Food at meal times

[Des Taff Jenkins]

On the NZ coast I always had mixed grill , steak, sausage, bacon, fried tomatoes, fried onions, egg and chips, they now have started to put it on up at our club, I might give it a go again.
Des

[Doc Vernon]

Now thats what I call a Meal! A mans Meal !
Yummy

[happy daze john in oz]

Best curry I ever had was in the Durban Indian market.

In London last week, no sign of any stall selling the traditional Whelks, Cockles etc, where they all gone.
Did have some very good fish and chips with mussy peas though.

On the cruise ships doing the NZ run there is usually the NZ 'Hanghi' on the menu one night, mixed grill with a difference.

[John Palmer]

I used love those NZ Mixed Grills and even followed them with a Banana Fritter and ice Cream. Nowadays I am battling just to get through a feed of egg and chips !!

[John Palmer]

In 20+ years in C.P. only ever sailed on one ship where the feeding was not top notch and that was the Empress of Canada, where despite eating in the 1st class dining saloon, all junior officers were seated together in an area dedicated to us at the opposite end of the saloon opposite the lifts, and were fed from a very pared down menu of soup, entree, main and dessert. No steak, lobster or fancy dessert, just basic fish, chops etc. Mind you having had to go through the galley every morning on 02:00 night rounds and seeing the the state of the ranges etc I was quite happy not to be eating the food served to the passengers. The Beaverfir Scottish cook, when sober, was o.k but at times the ships cat was better fed than us but being on the north Atlantic run being thrown around for most of the crossing, food was often not a priority and spending as much time in port as at sea, there was always a shoreside establishment to get a decent feed in.
Rgds
J.A.

Speaking of the 'Empress of Canada', my Grandfather, who worked for Canadian Pacific, in Liverpool, took my family aboard her one Sunday for lunch. I was 14 and had never seen luxury in my life before. What a dining room and how classy was the Steward fully dressed in bow tie and tuxedo. It was there and then I decide that's what I wanted be when I left school. A steward like him.
I now have the vivid memory that the following week the Empress of Canada caught fire and was almost completely gutted. The photograph I saw in the Liverpool Echo showed her keeled over in dock with funnels bent and the blackened hulk almost unrecognisable as to how beautiful she once was. I actually cried.
Later that week my father took me back to Liverpool docks to see it again. How sad it was. Not far from it however was a ship named the 'Degrasse' (a French ship I think) which Canadian Pacific bought or leased. They refurbished it and in CP colours it was renamed the "Empress of Australia" and so took the place of "Empress of Canada". I wanted to join the Merchant Navy then but I was too young and only 4'11" !!!! Oh what memories.

[Captain Kong]

Whenever the Empress of Australia went through the Pool in Liverpool, the shout went up,
"Keep off De Grasse.",
she was not a popular ship, and didn't last long with CPR.
I always enjoyed sailing on the Empress of Scotland, [ ex Japan] and the France, but didn't like the England or the Britain when they replaced them.
Brian

[John Arton]

The new Empress of Canada was a beautiful looking vessel with lovely fittings in the passenger spaces, fantastic wooden marquetry in the lounges, etched glass screens etc, a good shopping area, casino, pools etc. Crew accommodation very basic as was most of the junior officers cabins.
Rgds
J.A.
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[Ethncarter]

If you want are going to visit southern states of USA you should must visit Cookout Restaurant. Cookout Menu is unique and its milk shakes just come from heaven.

[happy daze john in oz]

On this cruise we had on the menu one night in the starters Colum, 'Pie Floater'
For those whom have never seen one it is quite amusing.

It consists of Thick Green Pea Soup with a meat pie floating in it and with Tomato sauce on top
On the menu as
'An Aussie special.'
Originated in South Australia, it should have been left there.

[Michael Charles Johnson]

Don't know if anyone has already posted this, but Catherine Schmuck is on Facebook as "Ship to Shore Chef" https://www.facebook.com/ShipToShoreChef. She works the Great Lakes boats as a relief Cook. She gives an interesting perspective on taking care of a crew food-wise. Also gets some good photos.

Looks like the Lake crews eat a lot better.

Michael