Recipes from "A Week on the Water": Sticky Toffee Pudding

Founder of Boutique Hotel Barges and "A Week on the Water" author, Hazel Young, is a graduate of the French National Cooking School in Beaune. She has run numerous cooking seminars and culinary cruises aboard her former barge Fandango, and planned the boutique barge's extraordinary menus for over two decades.

STEP ONE Cake Batter

• 175 g (6 oz) dates, chopped in mixer
• 2 cups of water
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 175g (1/2 cup) white flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 50 g (2 oz) butter
• 150 g (6 oz) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put water into a saucepan with salt, add dates and bring to a boil, simmer 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Add baking soda.
Mix butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla into a smooth paste.
Blend into cooled date mixture.
Bake in oven (375ºF190ºC/Gas 5) oven until brown and risen, approximately 35 minutes

STEP TWO Butterscotch Sauce

• 125 g (5 oz) butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 250 ml (1 1/2 cup) cream
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 6 mint leaves for decoration

Put butter and sugar in saucepan, stir constantly so it doesn’t burn, caramelize until a nice light brown color
Add cream carefully so it doesn’t splutter, bring back to boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, set aside.
To serve, ladle the sauce onto dessert plates, cut squares or circles out of the cake and place onto the warm sauce. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar and place a mint leaf on each.
Serve warm.

Travel Tips: Global Entry Program for US Travellers

At the end of a long flight back to the US from a foreign country, the last thing anyone feels like doing is standing in a slowly snaking line to go through Customs. You can avoid this by using the lighting-fast, automated kiosk to check in, and be on your way to baggage claim with little or no waiting in line.

A bit of pre-travel planning is required to be eligible for kiosk check-in. You must register for the Global Entry program, undergo a background check, and pay the $100 fee.  Once registered, your Global Entry membership is valid for five years.

More information on the program and full instructions on how to apply can be found at http://www.cbp.gov/global-entry/about

Here is a brief overview of program information:

Benefits for Global Entry Members

• No processing lines
• No paperwork
• Access to expedited entry benefits in other countries
• Available at major U.S. airports
• Reduced wait times

Eligibility for Global Entry

Global Entry is open to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, Dutch citizens, South Korean citizens, Panamanian citizens and Mexican nationals. Canadian citizens and residents may enjoy Global Entry benefits through membership in the NEXUS program.

Applicants must be in possession of either a machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card.

How to Apply 

Apply Online: Fill out an online application and pay the $100 non-refundable application fee.

Schedule an Interview: Once your application is reviewed, you will receive a message in your GOES account instructing you to schedule an interview at one of the Global Entry Enrollment Centers.

Interview Determines Your Eligibility: A U.S. Customs Border Protection officer will ask you questions, take your photo, and collect biometric information (e.g., scan your fingerprints).

Provide Identification: Bring your valid passport(s) and one other form of identification, such as a driver's license or ID card to the interview. If you are a lawful permanent resident, you must present your permanent resident card.

Visit Boutique Hotel Barges to schedule your next French canal cruise.

Featured Barge: Tango

A barge cruise on Tango means relaxed luxury plus a chance for personal contact with a stimulating local culture. Each day will be a flowing experience of cruising for a few hours and sightseeing excursions in our air-conditioned mini-van, visiting historic sites, shopping at open air markets, and enjoying wine tasting. At the beginning of your voyage, our tour guide will discuss your interests and tailor activities to feature those local highlights you will find most enjoyable.

Tango's décor is a delight in all its details. Large brass portholes and opening skylights throughout the vessel provide fresh circulating air and light. French art deco fixtures, Provençal ivory linens, and rich teak wall panelling recreate the atmosphere of 1930's French passenger liners. Up on deck, two terraces provide space for al fresco dining, and a sundeck with hot tub.

What Makes Tango Special

• Two separate outdoor terraces -- one for dining, and the other a sundeck with heated spa
• Gourmet meals focus on rich culinary tradition of the Languedoc region
• Wines are hand-picked from best vineyards in the area by Tango's owner, also a wine maker

Learn more about Tango on Boutique Hotel Barges.