Audubon Park’s Zombietoberfest: I See Dead People
October 7, 2013 | Posted in Around Town | By Lisa Wilk
Zombies of every walk of un-life peppered the popular festival. Plenty of families dotted the landscape early in the evening.
Audubon Park has a serious problem that pops up every October, Zombies. The undead ranged from small children to adults- all roaming the streets and enjoying delicious food from area food trucks and Audubon Park restaurants and shops.
Food Trucks were on the scene, providing festival goers with plenty of choices for dinner. Pictured: Rock Shrimp Tacos and “The Bomb” Fries from Bem Bom food truck.
If zombies aren’t your thing, come as a zombie hunter or zombie apocalypse survivor (think: Walking Dead).
“Yay Fries!” Says super creepy zombie baby…
Festival goers could come as you are, arrive in a costume or have ghoulish makeup applied at the festival. Attendees enjoyed an evening full of creepy delights, craft beers and all kinds of entertainment. Free Zombie Yoga and ‘Thriller’ dance instruction were well attended early in the evening. Later in the evening, the Enzian screened movies in the East plaza by Blue Bird while there was live music and busy Food Trucks in the West plaza by Redlight Redlight.
Creepy Eyeball Cupcakes, from Blue Bird Bake Shop who also had Dead Velvet cupcakes and Zombie Ears available for purchase.
The free festival offered wristbands for sale ($5) prior to the event, which entitled the bearers to discounts from area participating restaurants and bars. Billed as a pub crawl, fear not, there were food discounts at O’Stromboli and Ice Cream Treats and Eats. Those looking for festive adult beverages were not disappointed. Big Daddy’s had tequila and vodka specials, there was a beer discounts at O’Stromboli and beer and wine specials at Bikes, Beans & Bordeaux. I enjoyed the Redlight Redlight Fat Tire craft beer discount, and may have been tempted by another one of their many craft beer selections.
On the Redlight Redlight menu, evidence that the patrons before me might not have escaped with their lives.
To be kept up to date on future Zombietoberfest dates and details, join the Audubon Park Facebook Page, which also updates on general happenings and events in the area.
Creepy Zombie Baby Says, “Yeah, Zombietoberfest!”
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Top 5 Friday- 2013 Epcot Food & Wine Edition
October 4, 2013 | Posted in Special Events, Wine Tasting | By Lisa Wilk
On my radar this week, 2013 Epcot Food & Wine Edition:
Exploring Orlando hits Epcot Food & Wine on opening day!
Droolius lists the Top 5 things to explore at Epcot Food & Wine
Behind the scenes at Epcot Food & Wine with The Wishin’ Kitchen
Koko Cooks parties in the Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog at Epcot Food & Wine
The Official Disney Epcot Food Blog, with Downloadable guide.
Food &Wine Bonus:
DisneyEveryDay Details the upcoming Epcot Food & Wine Classic.
Foodbidden gets Bogged Down at the Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog at Epcot Food & Wine.
Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster’s Cutting Board Dinner Series: Watches & Whiskey dinner
October 3, 2013 | Posted in Dining out, Special Events | By Lisa Wilk
I was recently invited to Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster’s Cutting Board Series: Watches & Whiskey dinner. The decadent evening showcased the wonderful food of Christner’s, the craft whiskey of Palm Ridge Reserve, the artisan watches of Orlando Watch Company and the premium spirits from Edrington Group. The exclusive event was held in one of Christner’s private rooms, which allowed for a leisurely pace and lent an intimate feel to the evening.
Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster prepared a sumptuous four course meal to highlight the spirits we were sampling, menus at each place setting tempted us with the details of the meal to come. To start the evening, Marti and Dick Waters of Palm Ridge Reserve greeted guests individually and discussed the finer points of their craft whiskey, explaining the process and hands on time required for aging. Each five gallon barrel is hand rocked daily for up to seven months, to ensure the maximum exposure of the whiskey to the charred barrels.
Christner’s Watches & Whiskey Menu, Loop from Orlando Watches and Palm Reserve Whiskey.
The Palm Ridge Reserve recipe is made from corn, barley malt, regular malt and toasted flake rye. After the whiskey has aged, the resulting flavor is deep with Carmel notes and hints of vanilla. Our tasting pour was served neat and was equally delicious on the rocks, if that is your preference.
