Viking River Cruises – Potstickers with Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce

Potstickers

Potstickers, or Chinese dumplings, consist of a meat or vegetable filling in a thin dough wrapper and can be steamed, boiled or fried. They are a traditional treat served during the Chinese New Year when families gather and make them together. You can double or triple the recipe below and freeze uncooked potstickers until ready to prepare and serve. Just one of the many treats you can enjoy on one of Viking River Cruises’ China itineraries.

Ingredients:

Filling:
One-half pound ground pork or ground turkey
Two green onions, minced
Two tablespoons minced bamboo shoots
One teaspoon minced ginger
One tablespoon cornstarch
Two teaspoons soy sauce
One-eighth teaspoon white pepper

Twenty-two round potsticker wrappers
Two tablespoons vegetable oil
Two-thirds cup water
One-third cup spicy soy dipping sauce

Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce:
Six tablespoons soy sauce
One-quarter cup Chinese black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
Two tablespoons sesame oil
Two teaspoons chili garlic sauce

Directions:

Combine all filling ingredients; mix well. Put one tablespoon of filling in the center of a potsticker wrapper. Brush edges of wrapper with water, fold in half and press edges to seal. Place potsticker on work surface and press lightly to form a flat bottom. Repeat for all 22 potstickers.

Heat nonstick frying pan to medium high and add one tablespoon of oil; swirl around to coat bottom. Add half the potstickers seam side up and cook until the bottoms are golden brown (about 3 minutes). Add one-third cup of water, cover and reduce heat; cook until water is absorbed (about 3 minutes) and remove from pan. Repeat with remaining potstickers. Serve with dipping sauce.

Makes 22 potstickers.

For more information on Viking River Cruises, contact your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist, call 800-755-8020 or email travelrequest@boscovs.com.

Opulence Defined: 5 Luxe Getaways

Today’s discerning travelers expect much more than just the run-of-the-mill hotel service and amenities—and rightly so.  Fortunately, many properties are vying to capture their attention with cultural are programs, family-friendly packages, multi-million dollar refurbishments, incredible tennis and golf facilities, and so much more.  Now, choosing where to stay may come down to simply selecting which features you find most appealing.  To start, check out these hand-selected luxury hotels and resorts…

The Fairmont Beijing · Beijing, China

                One of China’s most sought after hotels, the Fairmont Beijing welcomes guests to the heart of the capital’s bustling business district.  Surrounded by Fortune 500 companies and premier office towers, the hotel is located across from renowned shopping at the local Pearl and Silk Market.  The hotel’s gate-form-architecture showcases natural light-filled interiors accented by contemporary Chinese artwork.  Guest rooms and suite interiors blend traditional and contemporary Chinese style with floor- to-ceiling-windows and state-of-the-art amenities.  Original dining concepts and dishes include the chic Lunar 8—serving renowned crispy Peking Duck—to delicious Wagyu beef at The CUT and outstanding bubbly at the seductive Champagne Bar.  Spanning three levels on the sky bridge, the Willow Stream Spa provides a tranquil urban getaway complemented by a state-of-the-art fitness facility and yoga studio.

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel · Santa Monica, California

                With its sunny beachfront setting and stunning ocean views, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel pairs laid-back luxury with contemporary Southern California comfort and gracious hospitality.  Located in the heart of Santa Monica, the hotel has 32 rooms, including 15 one-bedroom suites and four custom-designed luxury suites.  Hotel features include an ocean view pool, direct access to Santa Monica Beach and close proximity to the Santa Monica Pier and Third Street Promenade.  At Ocean & Vine, experience contemporary Californian cuisine which highlights locally-caught seafood, Farmers’ Market vegetables and expertly paired wines.  Visit Papillon Lounge to enjoy a stellar selection of Loews Signature Cocktails while soaking in a magnificent sunset over the Pacific.  For ultimate relaxation, the hotel’s Ocean Spa & Fitness has recently undergone a complete transformation to feature eco-friendly design elements to keep you feeling relaxed… naturally.

