Hear ye, hear he: The Tudors are Back

“Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Lived.”  A tour guide at Hampton Court taught me that saying-an easy way to remember the fate of Henry VIII’s six wives. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Now for the Proclamation of the Day:  The new season of The Tudors begins tonight, April 5th at 9:00 PM ET, on Showtime .  Fireworks please.

Never fear, if you haven’t watched the first two seasons you can jump right in. Henry divorced first wife, Catherine of Aragon, who later died, and wed Anne Boleyn.  He breaks from the Catholic Church (because they won’t grant the divorce) and creates The Church of England.

Things don’t go well for Anne and he has her beheaded at The Tower of London. His two daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, one from each former wife, are now declared illegitimate.  Juicy, I’d say.

This series is packed with fantastic acting and gorgeous actors (like Henry Cavill, who plays the King’s friend, Sir Charles Brandon.) The costuming is worthy of a museum exhibit (I would love to see them go on tour), authentic castles and countryside, high definition filming and expert production. But, the story itself is the winner: lust and sex, friendship and betrayal, births and deaths, religion, greed, power, war, as well as medieval torture.  What more is there?

Season three begins with Henry’s third wedding, this time to Jane Seymour .  But here’s my secret:  use this link to watch the new episode on your computer right now.  Not as good as big screen TV, but a tantalizing taste.

The Tudors Beet and Orange Salad

And speaking of food, to publicize the season premier Showtime asked Sara Moulton of the Food Network to create a royal feast .  I saw the photo spread in Gourmet magazine and  was enticed to make the beet and orange salad.  The dish was so impressive I’m featuring it and the recipe on my food blog .

It’s a royal day.  Please kind sirs, don’t call me tonight, I’ll be with Henry and Jane.

Bonus: You can catch up on the story with The Tudor Timeline.

Off to New Orleans for Mardi Gras Madness

Time to head to the New Orleans for Mardi Gras Madness.

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday as it sometimes called, is the last feasting day before Lent—indulgence before penance. The weeks leading up to it, known as Carnival, are celebrated with parties, masked balls, parades, and food. It’s a time to be a bit naughty—and so I have good reason to devour New Orleans’s finest fare.

I make an annual Mardi Gras pilgrimage to the Big Easy and always return to fine dining at Arnaud’s Restaurant in the French Quarter. The 90-year-old landmark features Creole fare and a reputation that never disappoints. Start with gulf shrimp covered in spicy Remoulade sauce, teetering at the edge of too hot.

Then I move on to Pommes Soufflé, a house specialty served as an appetizer or a side. The dish is an extraordinary rendition of French fries, light as helium-filled pillows. The fluffiness comes from frying the potatoes twice. They end up looking like fat toddler fingers and are served along with Béarnaise sauce.

Dinner suggestions include Trout Almandine, Pompano en Croute, and Roast Louisiana Quail Elzey (filled with Foie Gras mousse or Filet Charlemond) with more Béarnaise sauce. Last year, I chose Veal Tournedos. They arrived covered in wild mushroom gravy and simply melted as they encircled my tongue.

Dessert is the finest show in the city (and, needless to say, there are many competing shows). Café Brûlot requires an expert, and the headwaiter performs the flaming touch. An orange is peeled in one intact piece and then studded with cloves. A brandy mixture is heated then ignited and slowly poured down the spiraling peel into the bowl, which another waiter fills with chicory coffee. The drink, prepared tableside, slides down so smooth that there is no need for dessert. But if you are inclined (and I was), Bananas Foster can’t be topped.

During my yearly visit, I must also feast on a few beignets at Café du Monde, the famous, no-frills coffeehouse/café. The beignets, similar to doughnuts, are rectangular (no holes) and doused in mounds of powdered sugar. They coat everyone’s fingers and clothes but are, unquestionably, worth the whitewash. You never know who (Rod Stewart) or what you will see there. One year a lady clad only in body paint sat down to order!