Up to seven months of aging in charred American oak barrels help provide the deep, rich color of Palm Ridge Reserve Whiskey.
Made in micro batches, this award winning whiskey was a fantastic way to start the evening and open our palate. Mr. Waters was very entertaining while taking questions from the group as we sampled.
Dick Waters of Palm Ridge Reserve and Alice Christner
After a brief introduction, Alice Christner warmly welcomed the group and toasted the evening. We were then introduced to Scott Heisler, the owner/watchmaker of Orlando Watch Company located on Park Avenue in Winter Park. Scott’s love of watches started prior to graduating from the Bulova School of Watchmaking, as his family was in the business. Now, twenty-six years later, he has a lauded career as a certified Rolex & Breitling trained technician and successful business owner.
Scott Heisler of Orlando Watch Company shows the internal watch spring of a Rolex.
Scott showed us rare and unusual timepieces from the inside out. His enthusiasm, knowledge and arsenal of cool gadgets had the room entranced. As we dined on our first course, Scott took us through recent world history rich with incredible timepieces.
Fresh Tomato, Onion and Blue Cheese Salad.
The first course of stuffed shrimp was delicious. The jumbo shrimp was butterflied and overflowing with blue crab stuffing, which pleased this former Marylander. The second course was a fresh tomato salad with sweet onions, blue cheese and house made Italian dressing. The tomato was served at its peak of ripeness, accented by the acidity of the onions and creaminess of the blue cheese crumbled over top. My dining companion and I discussed the pleasure of a perfectly ripe tomato- it was Indian summer on a plate.
Ahi Tuna, perfectly done.
The main course was a split plate of Filet and Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna. The sushi grade Ahi was perfectly seared and nicely accented with the toasted sesame seeds, ponzu sauce and a wasabi cream. The two sauces were nicely balanced and did not overwhelm the fresh flavor of the beautiful fish.
Filet Mignon Medallions with Peppercorn Béarnaise and Hollandaise Sauce.
The filet was served with a Peppercorn béarnaise and a Hollandaise sauce. Upon cutting into the medallions, the appropriate pink signaled the meat was cooked exactly to my specified medium rare. While knives were present, one was not needed to cut through the fork-tender medallions. Finishing out the entrée course was steamed asparagus and Christner’s famous Potatoes Au Gratin. A hush fell over the guests as we tucked into our wonderful meal. Paulina Vidal of the Edrington Group introduced herself and walked us through the characteristics of the Macallan Whiskey and Highland Park Whiskey, in both the 15 year and 18 year selections.
(Left) Macallan 15 year and 18 year alongside the (right) Highland Park 15 year and 18 year.
All samples were poured neat and after our initial taste Paulina encouraged us to add ice to our 15 year pours, to experience how they opened up. I was very surprised to taste more prominent vanilla with the Macallan and felt the Highland Park smoothed out more. Listening to the other guests compare and discuss, this seemed to be the universal consensus. The 18 year pours were something to behold, velvety smooth and beautifully balanced.
Having the opportunity to taste though these finely aged whiskeys side by side was a moment to savor, something that was not lost on any of the whiskey enthusiasts filling the room. Paulina relayed the finer points of the different barrels used as the dessert course was served.
Dessert of Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels Whiskey sauce.
The bread pudding was exactly the right note to end the lovely meal. The bread pudding had a caramelized exterior crust, which lent a nice crisp texture against the softer custard-like center. The buttery Jack Daniels sauce was not too sweet, with just enough whiskey essence to keep the dessert in check against our whiskey pours. I did not see a bite left on anyone’s plate at the finish of the meal. I’d recommend pairing something similar if you are enjoying a finger or two of Macallan or Highland Park at Christner’s or on your own at home. Paulina pulled out a few surprises from Edrington’s vast portfolio for the group to sample, which was another unexpected indulgence. At the close of the meal, Scott invited us up to his work bench to use the loop and tools we were given as a gift.
After dinner, Scott showed us various watches and mechanisms in various states of disrepair.
While I won’t be fixing valuable timepieces anytime soon, I certainly have an intense appreciation for the skill and craftsmanship involved in handling such intricate timepieces. Also gained, a deeper knowledge in tasting and dissecting flavor nuances in craft and luxury whiskeys.
Scott from Orlando Watch Company encouraged us to try our hand at watch repairs.
