A culinary journey around the world: the taste of a TUI Christmas

First stop: MS Europa

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Whatever the culture or religion, most people associate the festive season with a lavish and delicious feast. True enough, festive occasions tend to trigger a bundle of creativity with pots and pans all over the globe. Any good host wants to spoil the family and guests with a few culinary delights on days like this. TUI hotels and cruise liners are no exception, and preparations for the Christmas menu are already in full swing.

If you need some ideas for Christmas, New Year or any other festivities, our little culinary journey around the world will offer you inspiration over the next few weeks. Our chefs will be showing you the mouth-watering creations to be served up on tables in TUI hotels in Asia and the Caribbean and the tasty delicacies awaiting holidaymakers in the mountains. We begin our appetising journey on the high seas with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Chef de Cuisine of EUROPA Thorsten Gillert reveals his Christmas menu for passengers aboard the cruise liner.

Truffle fantasy on the high seas

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Anyone boarding EUROPA late in December will experience Christmas in warmer climes. The 5-star-plus vessel will be cruising around Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. For many years, EUROPA and her sister ship EUROPA 2, both operated by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, have led the field in the Berlitz Cruise Guide. The variety and outstanding quality of the culinary offerings on board are one factor in that success story. Over the holidays, chef de cuisine Thorsten Gillert and his team will be serving up a lavish Christmas menu full of truffle variations:

Egg with truffle

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Carne crudo – veal tartare and veal carpaccio
caviar, truffle cream

Crayfish with green and white asparagus
truffle shellfish nagé, tomato

Salad with black salsify and truffle
alpine bündnerfleisch, gruyere

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Essence of duck with truffle ravioli
leek, cabbage, duck

Cream of celeriac soup with truffle oil
quark dumpling, apple, walnut

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Ricitelle in white wine and truffle sauce
truffle, Parmesan, mozzarella

Risotto with artichoke, lemon and grape
truffle, almonds

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Fruits of the forest sorbet with pepper vodka

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Sole in potato crust with black truffle and beurre rouge
spinach, herb salad, mashed potato

Fillet of beef and foie gras with madeira sauce and black truffle
chicorée à la Dubois‚ green beans, French toast

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Camembert tradition with truffle
mushrooms, leek

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Dark chocolate cake with white champagne truffle filling
balsamic strawberries, port ice cream