Written by: Chef Regina Charboneau
As you all know, my life is consumed with the world of food and beverage and of course my friends and family.
When I was asked to return to American Queen Voyages as their Culinary Ambassador during their expansion from American Rivers to also include the Great Lakes and Oceans, how could I say no? The timing was perfect, semi-retired and now with just my cooking school and helping my friend Kevin Preston with his latest adventure, Louisiana Downs Racetrack! I have the time to travel for select culinary voyages and work with many team members that I have known for over ten years. This new chapter has been memorable starting with the Pacific Northwest trip on the American Empress: https://www.reginaskitchen.com/blog-portland-to-spokane-empress/ and now this Alaskan trip.
My Vancouver to Sitka Alaska Expedition began with a detour to Los Angeles
We fit in a matinee to see a young friend portray Nick in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? Keep an eye out for the young, amazing actor Graham Phillips who held his own with seasoned actors Zachary Quinto and Calista Flockhart and newcomer Aimee Carrero. My love of theater will never fade, beginning with my San Francisco restaurant “Regina’s at the Regis” where I had the luxury of the Curran, Geary, and the Golden Gate theater in my immediate surroundings. I catered to theater goers and many of the actors playing San Francisco theaters. My San Francisco restaurant is where my 35-year friendship with British actor, Tim Curry began. This side trip to LA was to see Tim. He was as warm and witty as ever. As I do for people I love, I traveled with an ice-chest filled with food. I brought Tim’s favorite, chicken pot pie with a biscuit crust. The next day we spent a few hours at my favorite place in LA the original farmers market on Fairfax. To me it is the heart of LA. I always make a stop at Monsieur Marcel for a wonderful bistro lunch and a good rose from Provence. The shop has gifts, wine, cheese, and fresh baked French bread! The chest also contained lots of my frozen biscuits, a base for Cioppino and some of my White Bolognese. These items were shared with friends at my sweet friend Annie Potts home. All my friends are a gift to me, and Tim gifted me Annie when they became such good friends during the filming of a movie years ago in Arkansas. We three have thirty-five years of shared memories and meals together. This part of the trip was brief, but it fed my soul in so many ways. Friends are everything to me.
Tuesday May 3rd
We left LA early for Seattle where a car brought us to the port of Bellingham, Washington to board the Ocean Victory. The high light of Bellingham was dinner with my dear forever friend, Marce Von Pressentin. Oh my, so many stories and times together. One of my favorite memories with Marce was in the late 80’s, eating bologna sandwiches at 3am in our ball gowns after a Symphony opening in San Francisco. I promised her that it was a pre-cure for a hangover! We actually went to Walgreens to find the ingredients. Marce was the best concierge in San Francisco her home was Hotel Donatello Even more, to this day she is the definition of a true friend. She has kept up with me through all the years and when we are together, we just pick up right where we left off. It was a dinner to remember and just loved meeting her husband Rick, it took years, but Marce found “the one”.
The Voyage Begins
How can I explain what a special experience this is? This new addition for AQ Voyages brings cruising to a whole new level. The Ocean Voyager cannot be categorized as a typical cruise. Although it is as luxurious as our other boats, the surroundings elegant and well thought out. The food and service as good as it gets! It is an experience and a true expedition experience. The presentations about the humpback whales, the wildlife, the waterways are amazing. The opportunity allows you to use your inner “Jacques Cousteau” and adventure out on the zodiacs or if your more game than me, kayaking. I have been so taken by all of this I said it might even make an “outdoorist” out of me. I guess that is not a word, so I made it the name of a cocktail. This is an experience that I wish for all!
Wednesday May 4th
We began on the Ocean Victory as a small family and friends “shake down” cruise. It was like a reunion of the Columbia River trip. With Claudette and John Waggoner, founder and chairman, Mike Hicks, Senior marketing director (and my co-conspiritor of fun!) Food and Beverage director, Paul Wayland-Smith, David Kelly, Executive V.P. We have shared so many great times together and now this adventure! Surprised and happy to see travel writers Jeri Clausing (Travel Essential) and Toby Saltzman (Toronto Travel Writer) who were all with me on the Pacific Northwest trip on the American Empress. Let me tell you about all of my new friends the top notch team of Hotel Director, Bertrand Petyt, Executive Chef Paolo Faddo and the effervesent Peter Szyzska, Director of Expeditions, my time spent with them was precious and I will not let them out of my life! I wish I could give a shout out to everyone who worked with these three dynamic leaders, too many to write about but they will not be forgotten.
Thursday May 5th
This time was spent going through the San Juan islands We anchored at Sucia Island, and some went out in the zodiacs. My downfall, my first time to have one of Chef Paolo’s pasta dishes! OMG! the first of many.
