My first cruise ever was on the Carnival Magic, where I tried every dining option that I could.

My second cruise, on Carnival Radiance, featured many of the same restaurants.

They both have Guy's Burger Joint, Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse, Pizzeria Del Capitano, BlueIguana Cantina, Seafood Shack, Pasta Bella at Cucina del Capitano, plus the Lido options: buffet, omelet station, continental breakfast, late risers buffet, deli, late night snacks, swirls soft serve and Main Dining Room options: Breakfast, SeaDay Brunch, Dinner, tea time, etc.

However, there are some new spots on the Radiance that I didn't have on the Magic. So, exploring those were my top priority! Here are the new-to-me finds:


Big Chicken
This is Shaq's signature restaurant on the ship. They serve both breakfast & lunch. For breakfast, the hot honey biscuit very small, but enjoyed the sriracha honey sauce. For lunch, I had the Aerostotle, which had muenster cheese, crispy fried onions, bacon, sweet & smoky memphis bbq sauce with chicken strips. Quite tasty!



JavaBlue Cafe
This coffee shop, for some reason, flies under the radar. It isn't listed under food and drinks, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it. Because I got a white chocolate caramel frappe with candy straw and a guava donut.
Bonsai Sushi
I had the Salmon Tiradito (blue cheese cream, dash infused citrus tea), California Roll (with tobiko mayo), Tempura Roll (with fried shrimp, tenka, yuzu mayo and bonsai sushi sauce) and Yuzu Custard. I really enjoyed the tempura roll.

Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
My previous cruise had a steakhouse, but it was under a different name - Prime - and had different offerings. During this cruise, they also offered a special Valentine's Day lunch, which I didn't get to check out. AND a Steakhouse brunch, which I DID. "Turn your special holiday in the direction of delicious - experience an unforgettably delectable evening at Fahrenheit 555. Our menu features mouthwatering premium cuts of beef cooked to your exact specifications, as well as a fantastic selection of seafood, entrées, gourmet appetisers and an extensive wine list. The elegant-yet-modern atmosphere pairs remarkably well with - and perhaps even enhances - the culinary creations of our gourmet chefs." "A memorable culinary experience awaits at Fahrenheit 555, Carnival Radiance’s classic American steakhouse. Combining a delicious steakhouse menu with Carnival’s own unique style, Fahrenheit 555 provides our guests with an unforgettable evening of dining in intimate and elegant surroundings. First, let’s talk steak. Our mouth-watering options include a juicy Cowboy Steak, Filet Mignon and New York Strip, each aged 21 days to our exact specifications. Because variety is the spice of life, Fahrenheit 555 also offers a tempting selection of seafood entrees, as well as gourmet appetizers, soups and salads." "Our signature wine list is designed to provide the perfect complement to any meal and has been hand-selected by our Sommelier. No meal, especially during a Carnival cruise, is complete without dessert and our menu includes a tantalizing array of special treats to please any palate – an unforgettable conclusion to an unforgettable meal." Bread Slider amuse bouche Risotto with crab, mushroom and brown butter Filet mignon with garlic, mushrooms, carrot, broccoli and mashed potato Ice cream & sorbet Same restaurant, but a whole new meal: STEAKHOUSE BRUNCH.
I was not aware that the steakhouse offering brunch, but when I saw it on my app, I immediately booked it. I loved the pizza turnover; the shakshuka was OK.
Cucina Del Capitano This Italian restaurant features many of the same dishes across the board, but they also like to incorporate the individual ship's captain into the menu. On the Radiance, they feature Stefano Bonica, who must have been the captain at one point, but not on my current cruise. Maybe my current captain, Giuseppe, is new. I struggled a little to find it, because the map says it's on Level 10, but the entrances there were both closed. So, I had to go down to Level 9 and take the steps up from the Lido Market Place. The meal begins with bread topped with parmesan, roasted garlic and butter. It is lovely, but I didn't want to get filled up on that. My appetizer was the "Il Capitano's Signature Arancini" with arborio rice and salsa rossa. From Sicily, authentic rice balls, finished with ricotta salata and served on marinara sauce." These were GOOD. I had to stop myself from eating all of them so I didn't get filled up. But the perfect rice texture and lots of stringy cheese inside and *yum*. (Side note: I saved these off to the side to keep for later because they were THAT tasty, but the server totally forgot to give me my to-go box. Oh well!) My main entree is the captain's "Pesce Spada E Melanzane." "Stefano Bonica, Captain of the Carnival Radiance, is proud to share his favorite dish since childhood. His mother, who used to run small restaruant in Filicudi, an island of Sicility, would often make it for him. Pasta Paccheri is cooked al dente and tossed with eggplant, capers, cherry tomatoes, swordfish, white wine annd finnished with torn basil leaves and lemon rind." The pasta was silky smooth, the sauce was the perfect balance of sweet and acidic, and I loved the pop of brininess from the capers. But, I also learned I do not like swordfish. It's too fishy tasting - in a not good way. I maneuvered the large chunks to the side of my plate and enjoyed the rest. I ordered a side of fingerling potatoes, which were nice, but I definitely wanted a sauce to go along with them. Dessert was the Agrumi | Torta Al Miele E Polenta | Sorbetto Di Limone - hand-ground polenta cake with cirtrus cream served with lemon sorbet. I was so stuffed by this time, but I had to try it. It was like a really sweet cornbread (which I love anyway) and the tang of lemon. Not my typical dessert, but so good.





