Cruise Menu Items Demystified-Chicks and Husbands at Sea!

When my husband announced he wanted a cruise for his retirement gift in September, I smiled. As realization dawned across his face, we both began to laugh out loud. As he well knew, I have spent a great deal of time and energy getting ready for our September sailing of Chicks at Sea girls getaway cruise. I told him I would be happy to take him sailing with us on Chicks at Sea. His one stipulation was that I not embarrass him at dinner by letting it be known that he didn't know what the menu items were. He, like many people, doesn't know Coq au vin from Nestle's Coco, so I thought a series of articles on menu demystification might be in order.

Many of the menu item descriptions you will see at fine dining establishments and on a cruise ship menu are derived from French, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Thai, Indian, German and a multitude of other languages. Naturally, if you don't speak these languages, you like Marv, may lean over to your spouse and say: beef, chicken, pork? Let's start with French terms and start to simplify a bit.

Soup choices in French:

Bisque (BISK) French thick cream soup consisting of shellfish and spices
Bouillon (boo YON) clear broth
Consomme' (kahn soh MAY) clear, seasoned broth
Vichyssoise (vee shee SWAHZ) a cold cream, chicken stock, leek, and potato soup


Meats in French:

Beofu (BUHF) beef.
Chateaubriand (shah th bree AHn) French for a thick cut of grilled sirloin or Porterhouse steak served with vegetables and sauce
Filet mignon (fil LAY meen YAWN) French for a small, thick steak from the beef tenderloin.
Poisson (pwah SOHn) French for fish
Poulet (pooLAY) French for chicken
Saumon (soh MAHn) French for salmon
Veau (VOH) French for veal

and finally Viande (VYAHND) French for meat
and Escargots (es kahr GOH) French for snails. I didn't put it in the meat section, because, well it's snails.

Now foodies, this list is not for you, it's for the average person, so no negative comments! There are more French categories to explore, so look for the next installment soon. And, remember, the food will be just as tasty if you don't pronounce it perfectly! And, your waiters stand ready to assist you with your selection and will allow you to try any dish or dishes on the menu at no extra charge. A cruise is a wonderful place to try new things and spread your culinary wings a bit. Until our next installment, happy eating!

Sandy, the diva cruiser, is in reality, Sandy Wheeler, The Chicks at Sea lady, an independent contractor with Connie George Travel Associates. Email me with any questions or comments.