Friday May 6th and Saturday May 7th
Arrived in Vancouver where our Alaska cruise would embark. I loved that we had two nights in Vancouver. What a great city. I love a walking city, and this is one of the best. *You need layers on this trip this time of year…maybe most times of year.
Here are some of my favorite finds in Vancouver
- La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop 586 Hornby St · +1 604-565-0512 The star dish was the Birriamen (a combination of a Mexican Birria and Japanese Ramen) The beef cheek taco was a close second with a perfect Margarita rimmed with Tajin.
- Blarney Stone Irish Pub 216 Carrall St. always searching for a somewhat “dive bar”. It is where you get a feel for the town or city. Criteria met- open by 11:M closes after 1: am. Local characters at the bar at opening until closing.
- Miku 200 Granville St #70. the best sushi I have ever had! The Sashimi a close second!
- The Modern Bartender 28 E Pender St (China Town) 604 64 1747Frances and Emma were so helpful, this shop is a dream for anyone who likes to make custom cocktails.
- Vinyl Records 321 Hastings Street 604-488-1234 David info@vinylrecords.ca This is the type of store I look for; I could have spent hours going through old vinyl albums. One of Mick Jaggers highlights of visiting Natchez was scoring old albums. I’ll have to turn him on to this place!
- Cook Culture 377 Howe Street
Saturday May 7th Inaugural sailing begins!
Left port late afternoon with new travelers and some of our original group. So happy to see many guests that had visited me in Natchez when on some of our other boats on the Mississippi River. Traveling from Vancouver through channels and passages to the Northern edge of British Columbia through to Queens Charlottes Sound. It’s a relaxing day just looking at the scenery. Every day there are presentations by the Naturalists onboard. This expedition team make the trip! The food on board under the direction of Chef Paolo and service under the direction of Bertrand Pyte is absolutely amazing.
Sunday May 8th
Cruising the Canadian Inside Passage with an engaging guest speaker from Juneau Alaska, who shared so much about her heritage, the Tlingit culture and taking in the views on a smooth cruising day. I gave a talk and the kitchen prepared one of my appetizer recipes, smoked salmon pimento cheese. Every meal on board seems to be better than the last! Each night dinner was better than the last, it was also great to have choices at the bottom of the menu to build your own dinner choices, if you can be strong enough to miss on of Chef’s pasta dishes, or any of the other specials.
Monday May 9th The Fjord land (Kynoch Inlet, BC)
Canapés Here are the Cocktails I designed especially for the Ocean Voyager These cocktails use local ingredients not just the liquor but also the bitters that I found in Vancouver. Bearface Canadian Whiskey, Empress Gin, & Ms. Better’s Bitters.
The Outdoorist Old Fashion
- 1 ounce Crème de cacao (I typically have white on hand for my chocolate martini, but either work for this cocktail)
- 1 ounce Cinnamon honey syrup – just dilute 1 tablespoon honey with 1 tablespoon hot water with a touch of cinnamon)
- 6 dashes Chocolate bitters
- 6 dashes Orange bitters
- 4 ounces Bearface Canadian Whiskey
To prepare cocktails:
- Fill 2 cocktail glasses with ice or prepare martini glass with cocoa rim to serve up!
- In cocktail mixing glass, add Crème de cacao, cinnamon-honey syrup, chocolate bitters, orange bitters, Canadian Whiskey
- Stir to blend and chill, divide evenly into cocktail glasses and garnish each with Luxardo cherry and half orange slice
- I would recommend having a one of these waiting for you after a Zodiac excursion! That can be arranged with the most amazing staff!
Purple Rain Champagne Cocktail
- 1 ounce Empress Gin (made with Butterfly Pea flowers so it is a beautiful blue. When you add lemon syrup it turns purple)
- .5-ounce St. Germain
- 1 ounce Lemon Syrup
- Prosecco
Lemon Syrup yields 1 cup syrup- keep refrigerated
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup Meyer lemon juice or fresh lemon juice
Bring to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until syrup coats the back of a spoon, chill before using. To prepare cocktail Add Empress Gin, Saint Germaine, lemon syrup to bottom of the champagne flute then top with chilled champagne. If you cannot secure Empress Gin, you can color this drink using Butterfly Pea Tea bags and adding the color to your favorite Gin. Recommend serving with your favorite Prince album blaring in the background!
Tuesday May 10th A fun day in Ketchikan, Dive bar adventure with friends.
I had a group join me on a pub crawl! Thank you, Mike Hicks, my partner in fun for accommodating another unique detour! You do have to get a ride into town from the dock. The boat had vans and it was quite convenient. Once you are delivered to the main area, it is a walkable town. You will see the cruise boats that house 3000 and you know you made the right decision to go Expedition style with us!
