Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Five

[DavyWavey70]

26 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

It's weird that Brick Lane was pretty much where I was brought up and I went to school a few streets away from Brick Lane.  It was then a very poor Jewish immigrant neighborhood.  Jews would have originally got off the boats walk a few yards and unpack their machines and start tailoring or making furniture or jewellery in single rooms.  They remained there for a generation or two and then mostly moved to North London. 

 

In less than a lifetime it has now become almost 100% Bangladeshi and Asian with street signs often in at least two languages. 

 

Who knows what cuisine we'll find in 20 years from now .... it's lovely to see change.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

In the 90s the Jewish vibe around Brick Lane was still very evident. The fabric merchants, bagel bakeries and so on. It was a time of change though as the Jewish community moved further North and many more Bengali eateries started to open. I’ve had many authentic Bengali meals in Brick Lane in some truly fine places. I’ve also had some awful ones. Time, unfortunately, has fogged any recommendations from my mind but the advice of joining the longest queue for food always stands. I Don’t think there was a single Indian Restaurant on Brick Lane when I last visited, they are very, very few and far between in the UK. I Just hope that the remaining Jewish element there holds strong as one of the finest post clubbing gastronomical delights (the salt beef bagel) available anywhere in the world still lives on. 

[UKCruiseJeff]

39 minutes ago, DavyWavey70 said:

In the 90s the Jewish vibe around Brick Lane was still very evident. The fabric merchants, bagel bakeries and so on. It was a time of change though as the Jewish community moved further North and many more Bengali eateries started to open. I’ve had many authentic Bengali meals in Brick Lane in some truly fine places. I’ve also had some awful ones. Time, unfortunately, has fogged any recommendations from my mind but the advice of joining the longest queue for food always stands. I Don’t think there was a single Indian Restaurant on Brick Lane when I last visited, they are very, very few and far between in the UK. I Just hope that the remaining Jewish element there holds strong as one of the finest post clubbing gastronomical delights (the salt beef bagel) available anywhere in the world still lives on. 

 

There are/were a lot of fabric shops in brick Lane but by the 90”s I think most of them were by then Asian owned many selling saris.

 

There are still loads of Indian/Bengali Curry shops in Brick Lane last year ….

 

I haven't been able to paste the link but Time Out did their top 12 places including curries around a year ago.  Google will bring it up. Google says that there is 23 curry places in Brick Lane.

 

The misspelled Beigel Bake in Brick Lane is actually relatively new but they trade on it being old.

 

When I was running the club in D’Arblay Street we use to close and take a cab down to Vallance Road where the best bagel place was open all night with a string of taxi drivers queuing and getting their nightly supply.  

 

The big draw was it was a wood fire oven and I could request charred bagels and my very favourite onion platzels which you may recall I’ve now been forced to bake myself because Brick Lane is too far to travel.

 

The deciding factor on me deciding I had to make my own bagels and platzels was I was once so desperate that I drove from where we are in Hampshire to Brick Lane for a dozen bagels. Just plain unbuttered bagels or beigels if you must.    As you know you always get them freshly baked and the smell in the car was simply playing with my affections and driving me to distraction and so I opened that bag took one out and chewed on it as I drove the 85 miles home.

 

Well it transpires that the journey round trip was about four hours and you will probably now have guessed by the time I got home I’d only saved her a single bagel.  I felt so bad and there was no excuse but in mitigation your honour it was a crime of passion.

 

Since then I make bagels and they are better than Brick Lane bagels.

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited May 20 by UKCruiseJeff

[DavyWavey70]

28 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

There are/were a lot of fabric shops in brick Lane but by the 90”s I think most of them were by then Asian owned many selling saris.

 

There are still loads of Indian/Bengali Curry shops in Brick Lane last year ….

 

I haven't been able to paste the link but Time Out did their top 12 places including curries around a year ago.  Google will bring it up. Google says that there is 23 curry places in Brick Lane.

