Every year Mara Papatheodorou, culinary expert and contributing editor Bon Appetite Magazine, takes a group of culinarians on a nine-day cruise.
We met the group at the Hotel Hermitage in Monte Carlo. The first day we traveled to Provence and visited Tourrettes Sur Loup, a fantastic goat farm high in the mountains, to taste some of the finest Formage de Ferme. We next traveled to Saint Paul de-Vence, which is perched against the deep blue Riviera sky between Cannes and Monaco. The medieval village’s tall rampart still contains the charm of its little houses and narrow streets. We had lunch in the restaurant in the quaint hotel. The French Provencal cuisine features local home grown vegetables, condiments and wines.
We boarded Silversea's Silver Wind in port at Villefranche, France. There was a cocktail reception as we sailed to Barcelona. Mara did a lecture about the cuisine and customs of the French Riviera and the Mediterranean while on board ship. Before our arrival at each port, she gave us a lecture and demonstration of the next city as well as appetizers, coffee and wine of the area for tasting. We had great cuisine aboard the Wind and if you had a special dish you craved you could tell the Concierge. There is also room service as well as three restaurants.
In Valencia we watched a Paella demonstration in a picturesque hotel patio in the shade of giant olive trees. We had bowls of green olives and whole garlic pods soaked in olive oil as appetizers. What a delicious treat. We sampled many different breads in each port. You must remember that in Southern France and in Spain, they cook solely with olive oil, never butter!
Every day was memorable as we learned more history of the cities as well as their culinary presentation of the food as well as their style of dining. On the Wind there is a special restaurant The Saletta which seats 20-30 reservations nightly. This pre fee menu is $150 and is prepared by Relais & Chateaux Master Chef Jacques Thorel. One afternoon Chef Thorel and Mara were on stage and did some cooking demonstrations of dishes he enjoyed. Chef Thorel is a native of Brazil.
Another exciting luncheon on board was a special Mediterranean menu designed by Mara with selected wines of the area by the ship’s woman Sommelier in La Terrazza, the ship’s award winning restaurant.
Cadiz has always been a favorite of mine as I have enjoyed the Gypsy Caves, the Flamenco, the Guitars and the Tango. Noted as the home of Goya, Murillo and Rubens.
I especially loved, from my past, being at beach-front cafes where we ate Tapas of freshly caught smelts, sardines as well as other sea creatures. After a short ride to Jerez, the home of Sherry Wine, we toured the Osborne Bodega then sipped and tasted their world renowned sherries and ports. Then came a delectable Andalucian lunch in a large barrel room followed by a troupe of Flamenco Dancers and Musicians.
It was a “real Spanish” culinary experience.
As the Wind cruised to Lisbon, the last day Mara gave a presentation about the culinary customs of Portugal as well as cruise highlights roundup. The Wind’s Captain, Gennaro Arma, hosted several cocktail formal receptions. The last night there were 52 of us and we enjoyed another meal with music in the Silversea’s Wind formal dining room, The Restaurant.
By noon the tenth day we docked in Lisbon, Portugal and departed the “Wind”. Some went back home and others stayed in Portugal or to other destinations. If you are interested in “A Taste of the Mediterranean” with Mara Papatheodoru in September 2007 get in touch with Destinations & Adventures (800) 659-4599 or www.daitravel.com.
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