Boston Food Bloggers on a Boat (An Oydssey Cruise of Boston Harbor)

          Last night I had the opportunity to attend a Boston food bloggers meet up on an Odyssey Cruise of Boston Harbor (this was provided free of charge but the opinions are my own). It was a perfect night for it, the weather forecasts predicted rain but it held off until we were almost back and even then it was a only a light drizzle.

          The event was open to food bloggers, and we were each able to bring one guest. We were told our ticket included the cruise and dinner. Once we sat down, our server brought over a glass of champagne and explained that our ticket also included open bar. She was very friendly and attentive, explained all of the menu choices, and offered to bring our dessert course outside so we could enjoy the view. The manager also stopped by to welcome us and checked in periodically to see how everything was going.

          We started with a salad of mixed greens, apples, strawberries, pecans, and blue cheese in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The ingredients were all fresh, the fruit was a nice touch, and the dressing was light and not overpowering.

          The main course included a choice of several entrees. I tried the short ribs, which were delicious. They were fork tender, served in a mushroom gravy with mixed vegetables and fried onion strings on top and a side of garlic mashed potatoes. My friend ordered the maple glazed chicken with mashed instead of roasted potatoes (a request which they accommodated with no trouble), and she said the chicken was also very flavorful and moist.

          Dessert also included a few choices. I had a hard time deciding between the signature chocolate truffle torte and the special red velvet cheesecake. I finally settled on the chocolate torte, which did not disappoint with rich layers of cake, mousse, and chocolate ganache. I was slightly envious of some of my fellow bloggers when I saw the cheesecake come out (and tempted to ask for a second dessert) but I really enjoyed the torte!

          Throughout the night I sampled a few cocktails, a dark and stormy, espresso martini, and the beacon hill (vodka, champagne, and peach schnapps). They were all very tasty, but my favorite was the beacon hill.

          After dinner there was live music and dancing, and we had the opportunity to walk around the ship and head to the upper or lower deck. There were even giveaways at the end including gift bags and a grand prize cruise for ten. Unfortunately I didn’t win anything, but someone in our group won a gift bag!

          Thanks to Odyssey Cruises for a great night and to Boston Food Bloggers for hosting / organizing the event!