 

The misspelled Beigel Bake in Brick Lane is actually relatively new but they trade on it being old.

 

When I was running the club in D’Arblay Street we use to close and take a cab down to Vallance Road where the best bagel place was open all night with a string of taxi drivers queuing and getting their nightly supply.  

 

The big draw was it was a wood fire oven and I could request charred bagels and my very favourite onion platzels which you may recall I’ve now been forced to bake myself because Brick Lane is too far to travel.

 

The deciding factor on me deciding I had to make my own bagels and platzels was I was once so desperate that I drove from where we are in Hampshire to Brick Lane for a dozen bagels. Just plain unbuttered bagels or beigels if you must.    As you know you always get them freshly baked and the smell in the car was simply playing with my affections and driving me to distraction and so I opened that bag took one out and chewed on it as I drove the 85 miles home.

 

Well it transpires that the journey round trip was about four hours and you will probably now have guessed by the time I got home I’d only saved her a single bagel.  I felt so bad and there was no excuse but in mitigation your honour it was a crime of passion.

 

Since then I make bagels and they are better than Brick Lane bagels.

 

Jeff

 

 

I’m sorry to hear that you succumbed to the seduction of those Bagels Jeff. They are such temptresses.  That could have landed you in a lot of hot water! Luckily for us it was on the way home from the west end clubs (I lived in Victoria Docks by then) and I remember queues out of the door at 4am. It was always salt beef, gherkin, mustard for me occasionally with an egg and onion or a chopped liver as a backup. I Never went for the herring and don’t regret it to this day. 

[Grand Duchess]

15 hours ago, mysty said:

Greetings Coolers!  We're back in terra cognita.   The prodigal daughter has come home.  Currently in Prince Rupert,  BC.  Even the air feels familiar. 😁 We fly home on May 23rd.   Looking forward to joining the fun again on the Cooler.  

Welcome back! And before I forget: Thank you again for all the recommendations re storage, slim coathangers, magnetic hooks etc. you supplied earlier in your WC thread. I must have had the best organised suite ever on the last cruise (aborted GV Adrica-Arabia on the Spirit)😊Forever thankful!

[highplanesdrifters]

20 hours ago, mysty said:

Greetings Coolers!  We're back in terra cognita.   The prodigal daughter has come home.  Currently in Prince Rupert,  BC.  Even the air feels familiar. 😁 We fly home on May 23rd.   Looking forward to joining the fun again on the Cooler.  

 

Welcome back M.  I though I felt a positive disturbance in the force. 😃

[turtlemichael]

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon Coolers,

 

This post has been doing the rounds a bit on the interweb and to me it seemed like a great response to how us people of experience and years have been held responsible for global warming etc.  It is sort of the type of thing we’d like to say to Greta Embryo and the extreme global warming gang.

 

It’s long but I hope worthwhile and hope it is enjoyed.

 

🙂

 

Jeff

 

A young cashier told an older woman that she should bring her grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The  woman apologized, "We didn't have this green thing back in my day." 

The young clerk said, "Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She gave him a firm stare and a hard grin and said “Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles, and beer bottles. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over. They were recycled. 

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags,  which we reused for numerous things. We walked upstairs because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower  machine every time we had to go two blocks. 

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power did dry our clothes back in our day. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. 

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room.  The TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded-up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. 

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades with a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. 

Back then, people took a bus and kids rode their bikes instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles in space to find the nearest burger joint.

But the current generation  laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing.”

The cashier stood there still and quiet as the old lady found her wallet to pay. Then lady turned to leave but stepped back and turned toward the cashier.  She said “You have a world of knowledge in that little device in your hand. Pity you just use it to gossip, take pictures, and waste time. It would do you good to search a bit of history before you embarrass yourself like this again.

Forward this to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart-ass young person.

 

 

 

[lincslady]

Wow, the story of my life, Jeff.  I even had twins and washed their nappies by hand for a while until I persuaded my husband we could afford a twin-tub.