And, just for funnsies, here's the lunch I had at Pasta Bella. Not nearly as earth-shattering as the one I had on Magic.


Lido Market Place
The Lido Market Place often has some of the same items that appear in the Main Dining Room. Here are some of the bites I was able to try that were new to me. Vegetable Wellington & Crawfish Strudel
Keftedes Arni Colcannon Moussaka
Blue Iguana
The arepas were new to me, and they were GOOD
ALL THINGS WINGS
On one particular day, the Blue Iguana offered wings; they weren't bad. Nice for something different.

Finger Foods is a takeout spot in Morgantown that caters to a late-night crowd with the munchies: wings, fries, melts, fried apps and more. I ordered the Crab Fries - Lump Crab Meat with Cajun and crab seasonings and queso over fries. The lump crab was more like lil shreds of crab that didn't offer a ton of flavor. The fries held their crisp for a little bit, but overall, I thought the flavor was a bit bland. I wanted some kick from the queso and sweetness from the crab. Grade: B

Here is my latest column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail:

Stuffed peppers have a long and diverse history, with variations appearing in cuisines across the globe.

The concept of stuffing vegetables is centuries old, and peppers, which are native to the Americas, are a popular choice due to their hollow cavity and bitter flavor.

Countries in the Mediterranean and Middle East stuff their peppers with rice, herbs and sometimes ground meat.

In Eastern Europe, stuffed peppers are typically filled with ground pork or beef, rice, and spices, then simmered in a tomato-based sauce.

Mexico’s chile relleno consists of a poblano pepper stuffed with cheese or other fillings.

In Appalachia, “mangoes” are used.

No, not those kind.

In parts of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia, older generations sometimes refer to bell peppers as “mangoes.”

This unusual term dates back to at least the 19th century and has roots in food preservation methods.

“When mango fruits were first imported to the United States, they had to be pickled, since there weren’t any refrigerators. This was true of many other fruits and vegetables that weren’t native to North America, so many of them were also pickled,” according to Mango.com.

“Eventually, “mango” referred to anything that was pickled, which included green peppers. As the veggies became more popular, ‘mango’ just became synonymous with ‘green pepper,’ and it’s stuck in some of the midwest states.”

People mistook the term mango as the process, rather than the fruit, according to Lori Fogg, author of the food blog, A Coalcracker in the Kitchen:

“Some seem to think that this originated with coal miners in eastern Pennsylvania in the 1870s. The Pennsylvania Board of Agriculture referred to them as mango peppers in 1879, and the Ohio Board of Agriculture referred to them the same in their 1896 annual report.”

“Many old local recipes call for ‘mangoes’ when really meaning green peppers. In Cincinnati, in the Forest Hills School district in the 1960s and ‘70s, the term ‘stuffed mangoes’ was used on the school menu.”

Now, it’s less common to see the word “mango” used for green peppers in our region. But stuffing them remains a staple in Appalachian cuisine.

Like any good recipe that stands the test of time in Appalachia, stuffed peppers draw on a few key characteristics: local foods, hearty ingredients, preservation and practicality.

Appalachian cooking is known for making the most of what’s available. Stuffed peppers allow families to stretch ground meat by mixing it with rice or breadcrumbs, making an affordable and filling meal.

Even if it doesn’t contain mangoes.