“My weaknesses have always been food and men – in that order”………….

……. Dolly Parton has been quoted as saying, and you know what? I am right there with you Dolly. Food and men, men and food, no, definitely food then men. I love my food and as you will already know, one of my favourite parts of cruising is the wonderful food that you can enjoy. I have yet to have a disappointing meal on a ship whether it be an Ocean cruise ship or a river cruise ship. The food varies slightly from one ship to another but is always delicious.

Having toured the galley’s, and behind the scenes too, on a few ships I know that these are vast areas catering for feeding folk on a grand scale, and run with great precision too I might add. Imagine then the tiny galley on a river cruise ship. Still needing to feed up to 180 people 3 times a day in addition to afternoon tea and delicious late night snacks. And don’t be in any doubt that the food is not of the same excellent standard on these ships as it is on the bigger ocean going vessels – it is!

I have skimmed over the subject of food following a recent river cruise I took on Viking Rhinda last Autumn, but bearing in mind that we should dine like King’s at breakfast, let me share with you a typical breakfast menu on a river cruise ship, whether it be Viking, AMA, APT or Avalon, as they all offer very similar. Let me whet your appetite!

Choice of Juices – Orange, Pineapple, Grapefuit, Apple, Grape, Tomato, Prune, Multi Vitamin, V8.

Specialities – Buttermilk Pancakes (yum, yum) or French Toast with Wild Blueberry Sauce or Maple Syrup. Oatmeal (porridge to us Brit’s) with a choice of berries, banana,raisins, cinnamon, crystal sugar, seeds, honey or Cranberries.

Egg Dishes – Fried, Scrambled or Poached. Egg Benedict with Hollandaise. Omelette of your choice with – crispy bacon, tomato, mushrooms, herbs, ham, onion, green olives, bell pepper, Cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, sausage (and yes, you can have them all!)

Bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatoes, hash browns, baked beans – to make up full English

Croissants, pastries, fresh baked rolls with an assortment of conserves and marmalades

Cereals, a selection of fruit, a selection of yoghurts

Assorted smoothies

Continental meat selection

Continental cheese selection

Fresh fruit and dried fruit

Good selection of freshly ground coffee and excellent selection of Tea

Now, what more could you ask for? After all that, if you can manage to get up and walk, off you go for your morning excursion which will probably include a fair bit of walking. Just as well really as before you know it you will be back on board and it will be lunchtime so you best go work up an appetite!

Lunch will be covered in more depth in my next post!