 

Lola

[mysty]

5 hours ago, Grand Duchess said:

Welcome back! And before I forget: Thank you again for all the recommendations re storage, slim coathangers, magnetic hooks etc. you supplied earlier in your WC thread. I must have had the best organised suite ever on the last cruise (aborted GV Adrica-Arabia on the Spirit)😊Forever thankful!

 

I'm so glad that you found my suggestions helpful!  😁

[mysty]

1 hour ago, highplanesdrifters said:

 

Welcome back M.  I though I felt a positive disturbance in the force. 😃

 

Thank you!  I've been called disturbing before but I didn't realize that it affected the force! 😅

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon Coolers on a gorgeous day!

 

Three Orange and Almond cakes made today … as we’re hoping to decamp to Balcony@Seaside sometime in the next week or so and they will go well down there.   But don’t know when!

 

Have a really great afternoon all. 👍

 

Jeff

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

You make me envious Jeff.  All I did today was have 3 Gelatos.  But I'm not complaining!

 

Actually, every baking picture you have posted looks so much better than any of the baked goods we have had or seen on this 3-week Italian vacay.  I think because they are so used to olive oil, they don't know how to use butter properly.

 

But they make up for it with Gelato, and I'm doing my best to taste-test every Artigianale stand I pass...

[UKCruiseJeff]

J.!

 

Thanks for your nice words about my cake!  But no butter or even flour!  Just oranges, almonds, sugar, eggs Cointreau and Amaretto..  

 

And I used the microwave for the oranges.  😧

 

So it really is very simple.  I have always believed in letting the ingredients speak for themselves so I have no idea about or have any interest in presentation.  I just like white plate simplicity.

 

I only make cake because I just don’t ever find adequate quality in bought stuff.  I can taste what I want in my head and simply try and make it.  The profit motive for bought in always compromises the ingredients etc so needs - must!  😊

 

It’s lovely that you are in Gelatoland for a few weeks, I’m envious.  Do enjoy what you have left.

 

Jeff

 

 

[zqtchas]

Kempinski Hotels Appoints Barbara Muckermann as CEO

• May 21, 2024

Kempinski Hotels appointed Barbara Muckermann as chief executive officer.

The announcement follows Muckermann’s previous decision to leave her role as President of Silversea Cruises, where she had spent 14 years.

“I could not be more thrilled to be joining Kempinski Hotels as CEO during such a pivotal time for the brand”, said Muckermann. 

“I am delighted to play an integral role in this incredibly iconic brand’s next chapter while honoring its rich history, and very much look forward to working in tandem with amazing colleagues globally to continue to make the Kempinski name synonymous with individual luxury.” 

“Barbara has always been at the forefront of luxury, and her proven ability to elevate the guest experience while simultaneously maximizing profitability for leading travel brands made her the ideal choice to lead Kempinski Hotels,” said René Nijhof, chairman of the Board of Directors Kempinski Hotels S.A. “Her dynamic, forward-thinking approach will be vital as we continue to usher in a new era of luxury for our brand. As Barbara takes the helm, she will be the first woman in the company’s 127 years of history to lead this iconic brand.” 

Muckermann joins the global hospitality group with 82 hotels in 36 countries just as it prepares for growth in new regions worldwide, the company said in a statement.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good Afternoon Coolers from an overcast dining table.

 

Luckily I received my instructions early in the day which was predominantly to provide some decent comforting carbs with the roast chicken I planned.  

 

So it was Boulanger potatoes and onions made with some decent chicken and vegetable stock with a slug of house white and that  cooked slowly for a couple of hours and served with some nice chicken with a Noily and Dijon mustard buttery sauce and PEAS! There was supposed to be some Boulanger to be warmed slowly tomorrow  but she was quite enthusiastic and told me I’d done well and scoffed most of it.

 

Later will be the Espresso and Orange and Almond cake. We’re not bored with it yet!

 

Have a great afternoon Coolers.