The dinner I attended started at the advertised time of 7:00 PM and lasted until after 9:30 PM. Guests were encouraged to chat and linger as long as they wished. The Cutting Board Series events are held quarterly at Christner’s Prime Steak and Lobster for intimate groups. Seating is limited, the evening is $110 per person (tax & gratuity included). Previous Cutting Board Series events have included “Meat and Greets”, with wine pairings. For more information on this interactive series, contact Christners@rockawaypr.com to be added to the Christner’s email list for special event notifications.
Christner’s Prime Steak and Lobster
729 Lee Rd
Orlando, FL 32810
(407) 645-4443
Disclosure: I was a guest in connection with the Cutting Board Series: Watches & Whiskey dinner. No other form of compensation was received and the opinions in this post are my own.
Cavallari Gourmet, Craft Beers While You Shop
October 2, 2013 | Posted in Around Town, Craft Beers | By Lisa Wilk
Craft beers are now offered at Cavallari Gourmet, enjoy while you shop or eat on-site
Cavallari Gourmet has been meeting the needs of foodies, grilling enthusiasts and craft beer fans on the East side of town since 2006. While they are located in Oviedo, I have plenty of friends that drive from all over the Orlando area to peruse their goods and meat cases. I discovered them when I moved closer to that side of town and I reviewed them, surprised at the jewel tucked into the Home Depot plaza at the corner of Aloma and Red Bug, right by the 417. I distinctly remember enjoying my chat with Joey Sberna, at the helm of the craft beer selections.
The current craft beer menu, valid through October 2013
Joey is still enthusiastically sourcing great craft beers for their shelves, the cold case and recently started offering craft beers on tap to enjoy in-store. Cheers to a festive beverage while you are shopping! The craft beer menus are by the catering counter and the front register, usually someone in the deli can quickly get their hands on a menu, too.
Our regular, in house roasted Angus beef subs, made to order.
Speaking of shopping, I popped in here for impromptu dinner dinner supplies this week. My family loves the in house roasted Angus Roast Beef, you can order it by the pound from the deli case or have a sub made. The Cavallari subs have seen us through home renovations, long days of yard work and a few moves. They are a crowd pleaser and most always receive the “Where did you get these?” question a few bites in. Cavallari’s has every type of topping imaginable, the bread is delicious and the staff is very nice about customizing a whole sub to half sub specifications. Pictured above is one whole sub for the hubby and one whole sub my folks were splitting.
The burgers are delicious. Cheddar, bacon & jalapeno and Bleu Cheese & bacon are regulars for our house.
The next time you fire up the grill, consider swinging by here. The weekends are packed with football tailgaters, weekend grill warriors and the like. Hand cut steaks are popular and so are the many flavors of gourmet burgers. (This would be one of those items people are traveling from all points of Central Florida to get on their grills.) The burgers cook up tender, juicy and are very flavorful.
Oh Jalapeno cheddar twice baked potato, how we love you.
And I cannot walk out of the store without one, two or more of these awesome twice baked potatoes. Cheesy, spicy and delicious! We’ve enjoyed a lot of selections from the grab & go cases over the years. The lasagna, eggplant rolatini, quiches, soups, salads, dips, appetizers are always great and enjoyed by my family. A nice treat and a great option from a fast food meal, as all items are made in Cavallari’s onsite catering kitchen with quality and fresh ingredients. Oh, did I mention that you now can enjoy craft beers while you shop at Cavallari Gourmet?
Cavallari Gourmet
1954 W. S.R. 426
Oviedo, FL 32765
407-365-8000
Hours
Monday- Saturday, 10 am-7pm
Sunday, 11am-6pm
Check the website for extended holiday hours, special events, wine tastings and ordering deadlines for turkeys, roasts and holiday sides.
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The Sugar Suite -Storefront Soft Opening Fills Bakery Case With Cupcakes And Treats
October 1, 2013 | Posted in Around Town | By Lisa Wilk
The Sugar Suite has been a destination bakery for brides and event planners for the past several years. The cakes that come out of the petite bakery are breathtaking to behold, even better- they taste as good as they look. For holidays, local charity events and culinary competitions, owner Jennyfer Mancino would bake sweet cupcakes in her signature Snap Cup. The popularity of the tasty treats has created the demand for regular store hours and if you’ve been following on the Sugar Suite Facebook page or their blog, you’ve been counting the days down till the bakery case was filled and the open sign was up.
Jennyfer Mancino greets the day with a smile!
True to their word, they were up and at ’em early and also kind enough to let me scoot in to get some photos and make my purchases. Jennyfer explained her reasoning behind the soft opening was to ensure her product remains top quality in taste and presentation. In tasting the baked goods today, I’m happy to report the flavorful cupcakes and treats are as delicious as always.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes made with real pumpkin. Love!
As if baking for the retail cases and weddings wasn’t enough, Jennyfer and crew are also busy preparing for this Saturday’s Festival of Bacon, where their Maple Bacon Whoopie Pies will be featured. In the shop today was their Maple Bacon cupcake front and center, if you’d like a preview of the yumminess to come. They are something to behold! (Think pancakes and bacon, only so much better!)
Maple Bacon Cupcakes- Also available as a Whoopie Pie! Visit them at this Saturday’s Festival Of Bacon!
The Sugar Suite cupcake menu is updated daily here. As always, if you are looking for larger quantities or a custom flavor, place your order in advance.
The Shop menu board is updated daily with the featured flavors and treats. The current list is also available online.
Speaking of the future, here is a drool-worthy preview of one of their decadent minis.
Mini Sweet Potato Pies should be on everyone’s holiday shopping list! The spiced meringue and glazed pecan takes a Thanksgiving standard to a gourmet level.
Throughout the holiday season, The Sugar Suite will be meeting your holiday entertaining needs by stocking the cases with mini cupcakes and various mini desserts. Pre orders can be made in advance if you have specific items you would like to request, or pop by the shop to make a platter of your favorites that are on hand. Check back here for more information and pictures.
The Sugar Suite
1630 South Orlando Ave
Maitland, FL 32751
(321) 972-8650
Preorders and Customization inquiries: hello@thesugarsuite.com
Store Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday 9:00am – 3:00pm
Closed Sunday
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Spiced Pumpkin (Faux) Ice Cream
September 30, 2013 | Posted in Cooking | By Lisa Wilk
I enjoyed a night with friends recently where the hostess whipped up several ice creams without an ice cream maker. I’ve tasted faux ice cream before, but this was the closest in taste and texture to ice cream out of an ice cream machine. Here is the base recipe:
“2 Ingredient Ice Cream”
Ingredients
16 oz. Cool Whip Lite *OR*
2 cups heavy whipping cream (Whipped to stiff peaks)
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
Fold the sweetened condensed milk into the Cool Whip, until combined.
Pour in a freezer safe container, cover, and freeze for at least 4-6 hours or overnight.
Serves 8
My friend made several flavors, some made with lite cool whip and some made with whipped cream. Both had a creamy consistency, the cool whip version was great on its own. When compared side by side, the heavy whipped cream base tasted more like real ice cream…but now was not a “light” treat.
I decided to try a hybrid and went a different direction with flavor by making spiced pumpkin. To offset some of the added fat of the heavy cream, I used fat free sweetened condensed milk. Knowing the pumpkin would have a bit of pulpy texture, I cooked it with some of the sweetened condensed milk to ensure I had a smooth ice cream base. Here is what I did:
Creamy, pumpkin ice cream made without my ice cream maker. Cooking the pumpkin ensures a smooth & velvety ice cream.
Spiced Pumpkin (Faux) Ice Cream
No ice cream machine needed!
Ingredients
8 oz. Cool Whip Lite *AND*
1 cup heavy whipping cream (whipped to stiff peaks)
14 oz Fat Free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 of a 15oz can of solid pack pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 tsp Saigon cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1-2 tsps Pumpkin Pie spice, to taste
Instructions
Place pumpkin and spices in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring to incorporate. Add half the can of sweetened condensed milk and heat through, whisking until completely smooth. Remove the pan from heat, add remaining sweetened condensed milk and whisk together until thoroughly incorporated. Mixture should be cool enough to transfer to an airtight container, then chill for 1 hour (or so) in the refrigerator until cool.
1 hour (or so) later- it’s time to make ice cream! Whip 1 cup heavy cream into stiff peaks. Fold in lite cool whip, then the chilled pumpkin mixture. Place ice cream base in an airtight container in the freezer. 4-6 hours later you have delicious pumpkin ice cream.
