Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[TLCOhio]

Thanks Jeff. I hoped I didn't offend anyone.

Terry and I spoke and we are offline with this conversation now. Since I put my email address out there, anyone can reach me off of this thread. Back to the food pictures.

 

Appreciate the chance to hook up with spinnaker2 and your son.

 

YES, back to fun food, life, etc., items, topics, visuals, etc. Am working this evening to finalize all of the "details" for our Brazil visas. Not cheap or simple. You cannot get into Brazil without that vital Visa.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 188,917 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[UKCruiseJeff]

The new baby has arrived from Rimini! So much better than the old pizza oven.

 

Just been testing .... so far I have tested it up to 977f! Domestic ovens normally top out at around 450f.

 

First pizza tonight :)

 

[spinnaker2]

Wow, I was expecting a forno di mattoni!

You have a sleek chrome oven. What will happen to the counter underneath the oven?

Show us your PIZZA!🍕

[jpalbny]

Jeff, that oven looks slick! But almost 1000 degrees F? That's impressive for an indoor appliance. If the pizza cooking doesn't work out, you can always open up a second career firing pottery, I guess.

 

I have a pizza stone that I heat up on my outdoor gas grill in the summer. It doesn't reach that extreme a temperature, but when I get it right I can achieve the nice black spots on the crust. Looking forward to seeing the end results.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Wow, I was expecting a forno di mattoni!

You have a sleek chrome oven. What will happen to the counter underneath the oven?

Show us your PIZZA!

 

Spin, calm down ... there will be no peas in my pizza! :eek:

 

I'm spending half a day conditioning the oven.

 

The other commercial pizza ovens that are sold are great for 99% of pizzas that are thicker and are basically thick pies - they top out at 350c - but this is really designed for Neapolitan and tops out at a scorcher over 500c. It's hot inside but really surprisingly cool around the sides. But I'm keeping some wood peels underneath and raised it on a couple of bits of oak just to be sure. So whilst conditioning the oven this morning there was steam and smells but all of that is now gone. Wifey and I only have thin Neapolitan pizza - ie it's all about the dough - so it's designed specifically for that -though will of course do bread particularly flatbreads (looking forward to Afghanistan horseshoe flatbread ... our favourite ... and Lebanese flatbread) and of course will easily do over-filled thick Amercian style pizza. If you have ever been in to a proper pizza gaf .. I'm sure you have ... it's also about the aroma of that pizza ....

 

And I haven't needed additional kitchen cabling. :) I'm also looking forward to my version of rustic pissaladière Nice style and some nice bagels cooked at around 300'ish ie slightly burned. Also .... a nice glass of wine and a chat with wifey in the evenings with a few slices .. and recreating onion balys of my child-hood or at least my version, ie bagel with onion.

 

I am so looking forward to it.

 

How are you and your cruising?

 

Todays lamb .... with PEAS!!!!:D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:)

Edited December 3, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff, that oven looks slick! But almost 1000 degrees F? That's impressive for an indoor appliance. If the pizza cooking doesn't work out, you can always open up a second career firing pottery, I guess.

 

I have a pizza stone that I heat up on my outdoor gas grill in the summer. It doesn't reach that extreme a temperature, but when I get it right I can achieve the nice black spots on the crust. Looking forward to seeing the end results.

 

Hiya JP!

 

Really only needed for Neapolitan pizza. I really am into bread and it has taken me so much time and self control to understand that when it comes to pizza it is all about a heavenly dough and very light topping cooked in as close to 60 seconds as possible. I estimate this oven will however be 90 to 120 seconds ..

 

If you take marinara for example, this was named after the extremely poor fisherman's wives of Naples putting a smear of topping onto bread born from sourdough. A cheap heavenly meal. This oven is really all about the dough. I really don't do over-filled garish toppings.

 

Both of you come next trip to the UK and we'll have a few gallons of wine and loads of pizza .... open invite. :D

Edited December 3, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[spinnaker2]

we are off the spirit for about a week now. Still have not completely unpacked.

Love the PEAS in the photo.

Pls have fire extinguisher near your kitchen, just in case of need. I would think smoldering might be a concern underneath.

