Friday, March 15, 2019
Saturday, March 16, 2019
I’m on my way to scratch off another new country on my world map: Indonesia. I know so little about this part of the world, I’m excited to learn more.
Where am I?
SO, WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING
I’ve already mentioned how I love days at sea. It’s a great time to relax, catch up on some reading, or take advantage of some of the activities offered by the ship.
One of my favorite activities is attending sessions in the America’s Test Kitchen studio. I try not to miss any of these great classes on cooking techniques and ideas.
Please meet Abby. Abby is our America’s Test Kitchen chef. She runs the show in the Wajang Theater which is set up to be exactly like a kitchen on a television cooking show.
Abby is a chef who signed on with Holland America Lines (HAL). HAL created an exclusive business partnership with America’s Test Kitchen and Abby was the first to be selected and trained in that venture.
Abby conducts regular classes and also hosts guest chefs that join the ship here and there around the world. It has, so far, been an amazing experience to watch, learn from, and chat with so many amazing kitchen artists on this ship.
In Friday’s class, Abby showed us how to make some Dim Sum. She made hot chili oil, Shu Mai, shrimp potstickers, and a soy-ginger dipping sauce from start to finish in less than an hour.
I picked up nice, shiny, heavy card stock versions of the recipes, but a better way to obtain and keep these gems is through the HAL/ATK website, which I am now sharing with you! In fact, every recipe used in Abby’s presentations can be found on that website.
These little dumplings are very easy to make and taste wonderful. Perhaps, when I return, some of us might like to get together for an evening of cooking and dining. What do you think?
Anything else of interest?
Well, yes.
Previously, I asked you if you’d like to have a video tour of my new stateroom so that you might get a better idea of what it is like. I now offer you that video.
What’s coming up?
Next is a visit to Komodo Island. Big lizards!
P. S.
The bandwidth and Internet availability in this part of the world is not the best. Please forgive me if I fall a bit behind in my posts. I’ll try to catch up as we approach larger cities.
Where do you keep your suitcases?
Mostly, under the bed. Smaller ones are in the closet.
That balcony! What were we seeing in that lovely view?
Some of the east Indonesian islands.
Great idea. Evening of cooking with friends.