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Dear
friends of good food and wine,
As a native of Pomerania, I returned for the second time in
64 years to the place of my birth. We cruised around the Baltic
Sea to celebrate my birthday in the land of my forefathers who
came across the Baltic Sea in wooden boats; today we call them
“Vikings”. The name Pomerania, with 350 miles of
beautiful sandy beaches, comes from the Slavic language and
means “A Land along the Sea”. For centuries it was
the battleground between many different peoples with the final
conqueror being Poland in 1946. During my previous visit I came
across a book called “The Baltic” a history of the
region and its people written by Alan Palmer. After my wife
Connie and I finished reading the book we decided to return
to explore the area on a cruise.
Starting out in Dover, England on the cruise ship “Oceania”,
our first stop was Zeebrugge, an important fishing port in Belgium
near the medieval town of Bruges on the North Sea coast. Amsterdam,
a Dutch city with a marvelous history and some of the finest
museums in the world, was the second port. The following day
we entered the 61 miles long Kiel Canal and arrived in Warnemünde,
Germany near Rostock, a well known port of the “Hanseatic
League”. Our next stop was Copenhagen, the capitol of
Denmark, one of the oldest cities on Baltic Sea dating back
6000 years. Naturally we visited the little “Mermaid”
at the entrance of the harbor and enjoyed the story written
by the well-known author Hans Christian Anderson.
On a cool but sunny morning we sailed into Gdansk the most northern
city in Poland to explore the history and to sample the culinary
treats of the region. The first shot of World War II was fired
in Gdansk, formerly called Danzig. In recent history, the city
became famous because of Lech Walesa and his Solidarity Movement,
which started the collapse of the communist regime in Eastern
Europe.
Helsinki, also called the city of the sea with its 350 islands,
was our next port and we soon discovered it is a meeting point
between east and west with an influx of Russians. Finland, including
Lapland is also the land of reindeers, moose, and wild mushrooms
from the large forests.
The highlight of our journey was St. Petersburg, Russia the
northernmost major city of haunting magnificence and splendors.
Three centuries have passed since Peter the Great began building
his grand city on the Gulf of Finland, which also became the
winter home of the tsars of Russia before the Revolution in
1917. The Winter Palace now houses the Hermitage Museum, which
has one of the greatest art collections in the world. The Russian
culture has always been considered unique from the glittering
imperial Russia of St. Petersburg to the timeless village life
of Siberia. The majority of Russians consider themselves Christians
and belong to the Orthodox Church, a surprising fact in a country
where atheism was the official religion for over 70 years.
After two days in St. Petersburg visiting several palaces, museums
and attending a Soviet Military Concert, we departed with new
impressions of Russia and continued to Tallinn in Estonia.
Estonia is a country of great scenic beauty with many lakes,
islands and large forests, in addition to a long history dating
back to 1154. Old Tallinn is just like a museum with the original
City Wall still standing and a medieval Town Hall from the 14th
century. The old fort facing the Baltic Sea is also a reminder
that the city had its share of wars and occupations. It was
sold by Denmark in 1219 to the Teutonic Kings of Sweden, then
annexed to the Soviet Union and became a Naval Base for Russia’s
Baltic fleet. A happy ending came in 1991 when Estonia became
an Independent Republic.
Our last stop was Stockholm, the royal capital of Sweden, a
beautiful city with green parks, bridges over glittering water,
and open spaces to enjoy nature. Sweden is the driving force
in the Scandinavian splendors and has something for everybody
to enjoy. Because I was born on the Baltic Sea the Maritime
Museum, and the Vasa Museum, which houses a fully restored 17th
century sail ship, was my highlight in Stockholm.
Let me share some of our Baltic Sea culinary experiences with
you. Please join us at Bistro Le Cep for wonderful five course
dinner paired with wines from around the world.
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Friday,
February 19 and 26, 2010 at 6:30 PM
Dining Around the Baltic Sea
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Pinot
Grigio 2007
Tenuta Ca’Bolani
Italy |
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Smorgasbord
Medley of Gravlax, Scallop, Herring,
Shrimp and Schicht Salad
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Chante
– Alouette 2003
Hermitage
M. Chapoutier
France
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Finnan Haddie
Smoked Fillet of Cod
with Beets and Chopped Eggs
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Pinot
Noir 2008
Jules Taylor / Marlborough
New Zealand
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Täidetud
Vasikarind
Roasted Veal Shoulder
With Wild Mushrooms
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| Cabernet
Sauvignon 2007
Graham Beck
Gamekeeper’s “Reserve”
Robertson / South Africa
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Grilled
Sirloin Steak “Stroganoff”
With Bell Peppers and Sour Cream
Roasted Potato and Red Cabbage |
Late
Harvest Viognier 2005
JC Cellars, Ripken Vineyard
Oakland, California
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Romovaia Rum Baba
With Strawberries "Romanov“
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Coffee
or Tea |
$69.50 per person, plus tax and gratuity
For reservation please call: 713-783-3985
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