Expedition cruises are a fast-growing, life-changing way to see the world in a different way. Atlas Ocean Voyages, with its fleet of small, yacht-like ships that also have polar capabilities, has expanded the definition of expedition cruising in new directions with ‘Epicurean Expeditions.’The ‘classic’ expedition cruise is polar: Antarctica or increasingly, the Arctic. Other remote maritime destinations that have natural or even cultural treasures to discover are also being added to the list of global expedition cruise itineraries for ships equipped with zodiacs for landings off the beaten track of cruising infrastructure.Epicurean Expeditions combine that spirit of adventure with culinary curiosity. We sailed aboard an Atlas Ocean Voyages Epicurean Expedition cruise from Lisbon, Portugal, to the north coasts of Spain and France – all rich in food, wine and spirits traditions, stories, and flavors. On this voyage, the expedition team isn’t composed of geologists, naturalists or ornithologists. Instead, the expedition team leader is a ‘Master Foodie,’ who works in tandem with a celebrity guest chef to provide expert insights and context to culinary experiences on shore and lead gastronomic adventures on board. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE as ‘Master Foodie” Mara Papatheodorou shares the magic, signature events and features of Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Epicurean Expedition CruisesHere are some of the culinary activities from our itinerary:Lisbon: making Portugal’s famous dessert: custard tartsPorto, Portugal: shopping in the local market with guest celebrity Chef Ippy Aiona;Onboard: cooking a dish from market ingredients as a live demonstration during dinnerOnboard: a presentation and tasting by Master Foodie Mara Papatheodorou – the world’s oldest and most widespread sweetener: honeyVilagarcia de Arousa, Spain: discovering the region's famous, shellfish with destination designations: farmed mussels, and we even joined local women digging in the shallows at low tide for clamsOnboard: Chef Ippy Aiona’s seafood bouillabaisseNantes, France: a private tour and tasting of Muscadet wine at Chateau de Goulaine, the oldest commercial winery in the world!Nantes, France: “Queen of the Salt Marshes:” a tour of the Iron Age seaside salt marshes, learning how to extract salt using millennia-old techniquesOnboard: demonstration by Chef Ippy Aiona about salt as a global culinary tool, not seasoning!“Beer and Breton Bites” in Brest, France: an exclusive, evening shore excursion just for guests of Atlas World Voyager in the restored, rejuvenated historic docksSweet and savory crepes, the signature dish of Brittany and one of the most famous French dishes worldwideHonfleur, Normandy: The signature spirit of Normandy, apple brandy or CalvadosOnboard: An Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Epicurean Expeditions feature event onboard: the ‘Yachtsman’s Cookoff’, where teams of guests volunteer to compete against each other cooking an unknown, new dish inspired by their voyage. START YOUR TRIP!By: Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/ travel journalist and expertAll rights reserved. You are welcome to share this material from this page, but it may not be copied, re-published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