Are you going to do the famous sourdough in the forno too?

Thought your wife didn't like pizza all that much...guess you have garnered her support.

If you get into soup making, guess we will see a cauldron. Can't wait.

[UKCruiseJeff]

we are off the spirit for about a week now. Still have not completely unpacked.

Love the PEAS in the photo.

Pls have fire extinguisher near your kitchen, just in case of need. I would think smoldering might be a concern underneath.

Are you going to do the famous sourdough in the forno too?

Thought your wife didn't like pizza all that much...guess you have garnered her support.

If you get into soup making, guess we will see a cauldron. Can't wait.

 

Hi Spin,

 

Your own bed! :D

 

She loves pizza but hated cheese .. or more specifically cheese that strings like mozzarella. So she hasn't had many pizza she likes when we travel. There's a place in Nice that knows her and her pizza which was just around the corner from our flat .. but apart from that it's me! So she loves marinara ie the tomato base I make with Italian plum tomato, oregano, garlic, sugar, course black pepper, celery salt and a touch of chilli with topping of ham, mushroom and sometimes anchovy. But very thin.

 

My sourdough has morphed rather into a cheats version which is easier and tastes better based on poolish/biga ie what goes into both real pizza (Naples) and baguette. All my bread and pizza is based that way. Just a 24 or 48 hour starter.

 

I have some mix at the moment which I'm just doing my first experimental bagel batch. Unless you can get to Brick Lane in the UK where I always use to get my bagels after work at around 4am'ish then there's nowhere. Hence I have learned to make them. I once was so desperate I drove from Hampshire through the night to Brick Lane to buy a dozen ... but that was a 6 hour round trip ...

 

So I hope my first batch of 12 bagels are up to scratch.

 

:)

 

Current stage before boiling in malted water ..... optimism high at the moment ...

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

[spinnaker2]

a carb lovers dream.

[jpalbny]

Hiya JP!

 

Really only needed for Neapolitan pizza. I really am into bread and it has taken me so much time and self control to understand that when it comes to pizza it is all about a heavenly dough and very light topping cooked in as close to 60 seconds as possible. I estimate this oven will however be 90 to 120 seconds ..

 

If you take marinara for example, this was named after the extremely poor fisherman's wives of Naples putting a smear of topping onto bread born from sourdough. A cheap heavenly meal. This oven is really all about the dough. I really don't do over-filled garish toppings.

 

Both of you come next trip to the UK and we'll have a few gallons of wine and loads of pizza .... open invite. :D

 

That sounds like fun; be careful or we will take you up on that!

 

We also don't go for the thick stuff that's weighted down excessively with heavy toppings. I roll the crust thin and go sparingly with the toppings. It's a must if you want to cook it fast, as you say, and we think it's much tastier.

 

The trend here seems to be going all out in the opposite direction with thick crusts, deep-dish, stuffed-crust, 10-topping extravaganzas. Some places make thin-crust pizzas but they often refer to them as flatbreads. That's why we almost always make our own.

 

I will have to find a picture somewhere... All this pizza talk is making me hungry!

[UKCruiseJeff]

That sounds like fun; be careful or we will take you up on that!

 

We also don't go for the thick stuff that's weighted down excessively with heavy toppings. I roll the crust thin and go sparingly with the toppings. It's a must if you want to cook it fast, as you say, and we think it's much tastier.

 

The trend here seems to be going all out in the opposite direction with thick crusts, deep-dish, stuffed-crust, 10-topping extravaganzas. Some places make thin-crust pizzas but they often refer to them as flatbreads. That's why we almost always make our own.

 

I will have to find a picture somewhere... All this pizza talk is making me hungry!

 

JP,

 

We're all different, and tastes and cuisines evolve in different directions. American pizza seems to have developed to distance itself as far as possible away from anything Napolese would traditionally enjoy and has gone as far as to develop varying strains and defined characteristics in different cities. The closest to real pizza ie Neapolitan in America is New York, but there also seems to be Chicago, and even more remote Californian, or Focaccia style or Hawaiian style etc. Californian styles have nothing in common with pizza. All seem to be about stacking as much alien ingredients on top as possible.

