A taste for travel.

One of the thrills of visiting new places is finding foodie inspiration and trying famous recipes. Here’s a selection of our favorites, all discovered on our travels.

Take your taste buds on a journey with our global round-up of culinary delights, including a special chowder recipe straight from Alaska..

Tantalizing tarts.

The Portuguese capital of Lisbon is the birthplace of Pastéis de Nata. These classic and irresistible custard tarts are encased in layer upon layer of crisp, flaky pastry and topped with cinnamon. Now found in bakeries across the globe, the story goes that a savvy monk sold the recipe to a bakery in the Belém district of Lisbon in 1834.

Full of zest.

Limoncello, the intensely lemony Italian liqueur, is made from lemon zest, pure grain alcohol and water. This traditional digestif is mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially around the Gulf of Naples, the Sorrentine Peninsula, Amalfi Coast and Sicily, where orchards are filled with a bounty of sunshine-hued fruit. It’s best homemade, and served chilled.

Dalmatian doughnuts.

You’ll find fritule, the small but perfectly-formed doughnut-style pastries, in Croatia. Every region has its own version: travel down the Adriatic coast to discover new ingredients in your fritule sweet treat, such as raisins, grated lemon or orange rind, and rakia, a local fruit brandy.

Fresh from the sea.

Greece has a multitude of islands, endless coastline and centuries of seafaring history, so it’s not surprising that calamari tops all the best menus at waterfront tavernas. When in season, calamari (squid) is the go-to dish, served grilled with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice and herbs.

Dessert down under.

Pavlova, the sweet meringue dessert, was named after Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova when she visited New Zealand in the 1920s. Popular around the world, the crisp shell hides a heavenly soft center, and is topped with cream and fruit, usually berries or kiwis.

Duck deluxe.

Peking Duck (Beijing kăoyā) is Beijing’s most famous dish. Dating back to the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century, the royal secret only broke out in the 1900s when former imperial cooks first roasted the crispy-skinned, juicy delicacy at restaurants outside the palace walls.

Tradition sees this dish served with a pile of soft pancakes, slivers of cucumber, spring onion and fermented bean paste, and malt sugar is rubbed on the skin to achieve the glorious golden finish.

Viking superfood.

To eat like a local in Iceland is to sample skyr (pronounced ‘skee-er’), a thick and creamy cultured dairy product that resembles yogurt, but is technically a type of fresh cheese. This fat-free, calcium- and protein-rich Viking superfood is almost as famous an export as Björk, and is made from one of the country’s oldest recipes.

Lovely with fresh fruit, its luscious texture also works well with savory flavors: think beef carpaccio with rocket and blueberry skyr sauce. Or how about a skyr made with dill and fresh herbs, served atop grilled Arctic char?

Melting moments.

Belgium’s love affair with cocoa is a long, passionate one that dates back to the 17th century, when explorers brought the magical beans to the country and the art of chocolate and praline making was born. Today, Belgium boasts an array of master chocolatiers who are devoted to their art, including Neuhaus, Pierre Marcolini and, of course, Godiva.

Guests on Queen Mary 2 can dive into an array of Godiva’s cocoa delights in the elegant surroundings of Sir Samuel’s. This intimate venue specializes in chocolate, making it the perfect place for a quiet coffee, to sample delicate truffles, or even share a decadent fondue.

Cheers for chowder.

Clam chowder, the thick and comforting seafood soup, is a staple dish of New Englanders. Bursting with flavors and textures of shellfish, bacon and potatoes, it’s sometimes served in a hollowed-out bread roll or with croutons, and has myriad variations.

Thought to be named after the cauldron it was cooked in, chowder provided hearty fare for sailors in the 1800s: it was even written about in Moby Dick.

Cunard's version of Alaskan fish chowder is served on Queen Elizabeth each year as she visits the glaciers and bays of Alaska. Try it yourself at home with the recipe below.

Alaskan fish chowder.

Served on deck on board Queen Elizabeth while glittering glaciers slip by, this Alaskan fish chowder is a warming and hearty dish best served with bread for mopping up the creamy sauce. In this video Gareth Bowen, Head of Culinary Development at Cunard, shows you the recipe so you can enjoy it wherever in the world you are.

Ingredients.

  • 1/2cup (100g) plain flour.
  • 1/4cup (50g) butter.
  • 2oz (55g) celery, diced.
  • 2oz (55g) white onion, diced.
  • 4.2oz (120g) potatoes, diced.
  • 2 tbsp corn kernels.
  • 8.1oz (230g) smoked haddock, skinless, cut into 2” cubes.
  • 8 number scallops, cleaned.
  • 8.1oz (230g) salmon, cut into 1” cubes.
  • 10 king prawns, deveined.
  • 8.1oz (230g) mussels, cleaned and beards removed.
  • 1/4cup (60ml) Chardonnay, or good dry white wine.
  • 2cups (500ml) double cream.

Method.

1. To make the chowder base, in a large heavy-based pan, sauté the celery and onion in butter until translucent.

2. Stir in the diced potatoes, sweetcorn and sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour, then the fish stock and white wine. Bring to the boil and cook for a further 2 minutes until the potatoes are nearly cooked.

3. Add the double cream and bring to the boil.

4. Add the firm fish, followed by the scallops and shrimps and then mussels. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mussel shells have opened. Taste and add salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

5. To serve the chowder either divide into bowls and serve with slices of thick crusty bread, or using individual cottage loaves hollow out the inside and fill with the chowder. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Article by Renate Ruge.

The tastes of a Cunard voyage.

Dining on a Cunard Queen is one of the things that make a voyage so special. Read more of our dining articles, exploring dining histories and popular on board venues, and try some of our exclusive recipes from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Raising the chocolate bar.

Join us as we celebrate the world’s most famous sweet treat, with a special Cunard cake recipe from our Executive chef.

Find out more

A cut above.

Discover Cunard's Steakhouse at The Verandah, and find out what our chef recommends you try on your next voyage.

Find out more

Tea time.

Uncover the origins of Afternoon Tea—a celebrated occasion on any Cunard voyage—and learn how to make our delicious Cunard scones.

Find out more