Hotel Negresco · Nice, France

Individually decorated to reflect the most significant periods of French art and history, Hotel Negresco’s 125 pet-friendly rooms and suites feature the latest technology, a wide collection of furniture from Louis XIII up to Art Déco, and warm colors.  Fresh from an extensive six-month renovation, the Negresco features a new business center and a new executive 5^th floor with private access and check-in, lounge area, new rooms and suites, and exclusive servies.  The Façade and Gustave Eiffel glass dome of the Salon Royal (listed as a historic monument) have also been completely refurbished.  For superb dining, the hotel’s Chantecler restaurant, decorated in a Regency style with 18^th-century woodwork, is one of the finest in Nice.  And Brasserie La Rotonde, an informal brasserie, has been redesigned with a new terrace overlooking the Promenade des Anglais.

The Setai · Miami Beach, Florida

Nestled in the heart of Miami’s effervescent South Beach, The Setai presents 85 rooms and 45 suites highlighted with Dux beds, Illy espresso machines, Bose surround-sound entertainment systems, flat-screen televisions, high-speed Internet access and more.  The Setai’s Grande Suite features over 3,500 square feet of grandiose living space; and the penthouse exhausts superlatives with over 10,000 square feet of space complete with a private butler.  The Spa and the Setai transports guests to the Pacific Rim with soothing treatment suites specifically outfitted to ensure guests receive a tailored therapeutic experience with tranquil views of the pool and ocean.  Whether dining at the trademark Restaurant, with its enticing Asian cuisine, or The Grill, with its rustic environs and fine offerings and wine, guests will experience miami’s most spectacular cuisine at any of the Setai’s superb dining venues.

Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park · Chicago, Illinois

A style icon, the Fairmont Chicago rests near legendary Grant Park and vibrant Millennium Park, the Art Institute and Michigan Avenue’s shopping playground.  Accommodations show off contemporary furnishings in earthy shades accented with colorful throw pillows.  Marble-tiled bathrooms offer separate tubs and showers with cascading rainfall showerheads.  Rooms include a 42-inch flat-screen TV, iPod docking station, dressing area with a large closet, high-speed wireless internet access and stunning lake-front views.  Fairmont Gold, a hotel within a hotel, offers exclusive service with a private lounge.  At mySpa, personalized therapies and treatment rooms include a wide array of music choices plus iPod docks.  The hotel’s restaurants feature local and organic ingredients.  Aria serves luscious New World Asian cuisine; While Eno offers nearly 500 wines and 35 different cheeses accompanied by dried fruit, honey and nuts, and handmade chocolate truffles.

For more information contact your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist, email travelrequest@boscovs.com or call 800-755-8020.

Life in the Slow Lane

With inspiring ports of call, breathtaking scenery and a relaxed ambience—what’s not to love about river cruising?

                For those of us besieged by stressed-laden careers and complicated personal lives, enjoying what vacation time we have often means packing in as much nonstop fun and sightseeing as is humanly possible. Of course, the unfortunate downside of this is enough to leave even the best of us weighted down by the dreaded “vacation hangover”—that tired bummed out feeling you have upon returning home and there’s absolutely no motivation to assimilate back into the real world. It’s almost like you need another vacation just to recuperate from the one you just returned from.

                Somewhere back amidst the chaos of everyday life, the importance of getting away from it all seems to have lost a little of its purpose and spirit—particularly when it comes to unwinding and recharging our batteries. While you could ask your boss for a few extra days of R and R (good luck with that), a growing number of travelers are turning to river cruises as a way to enjoy more of their vacation time without the hassles tied to traditional getaways.

The Other Side of Cruising

                Unlike traditional ocean cruises with their larger-than-life ships and more limited itineraries, river cruising provides a completely different experience and takes you places only a river cruise ship can go. A river cruise offers a historic and tranquil backdrop on elegant floating hotels complete with excellent service and gourmet cuisine. This wonderful mode of discovery offers easygoing comfort and convenience because you only unpack once and are taken from one fascinating country to the next, creating memories that will last a lifetime, all at an unhurried pace. Best of all, there are a wide array of itineraries on many of the world’s most scenic rivers and waterways.

                Along the way you’ll have the opportunity to uncover treasures such as charming squares, magnificent cathedrals, and bustling marketplaces just a stroll away from the vessel. There is no waiting in long lines to get on or off the ship, and there are always amazing sites to explore—scenic vineyards, historic castles, or countless UNESCO World Heritage Sites—even from the comfort of your ship and stateroom via panoramic views.

                Comfortable and convenient, river cruises offer a greater variety of destinations than you could encounter any other way. You spend less time getting there and more time being there. It’s little wonder that river cruising is one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry.