So Many Dishes

I’d intended to write one more time about our meals onboard the Vikings Aegir, but I hadn’t found the time. Then Mike, who writes the wonderful blog Next Eleven Years, and who I am sure is the all-time master of eggs Benedict, posted about his latest Bennie, and I knew I needed to post about our breakfasts.

Breakfast onboard a Viking longship is primarily a buffet, and a very generous one. Fruit is abundant. They serve the best yogurt I’ve ever eaten; it certainly isn’t low fat. There are always scrambled eggs and various breakfast meats. English breakfast elements show up, too. I dove into the sautéed mushrooms the morning they made an appearance. There’s also one of the chefs behind the counter to make omelets.

On top of all this, there’s the bread and pastry table. On our first trip, I discovered the best chocolate muffins, and I was thrilled to see them again. I’m amazed that I didn’t eat one every morning.

For all that, there’s also a breakfast menu. I honestly never even looked at it when we cruised the Rhine, but Radu, the Romanian server who always seemed to be taking care of the table we’d chosen, mentioned it most mornings. The menu included pancakes and French toast, eggs Benedict, and an “egg of the day.”

I enjoy eggs Benedict, but not when it’s drowned in Hollandaise, as it often is in restaurants. I decided one morning, when Radu had described the egg of the day and it didn’t appeal to me, to ask for the smoked salmon Benedict, but light on the Hollandaise.

What Radu brought to the table was perfect: Hollandaise on the side. I could add as much as I wanted. You’ll note from the photo that the serving was just one egg, not two as is typical in American restaurants. Ken and I commented several times on how we appreciated the smaller portions served. Restaurants here have a tendency to supersize portions, and it becomes so easy to overeat. We never went hungry on this trip, but I never felt stuffed, either.

On our last full day, I chose the egg of the day, a Mexican-inspired creation. An English muffin sat in scoops of guacamole and sour cream, then was topped with fresh salsa and a perfectly poached egg. I should have taken a picture of the egg after I broke the yolk, because I have never seen such orange yolks.

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about lunches, too. There are certain foods that are on the menu every day: at lunch, that included a salad niçoise, a cheeseburger, and a hot dog. But there would be daily selections, usually including a sandwich, hot dishes, and sometimes a second salad. I stuck with either a sandwich, served open faced, or salad. Again, portions were enough to satisfy, but not to stuff. So I never felt bad about having ice cream for dessert.

We brought home so many wonderful memories. We saw fascinating sights, enjoyed the beauty of nature, met interesting people, and ate fantastic foods. We’re ready to start planning our next Viking adventure.