Cruising the Caribbean: Day Two.

(Sun. 26 Nov. 06)
The day was spent steaming steadily north through the Lesser Antilles, and acquiring our sea legs (not kamaboko, but a sense of balance). We attended a cooking demonstration by Chef Willy, who's in charge of the Veranda Café and likes to foam things up with CO2 in the modern food-as-science-experiment way.

Followed by a fascinating galley tour by executive Chef Markus (champagne and caviar snacks provided, of course).







That evening was the Captain's first-night celebration, so we wore formal attire for the party (smoked salmon hors d'oeuvres as well as the caviar) and dinner; several of the staff complimented Holt on his black-and-gold brocade Balinese jacket.
First course: caviar (what, again?) on a potato-shallot cake with remoulade; a torchon of foie gras with fruit terrine, roasted hazelnuts, and hazelnut brioche. Holt only had a mouthful of the latter, as he is of the opinion that even the best liver is still liver, and he says the hell with it; but he also said, on the record, that this was the best liver he's tasted.
Soup: duck broth with confit and vegetables, served in a coffee cup with a pastry crust over it. Cute, and good too.
Salad: grilled portobello mushroom with balsamic vinaigrette.
Main course: polenta-crusted lobster tail with corn purée and a tasty little lobster fritter; veal osso bucco with shallot confit and potato purée.
Dessert: this was where Seabourn service actually screwed up. For some reason, no one brought us dessert until the dining room was almost empty, so they apologized by bringing us - another dessert. The first was a trio of cremes brulées, the most memorable of which was basil-flavored; and the extra was a melting chocolate mini-cake with raspberry sorbet.