourside the cabin before or after I go to sleep?"

"Does the outside cabin mean it's outside the ship?"

"Is that the same moon we see at home?"

"Why did the Greeks build so many ruins?"

"Windsor Castle is beautiful, but why did they build it so close to the airport?"

"Are the glaciers always there?"

"Where is the good shopping in Antarctica?"

"Was the fish caught this morning by the crew?"

"Can you tell me what time the volcano will erupt? I want to be sure to take a photograph."

Passenger: "What is caviar?"

Waiter: "Fish eggs, sir"

Passenger: "In that case, I'll have two, over-easy!"

It was fun with a change from the whole week. But, I think I should also provide you with an authentic recipe of someone I love very much.... The World Renowned Celebrity Chef of Carnival, Chef George Blanc from France.  Georges Blanc – one of France's most revered and recognized master chefs who has maintained the coveted three stars from Michelin for the past 25 years – is creating a series of one-of-a-kind dishes to be served aboard Carnival Cruise Lines' ships.

"Georges Blanc Signature Selections" include a wide variety of gourmet appetizers, entrees and desserts to be served in Carnival's main dining rooms and Lido restaurants fleetwide, as well as its reservations-only supper clubs on select vessels.

Blanc and his staff are also providing training to Carnival chefs both at his restaurants in Vonnas, France, and aboard Carnival's ships.

Blanc, famous for creating dishes that combine classic preparation with contemporary flair, here provides Prow's Edge readers with his recipe Pan Seared Lobster for that next dinner party.

Executive Chef Georges Blanc working with Carnival Cruises shares his recipe here for

 PAN SEARED MAINE LOBSTER , TOMATO CONFIT & PORCINI IN GINGER OIL

Ingredients
Lobster (Maine) 1 lb 1 ea
Fresh Porcini Mushrooms4 pcs
Fresh Tomatoes 2 pcs
Mirepoix 1 cup
Tomato paste 1 Tb Spoon
Cognac 2 Tb Spoon
Grape seed oil 30 ml
Fresh Ginger Root 3 oz
Sauternes Wine 4 Tb Spoon
 

Method
De-shell raw tail, boil claws & save the heads for Nage.

Crush the heads. In a casserole dish; sauté the heads & flambé with Cognac.

Add the mirepoix & fresh tomatoes. Sauté for a while. Deglaze with Sauternes wine.

Add tomato paste, cook for a while & cover with water.

Bring to a boil & let it simmer for 1 hour or more.

Strain & reduce to one tenth the quantity.

Blanch & peel tomatoes. Cut in quarters & throw away the pips. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, icing sugar & olive oil.
Dry the tomatoes in the oven for about 3 hours at 80 degrees Centigrade.

Prepare ginger oil; Slice ginger, infuse in Grape seed oil for 3 hours at 80 C. Strain & keep.

Slice the Porcini & Sauté in butter till golden brown. Blanch the asparagus tips in salted water.

Cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise. Pan fry in olive oil, reheat the claws in the same pan.

Blend the reduced lobster stock & ginger oil in the proportion of 70:30.

Assemble topped with Sauternes froth & herbs