Likely Billy has. With Captain Highliner, no doubt.

Same holds true for fellow writer (and today’s guest food blogger), April Hoeller, before and now… as in at last we spoke (10am EDT yesterday) she was experiencing 2.5 meter swells at 33deg 28′ N latitude; 44deg 31′ W longitude, crossing the big pond we call the Atlantic Ocean.

April and her other half, Norbert, are avid world travellers. They are the kind of people I like to hang with. Great road stories told through a writer’s keen eye.

So I asked April if I could share her food discoveries with my Fridge Whisperer warriors.

She was flattered I asked.

And while I’m so envious I’m not along for the ride, we all can live viciously through her foodie@large musings.

Thanks, April, for paying it forward.

The swells have us rolling along on the great big sea. It’s a soothing kind of roll that is good for lounging but requires frequent balance corrections when walking, resulting in a somewhat weaving gait (drunken?).

The past two days have been wonderfully low key — lounging in the solarium interspersed with Smithsonian Institute lectures on astronomy (excellent speaker, David Hughes), food & drink, and cooking demonstrations with Executive Chef Olivier Trividic and his guest chef, Jay P. Brooks of Food Network fame.

Chef Olivier has one of those absolutely delicious French accents that starts me drooling the moment he speaks. And of course because he is French, there is no shortage of butter in the recipes.

I must say the croissants on board the ship are the best I’ve ever had. So, too, the brioche, baguette, napoleons, crepes, tiramasu… I could go on.

I think what impresses me most about Chef Olivier is the way he handles the ingredients. I think it’s something you have to see to fully appreciate but there is a gentleness, dare I say a loving respect for each and every component that is then drawn together. He talks about the “butter singing” in the pan. I wish I could imitate the accent for you — a little drawn out and soft, almost melodic.

Today’s discovery was The Bistro, a creperie which at lunch was unusually quiet. I could not resist, and the French crepe with oranges and Grand Marnier proved the perfect ending to my fabulous grilled calamari salad with a mini (tres mini 1″x6″ of crisp crust and soft, slightly chewy inside) baguette: delish!