Posts Tagged ‘food and wine’
This past summer, Celebrity Cruises launched its new Celebrity Life program, aimed at enhancing guests’ onboard experience. In light of Celebrity’s re-branding that was just announced, I thought it befitting to tell you more about their onboard program.
“Celebrity Life” is a new series of palate-pleasing, intellectually-enriching and life-enhancing programs designed to deliver the most unique and sophisticated onboard experience in premium cruising.
Built on long-established pillars of the Celebrity brand – dining, enrichment, and wellness – Celebrity Life encompasses three distinct program categories: Savor, Discover, and Renew.
Savor takes an already stellar culinary experience to new heights, with eight new wine enrichment events, six spirits and mixology tastings, and more than seven different interactive programs for guests, hosted by the ship’s Executive Chef and team.
Discover presents an opportunity for guests to do or learn what they have always wanted to try, but never had time to accomplish. Whether it’s ordering a bottle of Chianti in Italian, or exploring the universe in 40 minutes, guests can delve into a wide variety of interests.
Renew offers an improved, more goal-oriented approach to classes, seminars, and treatments designed to help guests on their journey to looking younger, feeling better and living longer.
Additional information on the Celebrity Life program will be posted on the Celebrations International Travel Web site soon. Please contact us or post any questions you may have.
I’ve chosen to combine these two countries in this entry because I’d like to share with you a bit about my own experience celebrating the holidays in the French/German border region.
I was hosted by a number of families while in France, and have traveled in Germany as well, so my memories are numerous and varied. Spending Christmas with in a family’s 132-year-old ancestral home was quite an experience, complete with a live Christmas tree lit with real candles set in a room with wooden floors, no less! On Christmas Eve, we were treated to a perfect, homemade Yule Log, or “Bouche de Noel and mulled wine with holiday spices (similar to apple cider enjoyed by many families in America), amongst other festive foods. The authentic German glockenspeil was the only one I’d ever seen.
I also found holiday shopping to be quite a different experience, with the Christmas markets in both France and Germany. These seasonal markets are an age-old tradition that remind me more of a street festival than simply stalls full of goods. Most of the time, I enjoyed simply munching or sipping holiday goodies while browsing through the market in the crisp winter air.
I think anyone with a passion for the holidays and tradition would enjoy this unique experience. Some avid travelers even make their way to Europe each year just to shop at the Christmas markets! Whether you’d like to do that, or just love travel and good food, contact us to explore the possibilities. Our custom culinary tours may interest you, or other types of travel that Celebrations International Travel services may inspire your own travels.
Best Wishes and Happy New Year!
Meilleux Voeux pour la Nouvelle An!
Holiday Foods in Japan
Posted on: December 17, 2009
I don’t know how many people in Japan celebrate Christmas, but check out this Frosty the Snowman bento box lunch and Gingerbread Man bento posted on Refrigerator Soup’s site….both excellent ideas and cute as can be! Refrigerator Soup features a number of other Japanese-inspired creations.
As with many Asian cultures, the Japanese celebrate countless holidays, festivals, and other observances throughout the year. Foods of special significance and symbolism are served at each meal, and the food choices are just as varied as the styles and types of Japanese meals. Japanese cuisine prides itself on a large variety of foods served in small quantities that look exquisite.
You can experience the culinary wonders of Japan first-hand on a culinary tour customized especially for your family or group. See our Japan Sample Itinerary, and contact us for more information.
Domo Arigato & Happy Holidays!
Following our string of Italian-themed tweets this morning, I thought this would be a good day to write about Christmas food traditions in Italy, one of our culinary tour destinations. On Thanksgiving, my family and friends enjoyed a Marsala-infused gravy with our turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Our friends are still talking about it! That was our “Italian-inspired” twist for that meal.
My fellow tweep and travel writer Barry Frangipane has great ideas on Christmas in Italy and Italian food and wine. One of his tweets from this morning reads:
How do they celebrate Christmas in Venice? I found out: http://bit.ly/NOELvc
Also, I really like this video clip from Food Network’s “The Best Of” celebrating Christmas Eve at Aldo’s in Baltimore’s Little Italy.
Another fellow tweep and foodie, @foodiephotos, who runs the Web site Refrigerator Soup has some great photos and recipes on her site. Check out this beautiful panettone, a traditional Italian holiday cake. Refrigerator Soup posts photos of food submitted by food bloggers. A great “foodie” and culinary resource!
Here’s to a joyous (and tasty!) holiday season. Contact Celebrations International Travel to start planning your custom culinary tour today!
Chinese Holiday Foods
Posted on: December 15, 2009
Almost all Chinese people I know (myself included) love to celebrate the holidays (make that any holiday) with an abundance of good food. Considering my own background, I think the Chinese have some of the most discerning palates and tastes in the world. By “discerning,” I don’t mean that all food has to be 5-star restaurant-looking, but it has to be good. Good by the Chinese cook’s own discerning standards, that is!
While some foods are symbolic during various festivals and occasions, many dishes can be served and enjoyed throughout the year. Here are a few traditional dishes:
Ming Tsai’s Red-Roast Duck with Baby Bok Choy
Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausage
Try your hand at making these and other Chinese specialties on a culinary tour to China! The sample itinerary is posted on our Web site to give you an idea of the types of things you can see and do on one of our culinary tours. However, we encourage you to take that inspiration (and your love of Chinese cooking) and run with it! We will customize your culinary tour to suit your interests, preferences, dates, and budget. Don’t just eat your way through China, this is your chance to truly experience the cuisine and culture!