 

i don't understand - for example - why you would put uncooked prosciutto on top of a completed and cooked pizza, but then further rejoice in triple quantities whatever that might be as though somehow or other more is always better. Is that how people always eat or is it just on all-inclusive cruises? :confused: It sometimes sounds like there is more focus on quantity and value extraction than what might taste balanced. More doesn't mean nicer. Having said that, as I say, we're all different. Live and let live I guess. I eat little, but I'm still too big. :(

 

I'm actually looking forward to seeing your pizza now ..... :D

[jpalbny]

Jeff, if you're up for a midnight snack I found a few photos:

 

Here's one from a few years ago when I wasn't making the crusts so thin:

 

 

Here's one with a thinner crust - so thin that the edges are curling. The tomato slices are paper-thin (thanks Chris):

 

 

And two halves - fresh arugula goes so nicely with tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil on the right, and a more traditional tomato, cheese, and mushrooms on the left:

 

 

I will put prosciutto on pizza but only before the pizza is cooked. It's tasty when it gets crispy! Just be careful that you don't vaporize it in that kiln of yours! ;)

 

Off to exercise a little before dinner, I'm afraid. Still carrying around a bit too much from the last Silversea cruise!

Edited December 3, 2014 by jpalbny

[UKCruiseJeff]

Gorgeous pictures of both pizza and a lovely setting in which to eat them. If that is your home then we enjoy the same taste in both colours and wood! There is a really lovely bright and optimistic air about that setting that invigorates and cheers .... excellent taste .... :)

 

Do I see a 50/50 pizza where Chris and you have clear but different ideas on what is what - but still like to share! :D

[lincslady]

Those bagels look divine Jeff. I have a rather strange way of enjoying them on board - with cream cheese, but not smoked salmon, rather raspberry or blackcurrant jam - a bit like a scone in England. For breakfast when I don't feel like something savoury after the fruit and yogurt.

 

We have not heard from Sophia for a while - I guess you are now settled in your new home Sophia; do hope it all went well and that we get your news soon.

 

Best wishes to all, LL

[jpalbny]

Yes, that's our home...sometimes we even spend time there! It's a very nice place to be and we should probably enjoy it more often. But then we'd miss out on all of these great SS adventures!

 

The 50/50 is two half-eaten pizzas pushed together solely for photographic purposes. Shortly after the photo was taken, those halves met a similar fate! :D

 

Looking forward to seeing what else that oven of yours can do!

[TLCOhio]

The new baby has arrived from Rimini! So much better than the old pizza oven. Just been testing .... so far I have tested it up to 977f! Domestic ovens normally top out at around 450f. First pizza tonight

 

Love, Jeff, this picture and these details on this pizza oven. Fascinating and looking so good. It's hot, hot, hot at 977F. Now that you have a great pizza tool, here is a suggestion for your next purchase. It's fun to help you spend YOUR money, not mine.

 

The idea? A high-end pasta machine!! See more details below when we did a kitchen tour of the Silver Cloud in 2010 and the chef told us about their fancy machine. I think, as I recall, that this little "toy" cost about $40K grand. Then, there's the expenses for the various "attachments" that produce varied types of pasta items. Not sure for $40K how many of those tools to make the various types of pasta that you get. Sound interesting? Ready to buy?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Wonderful Kotor and nearby Montenegro? Check these postings. Have had over 22,048 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and commented.:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439193

 

 

During a galley tour, we talked with Executive Chef Douglas Hope and then saw the pasta-making operations. The pasta is made fresh each day starting with this very fine mix from Italy as shown with one of the assistant chefs who is explaining the details for this operation. Only one type and color of pasta is used and made. Fresh eggs, etc., are added each day for the pasta production.:

 

 

 

This pasta machine is super sophisticated and expensive. It has different attachments to produce ravioli, etc. They can produce over 100 different types of pasta with this machine. One of the chefs also custom makes the sauces each day for La Terrazza.:

 

[TLCOhio]

On the subject of food, visuals, etc., below are four unique ones from our July 2010 Silver Cloud sailing.

