The American Queen Steamboat Company introduced a new culinary program onboard the American Empress, which began her inaugural season April 5, 2014. The onboard culinary team is taking advantage of the Pacific Northwest's seafood and produce including fish, free-range chicken and artisan cheeses along with seasonal fruits and vegetables. In addition, guests have the opportunity to taste the local beers, wines and liquors as the vessel passes through the Columbia and Snake Rivers.
Menu highlights include:
- Marinated Dungeness Crab Salad with Asparagus-Dill Mousse; Chilled marinated crab with a classic asparagus-dill mousse
- Split Pea and Smoked Tomato Soup; topped with toasted rye croutons
- Pepper Crusted Quail with Applewood Smoked Bacon; Semi-boneless quail, crisp applewood bacon, greens, corn pudding and red wine demi-glace
- Washington Apple and Ripe Pear Salad; Mixed greens julienne apple and sliced pear with candied walnuts, celery and raspberry vinaigrette
- “Cold Smoked” Salmon; Sliced applewood smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese, red onion, hard cooked egg and crostini
- Wild Forrest Mushroom Crepe; Sautéed wild harvested local mushrooms wrapped in a delicate crepe, served with pinot noir reduction
- Oregon Trail Beef Brisket Sandwich; Sliced beef brisket smothered in rich sauce and served on a soft roll with trail beans, day pickles and horseradish sauce
Regional beer includes:
- Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA, Full Sail Amber, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale, Pyramid Hefeweizen, Pyramid Apricot Ale, Deschutes River Ale
Regional wine by the glass in addition to tastings with 40 different wineries include:
- Firesteed Pinot Noir and Riesling, Waterbrook Merlot, Expedition Pinot Gris and Maryhill Pinot Gris
Offering nine-day journeys on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, the American Empress sails between Vancouver U.S.A. and Clarkston, Wash. Stops include some of the region’s ports including Astoria, Ore.; Stevenson, Wash.; The Dalles, Ore.; and Sacajawea State Park, Wash.
For more information, visit www.AQSC.com