Truffles’ Pumpkin Soup (from onboard the Carnival Legend)

Preface: Although it didn’t even dawn on me that I might encounter a bit of pumpkin-based deliciousness when I stepped onto the Carnival Legend recently for a 7-day cruise through the Caribbean, I was pleasantly surprised when the greatest vegetable on Earth made appearances not once, but during several meals throughout the week!  “So how did they stack up?” you ask?  Well…

Origin: This first of three pumpkin treats was served as an appetizer in Truffles, the ship’s main dining room on our second day.
Fancy Flavor: As you might be able to discern from the name and china patterns, Truffles is a rather upscale eating establishment – the kind where the waiter actually places your napkin on your lap for you if you neglect to do so yourself, in fact!  And while I can’t say that yours truly wasn’t just a bit out of his element in such a high-class joint, please rest assured that both the food and the waitstaff certainly did their best to make a casual guy like me feel right at home!
On with the ACTUAL Flavor!: Well, compared to this little ditty that I experimented with earlier this spring, Carnival’s version of this pumpkin-y appetizer was the exact opposite in all the right ways – the consistency of soup as opposed to pie, a pleasant but not overpowering amount of kick, and most of all, a quantity that actually qualified it as the appetizer instead of the entree.  Overall, a great and unexpected way to start the trip!