We recently cruised on the Cezanne on the Rhone River in France, visiting wonderful medieval villages and picturesque towns. Here are the two recipes most often requested by passengers of the 100-passenger Peter Deilmann riverboat and given to us by the boat hotel magager and chef. The Cézanne rich soup recipes are just right for the fall season. Bon Appétit!

CREAMY SOUP OF WHITE AUBERGINES (EGGPLANTS)
4 servings

250 g. white aubergines (eggplants)
2 green onions, ca. 50 g.
1 garlic
40 g. butter
1 dash of curry powder, salt, Cayenne pepper
1 liter chicken essence
100 ml cream
1 tablespoon of whipped cream

Ingredients for garniture:
60 g. chopped, caramelized shallots (with Armagnac and brown sugar), chopped thyme, milk foam and some cinnamon

Peel the eggplants and cut them into the small pieces. Clean the green onions, peel the garlic and cut them both into slices. Melt half of the butter and use to fry the vegetables (they should not get brown). Season with curry and Cayenne pepper, add chicken essence. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Purée the eggplant mixture, pour it then back into the pot, add the cream and cook again, stir occasionally. Mix the rest of the cold butter (in small pieces) into the soup using an electric soup mixer. Fold the whipped cream into the soup. Melt some butter for the garniture, add shallots, sugar and Armagnac and let caramelize. Arrange the caramelized shallots into the soup plate, pour the soup on top of it, add the milk foam and garnish with cinnamon.

PUMPKIN CREAM SOUP
6 servings

250 g. pumpkins
100 g. potatoes
1 middle-size onion
Sweet white wine
1 liter chicken or vegetable stock
1 liter cream
Fresh basil
Vinegar, butter, salt, pepper, sugar and muscat

Peel pumpkin, potatoes, and onions; cut into small cubes, fry lightly in butter, and sauté with some white wine. Add the chicken or vegetable stock. Season and let cook about 20 minutes, then mix with an electric mixer, pass through a sieve. Add the cream and let boil (ca. 10-15 minutes). Add the finely chopped basil, season additionally with a shot of vinegar, salt, pepper, some sugar and muscat, if needed. Serve with some whipped cream and garnishing.

Suggestions for garnishments:
Mandarins, oranges, pumpkin cubes, pumpkinseed oil and/or roasted pumpkin seeds.

[Conversions: 1 liter = 2.11 pints and 100 grams equals 3.5 ounces.]

This is the season for wine river cruises in Europe, and Peter Deilmann will have its October wine cruises on the Princesse de Provence on the Rhône and Saône rivers. The Provence goes roundtrip from Lyon, sailing north to Chalon-sur-Saône and then south on the Rhône to Roman Vienne, Mâcon, Avignon, and Arles in Provence.

Next month we will have recipes from the new Carnival Cruises Cookbook.

CULINARY CRUISE NEWS

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER -- WINE IN CALIFORNIA -- American Safari Cruises will have three and four-night wine cruises in October and November. Cruises can be booked by individuals (starting at $1,395) or by whole-boat charter. The ship cruises the Napa and Petaluma Rivers in California with tasting at such wineries as Artesa, Chappellelt, and Bouchaine. The 20-guest Safari Quest will have a gourmet wine and food cruise in California from San Francisco in April.

NOVEMBER -- SAILING THE MED -- On November 10 the Wind Spirit will go from Monte Carlo to Lisbon on an eight-day voyage with port stops at Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Malaga, and Marbella, Spain; and Tangier, Morocco. Syndicated columnist and Windstar's light/vegetarian cuisine creator, Jeanne Jones will host cooking classes.

THANKSGIVING & CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS -- Save the hassle of the holidays and go on a cruise with traditional holiday food. The Universe Explorer will have two Latin America cruises in December with traditional foods of countries visited (with a Panama Canal full transit).

DECEMBER -- FLORIDA, BAHAMAS, JAMAICA, CAYMAN -- The Seven Seas Mariner will have a seven-day "Great Chefs at Sea" cruise from Fort Lauderdale on December 2 to the Bahamas, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Key West. It will feature three well-known chefs from Florida restaurants: Chef Allen Susser of Chef Allen's Restaurant and Paramount Grill in Aventura; Chef Cindy Hutson of Ortanique on the Mile in Coral Gables, and Chef Robbin Haas of Baleen at Grove Isle in Coconut Grove. Each chef will prepare a special dinner menu during the cruise featuring some of his or her signature dishes and will hold cooking demonstrations. Lyn Farmer, morning host of WTMI (93.1 FM) radio, will be a guest lecturer and master of ceremonies.  Special 2-for-1 fares begin at $1,798 per person, including wine at dinner.

CRYSTAL CRUISES -- 2002 WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL --The festival, originally slated for 15 voyages in 2002 is now scheduled for 23 cruises in Asia, the Pacific, Alaska, South America, Panama Canal/Caribbean, and Europe aboard Crystal Harmony and Crystal Symphony. Well-known chefs will include Spago's pastry chef Sherry Yard; Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani of Napa Valley's Terra Restaurant; TV host Sam Choy; California cuisine pioneer John Ash; Andre Soltner, and Jacques Pepin. Wine experts include eight Master Sommeliers and one Master of Wine. During each Wine & Food Festival cruise, a guest chef prepares a four-course dinner featuring his/her signature dishes utilizing the sailing region's freshest ingredients, matched with wine pairings by a guest wine expert. The visiting chef also demonstrates cooking techniques and recipes, and participates in question and answer sessions. The guest wine experts lead guests through wine tastings to enjoy and compare appellations, vintages and varietals; learn the history of wine in the regions sailed and advice on choosing and pairing wines. The ships will also continue to feature dishes by Piero Selvaggio of Valentino in Santa Monica and Las Vegas. Toni Neumeister, director of culinary operations, gave us dates and destinations including 18- to 34-day World Cruise voyages from January through March, a trans-Atlantic crossing in May, a Baltic cruise in June, three Mediterranean sailings in August and September, and a Canary Islands voyage in October. There are also South America, Pacific Asia, Alaska, and Panama Canal and Caribbean itineraries.

OTHER 2002 CULINARY CRUISES

Mississippi River ----------- Feb. 25, March 4, on the American Queen

Shannon Princess --------- A barge in Ireland that has several floats scheduled with demonstrations of bread and pastry-making, visits to herb gardens, tour of local cheese farm, shopping with the chef, and hunts for wild herbs, berries, and mushrooms. $35,900 for whole-boat charter of 12.

Minerva ------ In April, a nine-day river cruise of Rhine country wines from Arnheim to Basel, with tours of Cologne, Strasbourg, and the Mosel region. Fares start at $2,868.

If you want to go on any of these cruises, send us an email and we will have someone contact you.

Shirley Linde, Editor

Wth this issue, welcome aboard our new assistant editor Kristen Harrison