food and wine (from a restaurant critic's perspective)

[lyndarra]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

Who the heck eats a lamb chop for breakfast!???!

Someone who doesn't like bacon or black pudding?

I love lamb chops but have never had one for breakfast. There's a first time for everything - except black pudding.

[Coral]

Just now, lyndarra said:

Someone who doesn't like bacon or black pudding?

I love lamb chops but have never had one for breakfast. There's a first time for everything - except black pudding.

I have no clue what black pudding is but will take your word for it.

 

I just keep thinking would anyone order a ribeye steak or pork chop for breakfast?? I really don't know anyone who orders steak and eggs.  I have heard of it but it seems weird.

[Canal archive]

Full English and of course other parts of the world - bacon preferably back and Wiltshire my county but also one of my favourites Canadian smoked, fried egg or scrambled, mushrooms I like chestnut, black pudding, not my favourite but some of the Scottish ones are just about palatable, some say baked beans, not my choice plus fried tomatoes. Some people also like to really push out the boat and opt for the full meat fest  mixed grill - lamb chop, ribs you name it. Also loads of toast and marmalade or marmite (vegimite!) washed down with ? My choice excellent coffee or maybe a pretty strong tea.

The guy with the chops only had two nothing else apart from about a gallon of tea.

[sharkster77]

In Ireland I actually found black pudding more to my liking than white pudding!  Here in New England baked beans with breakfast is often served.

[Gourmet Gal]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

I have no clue what black pudding is but will take your word for it.

 

I just keep thinking would anyone order a ribeye steak or pork chop for breakfast?? I really don't know anyone who orders steak and eggs.  I have heard of it but it seems weird.

It’s blood sausage, British style.  I actually preferred it over the French style back when I actually ate meat.  Steak and eggs seems more a Texas thing.  All too heavy for my taste.  

[Daisi]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

I have no clue what black pudding is but will take your word for it.

 

I just keep thinking would anyone order a ribeye steak or pork chop for breakfast?? I really don't know anyone who orders steak and eggs.  I have heard of it but it seems weird.

 

My Grandfather would often have a steak for breakfast. It's quite common on breakfast menus up here. We had a lot of people from I think Singapore on our cruise, they had big bowls of rice and other cooked meats (never asked, but it wasn't bacon/sausages) for breakfast.  That is one of the best things about the river cruise lines that aim to please, they will do their best to accommodate different tastes. 

 

This is a link for a recipe for Black Pudding: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/black-pudding-51145600

Edited November 12, 2021 by Daisi

[Wings55]

On 11/10/2021 at 9:16 AM, alc13 said:

 

........

So leaving aside for the moment your personal impressions of foods and wines that you liked a lot - which lines do you think a restaurant critic might recommend, even if that wouldn't necessarily jibe with your own tastes?  We're not food snobs - a supermarket frozen pizza suits us fine more often that not.

 

Again, this is mostly curiosity.  Itinerary, timing, and overall comfort are more important to us right now.  Thanks for your thoughts and opinions.

 

@alc13I am not a wine expert by any means so I'm not the person to judge the quality but I know when I taste something I like.

In my experience most cruise lines offer several wines each evening. On our Scenic trip I was impressed by the breadth of the offerings that were always available. One of our traveling companions likes a particular style of wine. On one of the first nights she found a wine she loved and the wait staff made sure there was always a bottle on the wine cart just for her. 

We've sailed with Scenic, Uniworld & Ama and found the food to always be very good but the wine service on Scenic is one the the things that makes them the winner in our book. 

Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

Paul

[Lois R]

Hi Paul, your statement really said it all.........I know what I like as well.🙂and honestly, isn't that all that matters? 

[alc13]

I was once served a salad for breakfast - lettuce, tomato, cucumber.  And it was surprisingly tasty and refreshing.  I've never forgotten it.  

 

No regrets if I never taste blood pudding, though.

[Texas Tillie]

9 hours ago, Coral said:

Who the heck eats a lamb chop for breakfast!???!

 

Why not? Guess you'd find my favorite breakfast, cheese enchiladas, odd too!! 😊😜🤣

[Daisi]

@alc13, salad fixings were always out on our buffet for breakfast.  I would occasionally add olives to my cheese, cold meats & fruit.  I was on holiday, I ate as I wished!  🙂

 

[lyndarra]

11 hours ago, Coral said:

Who the heck eats a lamb chop for breakfast!???!

My guess is he may have been a sheep grower (rancher) from the Outback.

[Lois R]

I have always noticed the salads/cold cuts/cold items are very European in style when it comes to breakfast.  Actually, I recall it from many, many years ago when I lived in Israel as a young college student living on a Kibbutz.  There was always salads/cold veggies on the breakfast buffet.

 

I just returned home last month from a cruise out of Lisbon and the breakfast buffet at the hotel had the cold items too. 

[Canal archive]

What I have learned over the many years of my life - from a head wine waiter at a very good (in Queens Square) Bath hotel when we were just married and new to all this gastronomic and wine thingy, go with the restaurant wine of choice, the thought being it’s got to be okay to keep their reputation. It has served us well as we learnt over the years. Our first foray into Malaysia a fabulous hotel in Kuala Lumber where one of the head waiters gave us a tour of what was on offer first for breakfast (you name it they had it buffet)and in the evening when we arrived he appeared again so another tour the food was divine but I managed to find the only pepper seed in the whole place, absolute consternation in the staff and the chef was so upset I ended up consoling him. We’ve certainly learnt from our Scenic Boudreaux cruise different shellfish, apart from Spanish Paella not a fan before. So all in all it’s a constant learning curve.