norn iron

Number one in Northern Ireland - Poor Bears Delight, made by Mauds Ice Cream https://www.mauds.com/ Mauds are a small family-owned business, and they launched their brand with Poor Bear Delight, which is a creamy vanilla ice cream laced with honeycomb. Only, when they launched it was called Pooh Bear. Pooh Bear was the creation of the author AA Milne (Winnie the Pooh books etc) and is now owned by Disney who threatened to sue Mauds if they didn't change the name. Hence the name change. Ironically most customers don't know the name has changed, even though all the branding has. Customers still order Pooh Bear despite the threats of Disney.

Sometimes Host Jazzbeau deletes posts here as well. Sometimes I wish he would do it more often!

Better late than never!

To broaden my horizons, I once again tried to enjoy peanut butter and jelly (jam) and cheap white bread. My taste buds just cannot get sweet and savoury in the same mouthful, it was almost a waste of good peanut butter. Now if you're talking comfort food, how can go beyond a bowl of creamy, buttery smooth mashed potatoes with scallions chopped through it? Divine.

Good topic. Fundamentally, one man's meat is another's poison. Sam Adams is ok, I do like Anchor Steam Berr from SF. Although living in Ireland, all beers fade into blandness compared to a pint of Guinness. When I wrote my original post I was delving into Mature 12-month-old Irish Cheddar, unpasteurised Brie and a nice piece of ripe Stilton. I live a few miles from the factory that makes all the cheese slices for Mcdonald's in Europe. Knowing what goes into making cheese slices is enough to ensure I give it a wide berth.

I don’t really understand the point you are making. The topic is ‘ American foods that others find horrifying’ that is what I wrote about.

Here are a few American food and drink things I don't get. Peanut Butter and Jelly, I love them both separately, but together ??? Bacon, Pancakes and maple syrup, love bacon, like pancakes but adding sweet maple syrup doesn't float my cruise ship. American Beer (mass produced). I tasted some amazing American Craft beers, but most of the big brands are, let's say 'bland' American Cheese, let's not even go there I've kept the best to last. American coffee! If the beer is bland, the coffee is non-descript. I appreciate tastes vary. In Europe, strong Italian coffees rule the roast (sic). The sad reality is, in the UK McDonald's serves better coffee than Starbucks.

Sounds horrible, you have my sympathies, I have an in-law who is coeliac and one grain of wheat sends her over the edge. Years ago I ago I made her a lasagne with sliced and blanched turnips instead of pasta and a heavy cream and butter sauce instead of bechamel, it went down a treat.

I have a lot of sympathy for intolerances, it must be horrible. Thankfully none affect me. I did go gluten-free for 5 months a few years back, I lost a few pounds but I was miseable.

I'd say delicious.

An Ulster Fry? Prepared and served exclusively in Northern Ireland. It can be served as breakfast lunch or dinner, commonly accompanied by HP sauce and a pot of tea, although a pint of Guinness is good at lunch or dinner. Ingredients:- Good quality pork sausages, back bacon (possibly called Canadian bacon in the US), black pudding, white pudding, mushrooms, two fried eggs, grilled tomato, fried potato bread and fried soda bread. Some people add baked beans and remove some or both of the breads, commonly known as a boring English breakfast.

It is an essential condiment to a bacon sandwich and an Ulster Fry

I get that, Iit was just from your earlier post you were indicating standards had fallen when they haven’t. In this case I’m speaking from experience rather than speculation.

Don, I returned to cruising with Azamara post Covid in October 2021 and to date have completed a further three cruises with them since then. I didn't observe any loss of standards, so I'm somewhat confused by your comment. In fact, since last August I've convinced my sister and her husband to upgrade to Azamara, they have now completed two cruises and are totally sold on the product. Maybe it's time you returned to see that the product is as good as it ever was.

Unbelievable. Enjoy it while it lasts.

I didn’t get back in time to edit my spelling mistake in the last paragraph Naga should read Nada.

I watched the whole video and it was interesting, well balanced and culminated in a ten minute whinge. We were on the previous cruise to Carole and Paul and to be fair the Guest Relations team where the least engaged of Az GR team I have ever encountered, the smiling faces were definitely missing. I did put it down the whole team being punch drunk from the number of passengers complaining and blaming Az about the never ending visa sagas for India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. (For clarity purposes, Indian visa were the responsibility of the passengers and their travel agents, the Sri Lanka and Indonesia visa situations changed almost daily throughout the cruise to the despair of most passengers and the GR team) The GR manager when we were onboard was Adrian Silverman, who on the two times I spoke to him was competent and polite. Adrian was disembarking in Singapore to connect with Pursuit in Rio, and he was being replaced by the main GR manager for Quest, Nada, who we have cruised with a few times and I have always found her to be excellent and extremely accommodating. By coincidence I even bumped into her in Belfast in August last year (when Quest was berthed for an overnight) and she invited me to come down and visit the ship, which I had to decline. The point in the video which did frustrate me was when Carole and Paul met Naga with their complaint and she asked them how did they want the issue resolved? In negotiation, always let the aggrieved side suggest the solution and negotiate back to a position which works for both sides. As bloggers go, I felt they were milking this to fair degree. Just my thoughts.

Also, take photographic ID and the credit card used to purchase your tickets. Entry is very strict.

Food comparable, ambiance different.

I have referred two different family members to Azamara in the past. All referrals must be done within 30 days of the booking to be valid, and to benefit from the $300 you have to travel within 12 months of the original booking.

She was on our cruise onboard Onward in June.

Last month on Quest there were a few anomalies to the beer selection. Draft Carlsberg wasn’t available to source in Dubai, so they offered San Miguel, Corona and Coors as complimentary replacements. Draft Carlsberg was brought on in Colombo which made me happy so I never checked if the three above remained complimentary.

Quest follows Journey and Onward will be last. I think I recall the HD telling me last month that Quest will in April/May.

I’d agree with you regarding the cruise director. He wasn’t in the mould of AZ CD’S. It was his first cruise with AZ, and his background was with Cunard and Crystal, so that possibly explains the lack of passenger engagement and the stuffiness. To survive with AZ he will need to change his ways, engage more and become more approachable. His lack of communication on white night was shocking, I don’t think anyone knew what was happening until it was over.

I’m not sure that is a fair comment, there were 476 (maximum is around 700) passengers onboard and 404 crew.