Viking Ocean

Tomato-Feta-Basil Macarons compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

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  Surprise your friends with this savory macaron, a twist on the traditionally sweet cookie with its mild crust and tangy center of feta, fresh tomatoes and basil. When you assemble them, be sure to spread the filling gently or even use a piping bag to prevent damaging the delicate meringue cookies. Ingredients COOKIE: ¾ C (64 g) almond meal ¾ C (98 g) confectioners’ sugar 2 lg egg whites ¾ C (177 ml) water ¾ C …

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Viennese Hot Chocolate compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

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  Elevate humble hot cocoa to a decadent indulgence! This recipe is a bit more work than a just opening a packet of instant cocoa, but so very worthwhile. Melt high-quality chocolate into the milk and top it with real whipped cream, creating “slow food” that will bring a touch of the elegant old world into your home. Ingredients 3 C (710 ml) low fat milk, divided 7 oz (198 g) premium dark chocolate, grated 1 T …

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Almond Cake compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

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  This fine, light cake is a favorite from one of our Dutch friends, who used to make it frequently and served it with coffee as an afternoon pick-me-up. Here we use a springform pan, but for a more elegant presentation it can also be baked in a shaped pan, such as a Bundt. Ingredients 8 T (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ C (144 g) sugar 1 C (259 g) almond paste 3 lg eggs …

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Frango na Púcara compliments of Viking River & Ocean Cruises & AllThingsCruise

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  Looking for something different for dinner? This hearty, slow-cooking chicken entrée is easy to make and features an interesting blend of flavors. The recipe comes from the city of Alcobaça on Portugal’s west coast; traditionally it is prepared in a special clay pot called a púcara, but you can use any covered baking dish. Ingredients 6-8 lbs (2.7-3.6 kg) chicken, cut into 8 pieces 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 T (31 g) Dijon mustard Pepper to …

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Viking Sky Cruise 17: Children of the Earth share hopes for world peace

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ABOARD THE VIKING SKY – Standing like ancient druids, the round stones mark the hopes and dreams of children from different nations. Erected decades ago, the messages are even more important today. “It was meant to be something positive, something that would stand here to remind the world that we all should be friends and live in peace,” tour guide Brenda said. When the Viking Sky docked in Oslo, Norway, I headed off for the North Cape …

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Viking Sky Cruise 16: Chef’s Table offers tastes from around the world

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ABOARD THE VIKING SKY – Eating at The Chef’s Table is like taking a culinary trip around the world. The five-course menu is set. That means you don’t order, you just eat what is brought to the table. Although I had never heard of some of the dishes described on the set menu, I must say I enjoyed them all. Some a little more than others. It was quite a tasty education. One of the Viking Sky’s …

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Viking Sky Cruise 15: Ship’s restaurant Manfredi’s named for cruise competitor

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ABOARD THE VIKING SKY – In the often-cutthroat world of business, I just heard the nicest thing on my Viking Sky cruise. The wonderful Manfredi’s Italian restaurant on the ship was named for Silversea’s chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio. In return, d’Ovidio named a special spot on Silversea’s cruise ship after Viking Cruise chairman Torstein Hagen. At the very top of the Silversea’s ship, it’s called Tor’s Observation Library. How about that for two competitors who can still …

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Viking Sky Cruise 14: Viking helmets did not have horns, plus Viking link to Bluetooth

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ABOARD THE VIKING SKY – Vikings did not have horns on their helmets. With apologies to Minnesota football fans, Jeremy Paterson added with a smile. A wonderful part of a Viking Sky cruise is the guest lectures by experts such as Paterson. As resident historian, Paterson is giving talks in the ship’s Star Theater almost every day. Today he talked about the Vikings, challenging traditional Viking stereotypes as well as examining the Norsemen’s influence and legacy. “Think …

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Viking Sky Cruise: Story of heroic World War II dog

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ABOARD THE VIKING SKY – At first, I thought it was a make-believe story.  When I was a child, the neighborhood storyteller Miss Minnie mesmerized me and my siblings with the exploits of an extraordinary dog. As soon as I got a chance to go to the school library, I looked it up.  The story was true. Bamse was a real live World War II hero. Now my Viking Sky cruise will be docking in the Norwegian …

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Viking Sky Cruise 12: Shetland ponies are small but strong and sturdy

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ABOARD THE VIKING SKY – Don’t know how he could see with all that long hair in his eyes. But he seemed to gallop along just fine when he spied a hand reaching out to pet him. On this sunny day, the Viking Sky has docked in Lerwick, Scotland, and I have signed up for the Shetland Panoramic and Ponies shore excursion. I couldn’t miss the chance to see these historic little critters. “Shetland ponies date back …

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