American Table and the Pies they offer

[Micahs Grandad]

I was glad they changed the menu as we were getting bored with same old same old. I am enjoying some of our old favorites as well as new offerings.

 

When I saw that they had pies for dessert pretty much every night that it was awesome.

 

However the cherry and the blueberry and apple for that matter are really pitiful.

 

Makes me wonder how experienced dessert chefs can put out such pathetic pies.

 

They do make a very good key lime pie up on lido so the potential is there.

[BoDidly]

We don't bother going to the MDR that often. Didn't know they had pies . Whole pies or by the slice ? if whole, Are they served to the entire table ?

 

But really , how bad can you screw up a cherry or blueberry pie ?

[woodman]

I get better pies from Publix then the pie served on a Carnival ship. I think they are brought on already prepared and they just cut them up and serve them. Shame on Carnival. Most of the deserts are good though I have to say.

[pulledporky]

We don't bother going to the MDR that often. Didn't know they had pies . Whole pies or by the slice ? if whole, Are they served to the entire table ?

 

But really , how bad can you screw up a cherry or blueberry pie ?

 

Ya gotta nail the crust for a good pie.

[Micahs Grandad]

We don't bother going to the MDR that often. Didn't know they had pies . Whole pies or by the slice ? if whole, Are they served to the entire table ?

 

But really , how bad can you screw up a cherry or blueberry pie ?

 

I like a nice fresh juicy pie. There is absolutely no juice to be found.

 

Never seen such a dry up thing that I hate to even call a pie.

 

They serve it by the slice.

[mominwestlake]

We cruised with 37 people on the Magic last week, and the pies were a big hit with our group. They were served warm with ice cream, and everyone looked forward to finding out what kind of pie it would be each night.

[bury me at sea]

I like a nice fresh juicy pie. There is absolutely no juice to be found.

 

Never seen such a dry up thing that I hate to even call a pie.

 

They serve it by the slice.

 

Agree 100%. First, filling is not juicy. Second, but more important, crust is, to put it kindly, atrocious.

 

If you appreciate good pie order the chocolate melting cake, compliment your wife/mom/sister or whoever in your sphere makes a good pie, and enjoy your cruise.

[BoDidly]

One thing that's positive about this , you can bet I'm going somewhere tonight or tomorrow and find myself a good piece of pie. :D

[Micahs Grandad]

Love Mrs Smith's pies but these days cannot eat the whole thing:eek:

[crewsweeper]

Not a big fan of the frozen pies. Publix does make some good pies, but most are ordinary. That said, both sources are still better than Carnival's pies, IMO.

 

Save the pie joneses for a good diner pie or fresh bakery pie. There are some great places near all the cruise ports, if you can't wait til you're home.

[riffatsea]

I enjoyed the blueberry pie on our last cruise.

I did not find the filling dry or the crust bad at all!

Then again I also don't love those hamburgers that everyone on here raves about so perhaps my taste buds are unique?(LOL):confused:

[Micahs Grandad]

I enjoyed the blueberry pie on our last cruise.

I did not find the filling dry or the crust bad at all!

Then again I also don't love those hamburgers that everyone on here raves about so perhaps my taste buds are unique?(LOL):confused:

 

We are all different.

 

Find the pies very dry but do enjoy those Guys burgers. Just wished they would give more than one or two onion rings.

[evandbob]

I can imagine the chef getting impatient with the help when they are struggling to open that 5 gallon can of pie filling.

 

Apple was so so, but cherry and blueberry were atrocious, even with the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Edited December 30, 2016 by evandbob

[Micahs Grandad]

I can imagine the chef getting impatient with the help when they are struggling to open that 5 gallon can of pie filling.

 

Apple was so so, but cherry and blueberry were atrocious, even with the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

 

Guess that is why when we did the behind the scenes tour we didnt see anyone pitting the cherries.:eek:

[meatloafsfan]

I can imagine the chef getting impatient with the help when they are struggling to open that 5 gallon can of pie filling.

 

Apple was so so, but cherry and blueberry were atrocious, even with the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

 

Pie fill is made on the ship. Why the pies are how they are is that they are using cornstarch for the thickener. It makes the filling pasty and tasteless.

 

When we were on the Pride, we spoke with the dining room manager about using clear gel instead of cornstarch (my dad loves pie and he was a baker for most of his career and then a salesman for bakery products after that). We received a blueberry pie made with the clear gel that night and it was excellent. Unfortunately, they seemed to go back to the cornstarch thickener after that.

[Micahs Grandad]

Pie fill is made on the ship. Why the pies are how they are is that they are using cornstarch for the thickener. It makes the filling pasty and tasteless.

 

When we were on the Pride, we spoke with the dining room manager about using clear gel instead of cornstarch (my dad loves pie and he was a baker for most of his career and then a salesman for bakery products after that). We received a blueberry pie made with the clear gel that night and it was excellent. Unfortunately, they seemed to go back to the cornstarch thickener after that.

 

I would think that if they reduced the amount of corn starch they would get much better results.

 

BTW what is this clear gel?

[meatloafsfan]

I would think that if they reduced the amount of corn starch they would get much better results.

 

BTW what is this clear gel?

 

Clear Gel is a bakery product - it's a clear, tasteless thickener. It comes as a fine white powder and is mixed with a small amount of water and then added to your boiling fruit/water/sugar mixture.

 

If they reduced the amount of cornstarch they are using, the filling wouldn't stay in the crust and you'd get that ooze effect that you get at home (where the filling spreads onto the plate when you cut the pie).

Edited December 30, 2016 by meatloafsfan

[Micahs Grandad]

Clear Gel is a bakery product - it's a clear, tasteless thickener. It comes as a fine white powder and is mixed with a small amount of water and then added to your boiling fruit/water/sugar mixture.

 

If they reduced the amount of cornstarch they are using, the filling wouldn't stay in the crust and you'd get that ooze effect that you get at home (where the filling spreads onto the plate when you cut the pie).

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Doesnt that "ooze effect" make for a juicier pie?

[jenniferop]

Recently we just got off the Liberty for a VERY short 3(2) day...so sad that we didn't get the Bitter and Blanc or the Grand Marnier Soufflé...I don't particularly enjoy the melting cake as it is just WAY to much Chocolate - So I ordered the Pie one night...WOW what a mistake, it was Blueberry and it was horrible. It was full of Corn starch to thicken it and it was a solid gel mass and bad crust. easier to stick with ice cream of the old faithful cheese cake...

[cruiseonthebrain]

We didn't like the pies either. But I was ok with them because it helped make it so my jeans still fit after the cruise :-)

[meatloafsfan]

Thanks for the info.

 

Doesnt that "ooze effect" make for a juicier pie?

 

Oh yes, though if there's not enough fruit in the pie, that "ooze" is just clear gel, colour and flavouring. And it does look messy - I think Carnival is going for the aesthetic view over taste.

 

On the longer cruises, there is a greater variety of pies and the non-fruit pies are pretty good (pecan, pumpkin, chocolate).