It’s a piece of cake ! Sampling a taste of life, plus the food and wine, at sea

Afternoon tea is always a popular moment in the daily schedule of a cruise ship, and master patissier Eric Lanlard made it even more special during a recent trip on board P&O’s newest ship, Azura.
He brought edible perfume and produced smoked salmon macaroons, cheese eclairs and an Eton Mess that could have come straight from Heston Blumenthal’s laboratory.
Lanlard, star of C4’s Baking Mad and Glamour Puds gave a masterclass to passengers and also took part in a Q&A session with cruise director Neil Oliver – whose exotic quiff looks like it may have had some support from a handful of left-over egg white.
During the talk, he let slip a few celebrity secrets about some of the clients – such as David Beckham and Claudia Schiffer – for whom he has provided extravagant cakes.
Lanlard said: “When I was invited to create a signature afternoon tea for P&O Cruises, I jumped at the chance! I wanted to design something which had a modern twist and would be more interactive so people could really get involved and enjoy a whole new experience.
“I wanted to use ingredients from around the world which people may not have ever seen or tasted before, whether it be Persian candy floss or Malaysian tapioca pearls, it’s important to create something new and fresh.”
Lanlard will be a special guest, along with Marco Pierre White, on a food and wine themed cruise later this year; a 28-night Caribbean no-fly voyage on Adonia leaving Southampton on November 22. Vantage Fares from £2,399pp.
Meanwhile, Celebrity Cruises have been quick to produce a video of their appearance at the Taste of London festival this weekend, showcasing food from their innovative Qsine restaurants and previewing a case of wine-themed cruises planned for later this year.