Celebrations International Travel…Celebrating Life Through Travel SM
The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook
Posted on: December 10, 2009
Rasamalaysia.com is offering a chance to win a copy of this unique new cookbook. Here’s the link to enter by leaving a comment: http://tinyurl.com/yjhfog6
Subtitled “Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens”, the cookbook offers a collection of recipes from various cuisines across Asia.
I must confess that I wasn’t always a fan of Asian foods while growing up. I’m an American-born southern girl of Chinese heritage; many times I preferred to stick to good old macaroni and cheese! But now that my husband and I have combined two distinct Asian cultures in our household, we are both ardent connoisseurs of all Asian cuisines. (We’ll still join you any day for some scrumptious BBQ, NY Strip, or hearty American breakfast any day!)
I think this cookbook is a great way to not only celebrate our Asian origins, but to acknowledge and embrace our way of life in our American homeland as well.
Celebrations International Travel currently has sample itineraries for culinary tours in China, India, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. We customize all itineraries to suit your family or group’s preferences, budget, and travel timeframe.
Interested in visiting another country in Asia or elsewhere in the world? Let us know and we will create the tour just for you! Contact us to start planning your culinary tour today!
What Makes Foods Ethnic?
Posted on: December 3, 2009
This tweet just caught my attention:
@FoodieDownUnder “Tomato&oregano make it Italian,wine&tarragon make it French.Sour cream makes it Russian.Soy sauce makes it Chinese;garlic makes it good.”
These words got me thinking: So true it is that certain foods and culinary traditions are automatically associated with certain countries and cultures. On the other hand, is it fair to say that sometimes these associations can be somewhat stereotypical, or simply the result of pop culture’s influence?
Example: Many people commonly associate soy sauce with Chinese food because it’s what we get with Chinese take-out. But how many of us would automatically think of Japanese food when it comes to soy sauce? I think we sushi lovers would be in a fine mess without it!
For the record, yes, I agree, garlic makes it good! Almost dinnertime at my house!
Tonight’s State Dinner in Washington, D.C. is being held in honor of the Prime Minister of India. While I’m not usually the one into blogging about “all things Indian,” I came across a link on the President’s Web site with the guest list. These are the names that jumped out at me at first glance:
Deepak Chopra
Katie Couric
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
The Honorable (Governor) Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana
Mrs. Supriya Jindal, First Lady of Louisiana
Gayle King
General Colin Powell
Mrs. Marian Robinson
Brian Williams
I also found it quite interesting to see the number of American dignitaries and statesmen on the list who are of Indian origin. Goes to show what a melting pot America truly is.
Tonight’s menu, by Guest Chef Marcus Samuelsson, combines American and Indian cuisines. Here’s the menu, course by course:
Potato and Eggplant Salad
White House argula with onion seed vinaigrette
Wine: 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Modus Oprendi, Napa Valley, California
Red lentil soup with fresh cheese
Wine: 2008 Riesling Brooks “Ara” Willamette Valley, Oregon
Roasted Potato Dumplings with tomato chutney
Chick peas and okra
or
Green curry prawns
Carmelized salsify with smoked collard greens and coconut aged basmati
Wine: 2007 Granache, Beckman Vineyards, Santa Ynez, California
Pumpkin Pie tart
Pear tatin
Whipped cream and caramel sauce
Wine: Sparkling Chardonnay, Thibaut Janisson Brut, Monticello, Virginia
Petits Fours and Coffee
Cashew Brittle
Pecan Pralines
Passion Fruit and Vanilla Gelees
Chocolate dipped fruit
Personally, I think the pumpkin pie is a befitting nod to the Thanksgiving holiday this week, and pecan pralines are a wonderful way to highlight not only an American classic, but also Gov. Bobby Jindal’s home state.
For your personal taste and experience of authentic cuisine by 5-star chefs around the world, see Celebrations International Travel’s Culinary Tours. Here’s our India sample itinerary, just to tempt your palate and inspire your travels. All tours are customized to suit your needs and preferences.
Contact us to start planning your culinary tour today!
I just participated in a live Webinar with Princess Cruises, and wanted to share with you some of the most notable enhancements to the Princess guest experience. Of course, this is a brief list and is by no means all-encompassing:
– All of the food served in Vines Wine & Seafood Bar and the International Cafe are now free, including sushi and tapas! The International Cafe has a baker’s oven, so every morning you’ll enter the Piazza area to the smell of fresh baked goods.
– Waffle stations and complimentary lemonade are now offered in the Lido buffet.
– All staterooms have WiFi access, and the rates are the same as what they charge in the Internet Cafe.
– The Pub Lunch offered onboard is free and very popular!
– A complimentary breakfast is available to Suite guests in Sabbatini’s Restaurant featuring the full breakfast menu in addition to a number of specialty items.
– Movies Under the Stars are now available fleet-wide, featuring first-run movies, blankets to keep you warm on cool nights, and free popcorn.
– Misting stewards on the ships’ top decks will offer guests sprayers filled with Evian water to keep them cool, and cool face towels are now offered at the gangway in every port of call.
– The new Princess stateroom design is being rolled out, featuring lighter colors, flat-screen TVs, bedding upgrades.
– Suite guests now have access to priority room service.
– The popular Ultimate Ship Tour has been implemented fleet-wide.
– A new Ultimate Theatre Night experience will be introduced at a cost of $50.00 per couple, to include box theater seating, chocolates, a bottle of premium champagne, use of opera glasses, and a souvenir photo in your theater box.
To learn more about Princess and all of its other great ship features and itineraries, contact Celebrations International Travel. Our agents are Princess Commodores (aka Princess Certified Experts)!
Watch for our special Princess Alaska group rates to be posted soon: A great way to save on individual bookings!
Celebrations International Travel Blog 