 

Look good and interesting? Sorry, not the regular daily offerings for all sailings. Super fun and enjoyable. Thought I would share these here from my photo files. No, this is not what I get at home and/or at any regular dining place in Central Ohio.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this link. Have had over 25,414 views on this posting and appreciate those who have tuned-in and dropped by.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

 

 

For our Cruise Critic group on this 15-day Norway Coast sailing, there was a special breakfast for those in our group. The Captain was there and the Executive Chef pulled out all of the stops to go above and beyond. We were just lucky, helped by having one person in our CC group who had done over 1000 days sailing with Silversea. It was not requested to be this "special", but we got the benefits. The first, fruit course was uniquely carved into these special designs that were excellent and light as a starter.:

 

 

 

This was the herb custard with salmon smoked and roe, flavored with chives and vermouth, plus a big serving of caviar.:

 

 

 

The next breakfast course was brioche French toast stuffed with banana, covered with coconut and pineapple syrup.:

 

 

 

Finally, here was the Papal Benedict egg bake in a Serrano meat basket with Fontina cheese and tomato chutney. Small portions, keeping the calories in check?:

 

Edited December 4, 2014 by TLCOhio

[UKCruiseJeff]

Terry, lovely pictures as usual .... and sorry to disappoint but I think that most supermarket bought quality pasta is as good as you can make at home these days ..... :)

 

Those bagels look divine Jeff. I have a rather strange way of enjoying them on board - with cream cheese, but not smoked salmon, rather raspberry or blackcurrant jam - a bit like a scone in England. For breakfast when I don't feel like something savoury after the fruit and yogurt.

 

We have not heard from Sophia for a while - I guess you are now settled in your new home Sophia; do hope it all went well and that we get your news soon.

 

Best wishes to all, LL

 

Thanks LL ... there is something about a traditional chewy bagel that nothing else replaces.

 

I agree - and do so help that Sophie posts soon to reassure that all is OK with her ....

 

:confused: :(

[spinnaker2]

and hope that all of our friends and acquaintances in the Philipines will be safe and not suffer any loss from the tremendous storm bearing down upon them.

Godspeed.

[TLCOhio]

Terry, lovely pictures as usual .... and sorry to disappoint but I think that most supermarket bought quality pasta is as good as you can make at home these days ..... :)

 

Jeff is the super food-making expert, not me!! What you say on buying quality pasta makes solid sense. The retail food folks keep getting better and better, if you can afford to purchase that higher level of quality. My skills are in eating food!! Enjoy that part. Not the fixing and/or after dining clean-up.

 

Plus, I am working to polish up my photo skills so that I can better and more creatively capture lots of lovely "food porn" while sailing on the Silver Cloud in just 51 days. Want to keep you as a happy customer liking my pictures. Our Brazil Visa application is in the hands of their Consulate in Washington, DC., but they needed yesterday proof of our Delta air flights back from San Juan to Columbus. They wanted to make sure we did not jump ship to hang out in the Amazon River rainforests. Also, am doing our medical shots of Yellow Fever next Tuesday afternoon, etc. Things are moving ahead with ALL of the various and many trip preparation needs. Never as simple as just booking a cruise and getting on the ship.

 

Yes, for spinnaker2, sad to hear on what could be happening soon in the Philippines. Here is the latest update from within the past hour from the respected Christian Science Monitor newspaper: "Typhoon Hagupit looks set to make landfall this weekend amid two of the Philippines' poorest provinces. Residents have already begun to evacuate, remembering the damage from last year's storm, which left thousands dead and millions displaced." And also from the Reuters newswire: "Around half a million people fled coastal villages and landslide-prone areas in the central Philippines on Friday, a day before a powerful typhoon was expected to hit the island nation where thousands died in a storm 13 months ago."

 

THANKS! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 87,657 views for this posting.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Terry,

 

For one moment when you said medical shots of Yellow Fever I thought you were taking pictures! Then the penny dropped! I'm very slow!