I’ll find time to squeeze into Pat O’Brien’s, home of the famous hurricane–a powerful fruit punch. Lesson learned –Sip, don’t drink, or your head will be filled with a storm. Do join the friendly crowd and sing along with the lively dueling pianos.

Celebration time in New Orleans surely puts an end to dieting. I’ll indulge decadent food and when Ash Wednesday arrives, start to eat healthy again.

Recommended Restaurants in Sea World Orlando

Gazing into the Shark Tank at Sharks Underwater Grill

Over the years I've learned a day at a theme park is improved when my group takes time to sit down and eat in a restaurant versus snacking at fast food. So, when lunchtime rolled around on our first day at Sea World, we chose Voyagers close to the sea lion and otter stadium.

My grandchildren naturally wanted the kid's meal; one chose chicken fingers which came with French fries; the other wanted macaroni and cheese with baby carrots. Both included a little box of raisins and a blue Shamu souvenir lunch box. Price $8.00 (I think?)

I ordered baked barbeque chicken, which was yummy. My son ate pizza and his wife had a wrap. All the plates were filled high and the food appeared fresh and healthier than expected.

Soon we were exploring the park again and ran into Shark Encounter- a 700,000 gallon aquarium containing a walk-through acrylic tunnel for viewing. Gulp.

One wall of the huge tank adjoins Sharks Underwater Grill, an upscale restaurant with a good bite. Dim lighting, coupled with illumination from the fish tank creates an eerie atmosphere, not to mention the flashing teeth on hundreds of sharks.

We stopped and  made reservations, returning at 6:30 PM to dine eye-to eye with the scary demons of the deep.

Seems rather astonishing, but upon entering the room a quiet and unrushed feeling prevails; enough to make you forget the frenzied theme park outside the door. The swaying movement from the array of creatures is mesmerizing. Many of the predators swim rapidly back and forth while others, a saw tooth shark, for example, arose from the deep only occasionally. A mammoth grouper seemed to hover near our table.

If you arrive early, check out the sleek bar– another living seascape. The lobby contains a glowing glass cylinder filled with small neon fish that propel themselves forward or float backward. Do fish ever get dizzy?

The menu touts "Floribbean-style" food, a blend of fresh Florida and Caribbean fare. I ordered salmon filet and was extremely pleased with a tangy yet sweet sauce over the fleshy serving. A spicy side of peppery mashed potatoes and fresh vegetable medley completed my plate.

My husband enjoyed the Citrus Caesar salad, which surprised me, as he is finicky about his choice of dressing. He was disappointed, however, in the Steak en Croute, which he said lacked punch and tasted too much like hamburger.

A Gummy Shark

The grandkids, ages 4 and 6, ordered popcorn shrimp and fries from the children's menu. A large gummy shark adorned their dinner plates, a cute touch. We paid $2 extra for a shark cozie to surround their juice glasses–a real hit. In fact, I almost purchased a few of these clever drink coolers for an at-home pool party!

I admit I wasn't expecting gourmet food but our dinner turned out to be the catch of the day. The food was delightfully tasty and certainly the surroundings produced an unforgettable thrill. If you go to Sea World, you owe it to yourself to dine with sharks at, none other than Sharks Underwater Grill .

Day Two

We ate a hearty breakfast at our hotel before returning for day two at Sea World, hence were able to bypass the Cypress Bakery- which smelled divine. We didn't even feel hungry at lunch time. Instead, the kids had an ice cream at the Polar Parlor — a dolphin- shaped treat.

Of course, a bit later my teenage daughter was "starving," so I took her into the Seafire Inn for a Greek salad. It was big enough to share.

And that's it for our dining!  I’d like to commend the management for offering Mama's Kitchen Healthy Alternatives - a cafe serving whole-wheat bagels, turkey chili and sweet potato chips.

Overall –A thumbs up for food in the theme park.

www.seaworld.com

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