Live From The Carnival Freedom: Crossing the Atlantic for a New Whale Tail

[jam19872016]

The buffet was open early so some of the cakes were already cut into.

 

 

 

 

[jam19872016]

Love the pumpkin carvings.

 

 

 

 

 

[jam19872016]

 

 

 

 

 

Even the salad toppings are in the festive spirit.

 

[angelsfort]

On 10/25/2023 at 10:09 AM, exlondoner said:

All very laudable, but, really, cakes. How is it possible to summon up an interest in cakes and the like?

 

Its not just "cakes" - it's a BAKING show, so it can really be anything cooked in an oven.  

and the show is more about the interactions between everyone there and for sure, the humor.  Lots of terrific banter goes on between the "contestants" (amongst themselves) and the hosts as well as the "judges".

and Paul...  he's one of the "judges" - he's got these blue eyes...   "oh my"

[jam19872016]

Checked in for lunch at 1218 with a 

10-20 minute wait.

[jam19872016]

Table assigned at 1227

 

Mdr menu

 

 

Lido menu.

 

[jam19872016]

I will be ordering the rigatoni today and I am doing my research.

 

 

They won't be fooling me this time.

[jam19872016]

Empanada.

 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, NE John said:

Colouring at Sea
The Atrium Lobby, 3
 

Im surprised to see British English spelling used on Carnival. Certainly British English is used on Cunard, like “whilst onboard” etc, but Carnival too? But then Cunarders complain that Cunard adds the term tuxedos along with dinner jackets and the use of the US$ instead of Sterling. 

Not so much complain as feel slightly baffled when people, mainly US, describe it as such a ‘British’ line. Moreover the breakfast menu actually says it serves English and American bacon. You don’t get that at country hotels in the Cotswolds. 🙂

[exlondoner]

14 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

I will be ordering the rigatoni today and I am doing my research.

 

 

They won't be fooling me this time.

Scholarship question: what is the difference between rigatoni and penne? Just wondering.

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Scholarship question: what is the difference between rigatoni and penne? Just wondering.

Don’t bother to reply. I’ve just read the piece in full and know the answer now. Sorry. Some of us are really morons.

[jam19872016]

The empanada was fine. Nothing wrong with it but nothing about it stood out either.

 

Rigatoni bolognese and fish and chips.

 

[NE John]

8 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Scholarship question: what is the difference between rigatoni and penne? Just wondering.

Rigatoni “tubes” are slightly wider and more rectangular than penne. Rigatoni has ridges through the macaroni while only some penne has ridges. Rigatoni is my favorite. 
BTW, Italians never call long pasta, like spaghetti, noodles. Cut pasta is called macaroni and long pasta is just pasta. 

Edited October 31, 2023 by NE John

[exlondoner]

4 minutes ago, NE John said:

Rigatoni “tubes” are slightly wider and more rectangular than penne. Rigatoni has ridges through the macaroni while only some penne has ridges. Rigatoni is my favorite. 
BTW, Italians never call long pasta, like spaghetti, noodles. Cut pasta is called macaroni and long pasta is just pasta. 

Sorry, I’m an idiot, I’ve read the article properly now. 

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

The empanada was fine. Nothing wrong with it but nothing about it stood out either.

 

Rigatoni bolognese and fish and chips.

 

 

If it’s not breadcrumbs, it’s batter. How much fish is there entombed?

Pasta looks nice.

[jam19872016]

Sunday Brownie. 

 

 

Fooled after all. I was paying attention to the pasta not dessert.

 

Well played Carnival.

[NE John]

12 minutes ago, jam19872016 said:

Sunday Brownie. 

 

 

Fooled after all. I was paying attention to the pasta not dessert.

 

Well played Carnival.

The food looks much better as you’re crossing the Atlantic. I was getting worried about you with some of the food pictures in the beginning of the cruise. Some of that food in the beginning just didn’t look appealing. Except for those cakes, always look good. 

[techteach]

In summary:

Omelet - who forgot it in the pan? An American omelet may have a little browning on it, although I would never serve one that way, but that is completely overcooked.

 

Carvings - Amazing! Some really talented people put in many hours to produce those works of art. See, I CAN say something nice.

 

Cakes - I hope they taste as good as they look.

 

Have a wonderful day and thanks again for providing us with such entertaining reading. Comparatively the Cunard board has been pretty dull lately. 😞 

 

[jam19872016]

Lido cake to save the day.

 

[techteach]

1 minute ago, jam19872016 said:

Lido cake to save the day.

 

Oh Yum. With the exception of the gummy worm those look really good. I’m assuming that’s a cheesecake, but I wonder what they added to get the almost yellow color, unless they used really really good eggs. I’ve never seen cakes like this on Cunard. Do they exist? @exlondoner @NE John

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, techteach said:

Oh Yum. With the exception of the gummy worm those look really good. I’m assuming that’s a cheesecake, but I wonder what they added to get the almost yellow color, unless they used really really good eggs. I’ve never seen cakes like this on Cunard. Do they exist? @exlondoner @NE John

No point asking me, for, as the whole world now knows, I don’t watch bake-off. 🙂 

[chryso]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

No point asking me, for, as the whole world now knows, I don’t watch bake-off. 🙂 

You can learn.  It isn't difficult.

[jam19872016]

50 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Not so much complain as feel slightly baffled when people, mainly US, describe it as such a ‘British’ line. Moreover the breakfast menu actually says it serves English and American bacon. You don’t get that at country hotels in the Cotswolds. 🙂

I think its relative to what we are used to and in that regard, it would be more than accurate to call it a British line. Board Carnival Pride or Anthem from Dover or Southampton and you won't find English bacon on the menu. I have heard Anthem puts out the tea kettle when sailing from the UK though. Don't think Carnival does.

 

The only other line I recall seeing English bacon is Celebrity. They had an English section on their buffet everyday and while I avoided the bacon (that's not bacon in my mind) I did enjoy the fried bread. Never heard of that before and never found it again since that first time.

 

 

49 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Scholarship question: what is the difference between rigatoni and penne? Just wondering.

Rigatoni are larger and the ends are cut square to the tube walls instead of diagonally. . See, I studied for the test 🙂

 

[Blackjackboss]

1 hour ago, jam19872016 said:

Love the pumpkin carvings.

 

 

 

 

 

Wow those are really cute. I don’t remember so much stuff being Halloween themed on the last Halloween cruise. Makes me want to carve a pumpkin. It probably won’t come out like those though lol

[jam19872016]

53 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Don’t bother to reply. I’ve just read the piece in full and know the answer now. Sorry. Some of us are really morons.

 

47 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Sorry, I’m an idiot, I’ve read the article properly now. 

I just thought you wanted to make sure I really studied to see how to tell if it was actually Rigatoni.