 

I promise you my food tastes are all rustic. My favourite two foods are potato and bread, and I like nothing more than some grilled meat with flat bread. One of the reasons for the pizza oven is I really want peasant Naples pizza and not anything complicated. You can't easily buy peasant food, and I know my origins and place. In fact my rustic pizza is so rustic looking I won't be posting pictures because I think they will be the object of derision and ridicule! :eek: I have just cooked and eaten one and to watch it rise in the oven was a sight. It was very ugly but really delicious. :)

 

I fully understand and empathise with your unadulterated anticipation of your trip, I'm the same with our next trip To Singapore. Our central heating packed up a three weeks ago and the guy I want to do the replacement boiler is not available to the first week in January and whilst the open fire is great, it is still exactly zero outside. So we have fan heaters everywhere. In fact we're off down to Seaside in a week to check things down there, the router stopped so the security cameras stopped and so did the Slingbox - and to warm up!

 

So you continue to count down the days to your back to back trip and I for one will share the joy and I'll count down the days to Singapore. Terry, when you are in Brazil, please don't forget to take some,pictures of the females there ... some of us men here in cold UK can do with a bit of Brazilian sunshine!

 

Jeff

[mw8811]

I really am still here and just caught up on all the wonderful food pix. I said to someone the other day when all this house stuff is done with I will start experimenting with my cooking again - right now its just old faithfuls to make sure we actually get food LOL

 

I think we may actually be seeing the end of the tunnel - guest bed arrived on Wednesday - just awaiting a new desk for that room (doubles as my office as we don't anticipate many guests).

 

Still trying to explain to leaves they really need to hang onto the trees and not fall over the driveway/lawn to say nothing of the lovely (in summer) beech hedge which is on two sides of the property and throwing leaves everywhere. Also we have to have another tree taken down next week (gone rotten in the middle) so more workmen around - hey ho.

 

Fortunately no probs with turkey at Christmas I've ordered a large piece of beef - for just the two of us (smile).

 

Mary

[UKCruiseJeff]

I really am still here and just caught up on all the wonderful food pix. I said to someone the other day when all this house stuff is done with I will start experimenting with my cooking again - right now its just old faithfuls to make sure we actually get food LOL

 

I think we may actually be seeing the end of the tunnel - guest bed arrived on Wednesday - just awaiting a new desk for that room (doubles as my office as we don't anticipate many guests).

 

Still trying to explain to leaves they really need to hang onto the trees and not fall over the driveway/lawn to say nothing of the lovely (in summer) beech hedge which is on two sides of the property and throwing leaves everywhere. Also we have to have another tree taken down next week (gone rotten in the middle) so more workmen around - hey ho.

 

Fortunately no probs with turkey at Christmas I've ordered a large piece of beef - for just the two of us (smile).

 

Mary

 

Good to see you getting to grips with the renewed UK life .... and of course your first proper cold Christmas for a while?

 

Do go and wake up Sophy gal who seems to have abandoned us!

 

I "do" a daily speculative poolish/biga every evening - only takes 20 seconds - which basically goes into whatever I then fancy whether it's a batch of pizza dough - I leave them developing gently in the fridge in little tubs so that when a pizza is called for once the oven is warmed up the fresh pizza is pretty much always instantly on call. Or the poolish/biga is used in bread, or flat bread or as today some breakfast bagels. The pizza oven is really good with bagels. I used a mix of 20% rye flour and bought the gluten up to around 17% and hydration at 58% so stiff and close textured and very very chewy. Nice crunchy bottoms from the stone hearth. Mary, you must get back into your kitchen.

 

Today, wifey abandoned me for the lights of London with daughter so it's just me with my bagels at the moment. The story of today's lovely misshapen individual personality rustic bagels.

 

 

This is the tubs of maturing pizza dough ready for the fridge ....

 

Edited December 6, 2014 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hello All,

 

Been enjoying looking at all the pictures form Jeff and Terry.

 

So hectic here l haven't had much time to post!! LL, the move is on this very week but it has to be a four day one as getting confirmation of a date was like pulling teeth so the removal firm had to squeeze me in....so my first night will be on a camp bed with the dog:rolleyes:

I could have stayed with my daughter but I want pup to get used to the new place right away as he'll be in kennels this week...followed by a long drive over.

 

Terry, the Lakes are beautiful and well worth a visit....

 

Sophia :)

 

Come on S!

 

Bring us up to date and confirm you are kicking and well!

 

:)

 

Jeff