Baking Fresh Bread, Breakfast in Barcelona and Beauty of the British Isles

Think a hotel kitchen or large-scale restaurant operations are big? Consider a massive cruise ship kitchen, which puts out thousands of plates each day. Size matters here —  chefs require supersized stations that can produce larger quantities of foods and sauces, like 60-80 litres of gravy or glaze. A ship that carries 3,500 passengers uses 600 pounds of butter per day, 250,000 eggs per week, and 170,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables per cruise.

With buffet options for anytime dining and premium dining establishments, having fresh bread available is essential. It obviously depends on the cruise line, but most chefs bake breads onboard, three times each day — using up to 1,500 pounds of flour daily.

Remarkably, fresh bread is one of the more difficult things to make: The movement on board coupled with air temperature and moisture can make dough work a real challenge.

Breakfast in Barcelona

Despite its sprawling size and bustling atmosphere, if you look just below the surface, you’ll see that Barcelona locals tend to take things slowly. Spanish and Catalan culture, after all, both emphasise taking the time to enjoy the little things in life—those precious everyday moments that make it worth living—and that starts with the most important meal of the day.

Everything—from the hearty, crusty loaves of bread to the temptingly sweet pastries and cakes—is baked completely from scratch every single day, and much of the interior remains the same as well. All in all, it’s the perfect spot to start a self-guided Barcelona walking tour.

Order up a soul-warming cup of coffee and a pastry (you can’t go wrong with anything here, but for the full experience, try a Catalan delicacy like a xuixo or a slice of brioche coca), then settle in to enjoy your breakfast. You can even watch the bakers hard at work behind the counter preparing the next round of treats as you enjoy your own.

Beauty of the British Isles

Cruising is a very special way to get to know the British Isles.

It’s also the most convenient and effortless way possible to visit the British Isles — no long car or train rides or time wasted waiting. Instead, you can enjoy gorgeous views of the coastline, eat, drink and take part in various activities while your ship whisks you from one destination to another.

Although the British Isles are rather compact, each port boasts a distinctive flavor and culture. So whether you’re pub hopping in Dublin or sampling haggis in Edinburgh, you’ll definitely feel as if you’ve traveled many more miles than you actually have.