Willemstad, Curacao Cooking School - January 22, 2024 - World Voyage day 20 - 9473 Steps

 Lengthy post today in terms of the number of images, but sometimes the photos need no commentary so it shouldn't be all that bad. And when they do I will endeavor to be a succinct as possible as least a few times. Wordy Bob.

Everyday there are excursions hundreds gather in this room to get their group assignments. (Linda likes to get there early.)

The stops to date where mostly bedlam when going ashore from the boat a trying to find your group grouping point. This is a former Dutch colony and with the efficiency of their German neighbors, regimentation and order prevailed.

Willemstad is a beautiful town.

The Caribbean Chef Cooking School.

All the other couples sat with their partner, being last in, we had to sit a cross from each other. At first we were displeased because we couldn't be next to each other, but soon realized it was a blessing in that it made it so easy to take photos of each other.

Left to right: Plantain, papaya, cucumber, yuca and papaya.

Helmi Smeulders, owner, chef, instructor, the calm in the cooking storm, cookbook author, food photographer, magazine publisher and great human being with the patience of Job.

Pickled okra tasting gives new meaning to the term "makes your hair stand on end." Actually she really liked it. 

Good things come in small packages.

Eating some blindingly hot, hot sauce on a plantain chip. And hot it was.

Lion fish. All the spines are venemous.

We split up into pairs and a selected a dish to prepare. We were the bakers of the group having selected the Papaya Cake.

How much lime zest can a little old lime zester zest if the lime zester does zest lime.

Iggy was out on the patio.

And Samuel got the dirty job.

After the hard work of mixing the cake and getting into the oven it was time for a drink or two followed by a photo of the happy bakers.

Obviously one of the bakers had a little to much of something, whether the intensity of baking or the wine I am unable to say.

How Samuel kept us supplied with clean cooking utensils is why he is so thin.

The chef's stance with left arm extended at just the right angle while watch the food on the stove has been perfected by these three budding chefs.

To say Linda was happy when our cake turned out just the way it was supposed to would be an understatement.

Linda wasn't the only one that was happy.

It's a tough job, someone has to do it.

The final touches being made so the dish is perfect.

Green Papaya Salad

Lion Fish

Funchi Fries with Pika Mayonnaise

Jerk Chicken with Mango Mayonnaise

Sweet Potato Salad

Picanha Pinchos wit Chimichurri Salsa

Caribbean Nicoise

Papaya Cake with Lime Cream

The papaya cake did not taste at all like papaya because of the added lime zest.

A great time with great people.

My favorite photo of the day. Check out the huge smile on Helmi's face in the background.

Back home again.

Walking around the Promenade later in the evening a chance up this view of tonight's sunset.

About as good as it gets, a Pisco Sour night cap. And so ends a truly great day.