 

Jeff

 

 

 

[QueSeraSera]

8 hours ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

nice chicken with a Noily and Dijon mustard buttery sauce

Continuing my education here in the Cooler, I had to look up one of the words Jeff used.

 

Copying from whatever search engine my PC currently defaults to:

 

The term "noily" has two meanings:¹²

1. It refers to a dry white vermouth drink from France, also known as Noilly Prat.
2. It can also be an adverb, meaning in a way that makes a lot of noise.

Learn more:

 

[QueSeraSera]

I understand it is the first meaning Jeff used, but I am having fun thinking of ways to use the 2nd meaning...

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi, 

 

I'm afraid I'm a bloke with very little imagination and apart from stuff like bernaise, hollondaise, green peppercorn sauce etc etc which I make quite a lot, then the two sauces I make most starts with either  Noily (you're right - it's vermouth ...) or Rosso. 

 

I'm surprised I don't see any or many others use it.  I drink neither but use both all the time for sauces.  Noily for fish and chicken sauces and Rosso for meat gravy and sauces. I also use a small splash in the previously mentioned dressings.

 

They have such complex aromatics they are wonderful and really give a lift.  Other vermouths don't seem as good.  In terms of other meanings, when I make a sauce with Noily the tradition is for me to tell her "I've made you some oily prat".

 

Try it.  🙂

Jeff 

 

edited!  My boss has corrected me and reminded me I do drink it as I always specify Noily rather than Dry Martini Vermouth when I have a dry martini because it is great in one - but to be honest I like my dry martinis so dry if you get my drift - it's just really a whiff!  In fact in the bar at the Negresco in Nice the Barman use to greet me with "Hello Mr Noily" because evidently I was the only one he said that insisted on it! 

 

Edited May 22 by UKCruiseJeff

[drron29]

1 hour ago, QueSeraSera said:

I understand it is the first meaning Jeff used, but I am having fun thinking of ways to use the 2nd meaning...

well on this board some could start their posts with -"I noily complained to the staff..."

😄😉

[UKCruiseJeff]

Very Dry Dr Ron! 😄

[QueSeraSera]

35 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

I'm afraid I'm a bloke with very little imagination

No way Jeff, your posts show much imagination!  Keep it alive

 

The folks in the neighboring cabin noily _____________  ____________ (You fill in the blanks)

[UKCruiseJeff]

13 minutes ago, QueSeraSera said:

No way Jeff, your posts show much imagination!  Keep it alive

 

The folks in the neighboring cabin noily _____________  ____________ (You fill in the blanks)

 

In that case ….. 😊

 

I really have something to be happy about today …. apart from being praised by The Boss for my potatoes.

 

My coffee blend was roasted and delivered today by Peaberry who is just a a couple of miles away and I so love the smell - and taste - of freshly roasted coffee.

 

This is how much extremely fresh coffee affects crema … I FILMED IT!

 

Sadly we lost Gerald a few months ago and the last time we spoke we’d agreed a summer Pizza with us with some cheap red wine and him bringing some of his experimental blends, but sadly now not.  

 

Here’s a lovely picture of Gerald doing his stuff and a feature film of my Crema.  I will miss him and would like to think of him roasting for those he is with.  

 

Jeff

 

Edited May 22 by UKCruiseJeff

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

Perhaps it is a contraction from "noisily".  

 

The cretinous buffoons in the neighboring cabin noily operated a jack hammer all night.

The uncaring louts in the neighboring cabin noily explored guitar feedback with their Marshall Destroyer amp stack turned up to 11.  

The detestable oafs in the neighboring cabin noily played handball against the party wall in the wee hours  

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

They all had something in common.

 

They were all Prats. 

 

👍

 

Jeff

[lincslady]

I am confused here - I thought the drink was spelt Noilly Prat, with two lls, and therefore quite difficult to pronounce correctly in the French way.  Is this noily a completely different word?

 

The best  way I can describe it is nwa-yee..