A Taste of Alaska - Commemorative Dinner - Alaskan Cruises

[Krazy Kruizers]

A Taste of Alaska—Commemorative Dinner Served on Holland America Line’s Alaska Ships

 

Special menu celebrates Alaska’s 50th anniversary of statehood

 

Seattle, WA, March 24, 2009 —A new commemorative dinner menu—featuring the best of Alaska cuisine—plays a starring role in the main dining room one night during each seven-day Alaska cruise this summer. Holland America has created the special menu in celebration of the state’s 50th anniversary of statehood in 2009.

Master Chef Rudi Sodamin researched Alaska’s culinary heritage and combined traditional foods with his own Signature of Excellence flair to create the cruise line’s commemorative menu. In addition, “Salmon 50 Ways” returns to the ships’ menu offering fresh, wild Alaska salmon in 50 different recipes over the weeklong cruise.

“The celebration dinner incorporates the foods found in Alaska’s communities into one grand menu,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “Alaska offers abundant fresh ingredients, a favorite being wild seafood, and our culinary team has created a memorable menu to showcase the tastes of Alaska.”

Served in the main dining room one evening, Chef Sodamin excites diners’ palettes with his own twists on traditional Alaska cuisine. For example, as an appetizer, he spikes a berry mélange with a splash of whiskey. A Fairbanks Seafood Platter combines Alaskan prawns, salmon jerky, clams, smoked salmon and smoked halibut. For an Alaskan inspired salad, he adds smoked salmon to frissee lettuce, pear and fennel. Soup choices include Ketchikan Fisherman’s Chowder, Reindeer Sausage and Vegetable Chowder and Chilled Yukon Gold Vichyssoise.

Guests have a choice of nine different entrées including Razor Clams, Bay Scallops and Manila Clams over Noodles; Grilled Salmon with Endive and Caramelized Orange Zests; Grilled Venison with Wild Mushrooms and Alaskan King Crab Cobb Salad.

Appropriate for a celebration dinner, decadent desserts adorn the menu. Highlights include an Alaska Dessert Sampler of chocolate mousse in a chocolate shell, maple cheesecake and apple buckle with sugared berries. A cruise favorite, Gold Rush Baked Alaska is a decadent combination of chocolate ice cream surrounded with vanilla sponge cake and coated in meringue dusted with edible gold. It comes with a choice of topping: Peppermint Hot Fudge, Raspberry Chocolate Swirl or Praline Crunch.

The line’s popular “Salmon 50 Ways,” first offered on Alaska-bound ships in 2005, returns to further commemorate the state’s 50th anniversary. Between the various dining venues serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, fresh, wild Alaskan salmon will be prepared 50 different ways over the course of the weeklong cruise.

Holland America Line buys approximately 1.3 million pounds of wild Alaskan seafood per year, the majority being salmon. As the salmon season hits full stride, Holland America Line’s famous on-deck Salmon Bake will prepare an array of flavors such as Basted Honey Maple, Soy Garlic, and Holland America Line’s award-winning Dill, Sea Salt and Vodka, a salmon culinary treat.

Holland America Line has been leading tours in Alaska for more than 60 years and has eight premium ships offering a total of 156 cruises and 29 CruiseTours ranging from 10 to 20 days in length. For more information about booking, contact a travel agent or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

Editor’s Note: Photos available here. http://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/WAqd:wNc:qDN

[sue1898]

yum

[marle7]

This would be one night when I'd be eating at the Pinnacle. Way too much fish and seafood on that menu for me!:D

[JerseyJaguar]

Whoa!! That sounds great!! I'm already drooling.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

A great menu and a real push for me to book an Alaska cruise on HAL this summer. Hope this meal replaces the Master Chef's Dinner.

 

Barbara

[Krazy Kruizers]

It sounds yummy to me as well.

Wish that HAL had it last year when we did an Alaskan cruise.

[dandro]

I'm already drooling....can't wait, May 31 can't come fast enough!!

[sylteach]

Will this dinner probably be on a formal night? It sounds really super-but my elderly dad won't do the formal dinners and we won't let him eat dinner alone.

[bjbear]

YUM, YUM!

 

I'm already soooo excited. You're right Dandro, 5/31 can't get here quick enough. :D

[Loves to dance]

This sounds wonderful, but I have to say that I am really glad that I love salmon!!! Otherwise 50 different ways to eat salmon just might be salmon overload...

 

Is is June yet? :D

[Himself]

Pinacle here I come! Main Dining room sounds too fishy to me.

[mrskmirolla]

Wow and it is not even lent:D

Kathy

[marle7]

Pinacle here I come! Main Dining room sounds too fishy to me.

 

Thanks. I hate to be the only one in a crowd!:D

[ROCruiser]

Yum! Can't wait!:p

[takemewithyou]

Don't like salmon. :mad:

What ever happened to the days when we had big plates of Alaska King Crab legs! Too expensive now???

Now, that was YUMMY!!!!

[brucory]

Half of my duo would be happy with this...

 

And that is ME!!! YUM...

 

There is always plenty of other choices in the main dining room for those concerned... It is not ONLY 50 salmon choices!!!

 

:D:D:D

[jtl513]

Will this dinner probably be on a formal night? It sounds really super-but my elderly dad won't do the formal dinners and we won't let him eat dinner alone.

Whatever night it is, it will most likely also be available in the Lido where you can be casual.

[woodworker&knitter]

Yumm-o:)

[freckledcat]

that sounds great! i didn't realize they did a salmon bake on deck!

[DizzyDallasDi]

I love salmon so this sounds fabulous! I hope I can pace myself well enough to try each of these dishes. ;)

 

Diane

[bobpatj]

Thank goodness they aren't bring back the "Running of the Moose." :eek:

[RuthC]

Thank goodness they aren't bring back the "Running of the Moose." :eek:

It was kind of tacky, wasn't it.

But if they want to just plunk those big bowls of mousse on the tables---that would be great. ;) We can serve ourselves.

[Loves to dance]

Thank goodness they aren't bring back the "Running of the Moose." :eek:

 

 

"The Running of the Moose?!?" Oh, please give details... I was sure that you were joking until I saw Ruth's response. :)

[RuthC]

"The Running of the Moose?!?" Oh, please give details... I was sure that you were joking until I saw Ruth's response. :)

It was probably all right (once) on an Alaska itinerary---maybe even New England/Canada. But anywhere else, it was just so out of place. :rolleyes:

OK, details. The stewards gathered, and, with antlers on their heads, ran into and around the dining room carrying bowls of chocolate mousse, which were then presented at the table.

The mousse was delicious, btw. Most delicious. :D

 

It wasn't as good as the Parade of the Baked Alaska---and that isn't all that hot (although I still like it).

[JerseyJaguar]

that sounds great! i didn't realize they did a salmon bake on deck!

On the Oosterdam last year we had two salmon bakes on deck, one during Hubbard Glacier Day and the other after Ketchikan. That was when I realized that I did like salmon, just not the dried out stuff I'd had on the east coast.

 

Definitely something you shouldn't miss. I'm just glad some people were talking about the one after Ketchikan when we were getting back on the ship because otherwise I'd have forgotten and just gone and taken a nap.