- The Arctic Bar 509 Water Street (home of the happy bear, where you can get X-rated shirts with “really” happy bears on them)
- Sourdough Bar 301 Front Street was the best! A bar decorated with photos of disasters involving boats and ships. They both met the expectations of what I look far in a local dive bar, character on the walls and local characters sitting at the bar. Doug got to go visit a new addition to Ketchikan, Uncharted Distillery 319 Main Street he enjoyed meeting Travis the owner-distiller. They had a lot to share. They distill vodka and gin. We have a bottle of gin to take home as another great memory of this trip.
Wednesday May 11th Misty Fjords anchored and a day of expeditions.
I have to take this paragraph to talk a little more about the food. I had the best Osso Bucco ever on this trip, so many dishes that were beyond great. Braised lamb shank that riveled mine. The desserts were not only gorgeous but delicious. The housemade breads were hard to resist. I am home now on zero carbs for awhile, no regrets!I have spent a lot of my life in the kitchen. I loved the energy in this kitchen, calm and happy. That speaks volumes for the leadership, hats off to Chef Paolo.
Thursday May 12th Wrangell Alaska
Thursday May 12th Wrangell Alaska This has been a favorite stop. Very walkable Another pub crawl but this time a stop for lunch. Many options for off ship dining. The shore excursion that beat the pub crawl was the special glacier expedition, John and Claudette went on it and said it was just an unbelievable experience. They even brought back a little glacier ice that was shared in cocktails at our dinner table. This may sound weird, but I swear it was colder than regular ice…well it is hundreds of years older? After fish and chips, we enjoyed some of the lighter vegetarian entrées. Several of the vegetarian and vegan dishes were Indian recipes and very well prepared. Here are my places you must visit in Wrangell, now don’t judge me, part of my job is to search out these stops. It’s a tough job but someone must do it.
- Totem Bar -116 Front Street our group gathered at the bar and were totally entertained by Drew, a charming local who had gone to college in Las Vegas but loves home. Note to remembers- Hippies must use the back door, that has been in place since the 60’s. *if you miss lunch at Zacks or Nic’s there is a great burger joint next to Totem. You can order and they will call the bar and let it ring once and hang up and that is your cue that your order is ready! My friend Pat said he had the best patty melt he ever had.
- Nic’s Place – 302 Front Street Dungeness Crab, Alfredo Pizza (the crab was caught that morning by Nic’s parents)
- Sweet Tides Bakery 310 Front Street (in the alley) lots of grab and go lunch items, tasty cup cakes and cookies but the winner was the chocolate croissants. Bertrand ate them so fast; I did not get a bite!
- Zacks – 316 Front Street Halibut fish and chips, the best!!! Don’t miss. The Compass Line Gift Shop – best gift shop, locally owned, a lot of her own creations by Tracy Churchill. My favorite gifts came from there.
- Rayme’s 552 Front Street – we missed Raymes who is loved by everyone I met during the day. Just remember no fighting in his bar! That includes pushing or shoving or you are 86’d for a month. The signs in these bars are the best.
Friday May 13th Waterfall Coast (Gut Bay) was planned but we ended up in the Bay of Pillars
You have to be able to adapt when traveling by boat, plans change but never in a bad way. Today I gave in to get out on the water via zodiac. So glad I did. It was more my level; I did not want to try kayaking for the first time in Alaska glacial waters…I think warm water first. When I return, I will have warmer closes and some experience getting in and out of a Kayak! Although our boat was not massive, to get out on the water and get close to the scenery and water is priceless.
Saturday May 14th Petersburg, Alaska
- Inge’s Galley– menu with an Asian flair know to have the best fish taco’s on Mitkof Island
- Kito’s Cave in Sing Lee Alley
- The Harbor Bar 242 S. Cedar Street
Sunday May 15th Kake, Alaska
Woke up surrounded by blue ice in the water. Several people took the Zodiac over, but I opted to stay on board because the scenery was great from the comforts of the boat.
Monday May 16th Sailing Day
Our opening act for our cooking demo was our entertaining Hotel Director, Bertrand (he is from Monoco) making Crepes Suzette for Tea Time. He ate 4 before he gave any to the guests, they were a hit. His comedy act was hard to follow, Chef Paolo and I collaborated while I prepared halibut in a parmesan crust with arugula salad, but had to substitute snapper that day. Chef Paolo paired a perfect wild mushroom ravioli with a light sauce with mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes and spinach. I look forward to cooking together again. We enjoyed our farewell dinner with friends and have already planned summer and fall adventures together.
Tuesday May 17th Off the boat on to Sitka airport
I left the boat with one major conclusion- This is the only way to see the pristine, pureness of Alaska, up close and personal and only reached this way. The glaciers, wildlife, and marine life discovered with ten people in a Zodiac or by yourself in a Kayak on the Ocean Victory.
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