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Perfect TGIF: The Inaugural Jake’s Beer Festival Brings Craft Beers To The Loews Royal Pacific Resort
September 29, 2013 | Posted in Craft Beers | By Lisa Wilk
90 craft beers from across the nation, including popular Florida craft beers.
Jake’s American Bar at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort is expanding their popular Jake’s Beer Dinner to a large scale craft beer festival. The Inaugural Jake’s Beer Festival will be held this Friday, October 4th from 5pm-9pm in the outdoor pavilion at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 at the door and advance tickets can be purchased online here. A full list of the craft beers being poured can be found here.
Expect an Oktoberfest theme in the over 90 craft beers along with the tasty food pairing stations. We’ve reviewed the menus and are expecting some plentiful and tasty food.
Chicken and waffles, along with many Oktoberfest food options. Photo courtesy of Jake’s American Bar.
Food Menu
Are you a #ladyCrafter in Central Florida? You are not alone! Details on a special offer below.
Follow what I’m drinking at Untappd and if you are so inclined, head to Facebook to check out the Orlando Lady Crafters Jake’s Beer Festival event for a special offer on advanced ticket purchases. Let us know what your enjoying with #JakesBeerFestival on Twitter and Facebook. Cheers!
Blue Bird Bake Shop Delights With Pumpkin
September 27, 2013 | Posted in Around Town | By Lisa Wilk
Blue Bird Bake Shop’s welcome sign tells of pumpkin delights!
I’ve been taunted by the tweets and the beauty shots for a few days now….it was time for me to pop by Blue Bird Bake Shop and check out this years pumpkin offerings. I ordered a Medium Pumpkin Spice Latte and perused the cases. The Latte was delicious, not too sweet and a good showing of pumpkin spicy goodness. Fall in a coffee cup!
Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, offer a moist pumpkin cake spiked with zesty cinnamon and cloves.
Is it bad that I left with every pumpkin baked good AND a Pumpkin Spice Latte? Nope! I was happy to discover that each pumpkin treat had it’s own character, texture and prominent flavors.
Pumpkin cupcakes are more pumpkin forward, with more subtle spices than the Whoopie Pies. The classic Cream Cheese frosting is just the right proportion.
The morning palate will appreciate the milder flavors in the Pumpkin Nut Muffin and the Pumpkin Scone with spiced glaze. I’m a fan of the Blue Bird Scones which have a nice crumb, are appropriately dense- but still moist. I grew up eating scones and I fully appreciate the perfectly worked dough.
Pumpkin muffin and Pumpkin Scone – the scone was primarily pumpkin, with a spiced glaze.
The Pumpkin Nut Muffin was moist, pumpkiny & not terribly sweet- the touch of crunchy sugar sprinkled on top is a nice contrast in texture and sweetness.
Pumpkin nut muffin had a nice rounded flavor, perfect for a cup of coffee or tea. Lighter on spices.
For the true pumpkin junkie, the Pumpkin Whoopie Pie is something to behold. Twice the cake to Cream Cheese frosting, they are a special treat. I’m hoping that Blue Bird Bake Shop keeps these beauties around through the full harvest season.
Perfect for those who enjoy a spiced pumpkin cake with a smaller amount of cream cheese frosting. So.Good.
I’m still such a fan of Blue Bird’s Pumpkin Cupcakes that I shall love both the Whoopie Pies and the cupcakes equally. The Pumpkin goodies are available for a limited time, enjoy!
Blue Bird Bake Shop
3122 Corrine Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-3822
Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
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Sunday Bloody Sunday: Bloody Mary Bar At Marlow’s Tavern Brunch
September 25, 2013 | Posted in Brunch, Dining out | By Lisa Wilk
I’m a fan of Brunch. I’m not a breakfast person during the week, so eating breakfast foods during the lunch hour on the weekends is pretty swell. Add a mimosa or Bloody Mary and I’m in the zone. Marlow’s Tavern in Winter Park has added a full à la carte brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday. My first visit was very enjoyable and the food was great.
The extensive Bloody Mary bar at Marlow’s Tavern, so many choices.
During brunch hours on Sunday, the Bloody Mary bar takes over the enclosed patio bar area. There was every component imaginable to make a delicious Bloody Mary from scratch or somewhat scratch.
The helpful staff guides you through the process table-side, but the signage is helpful!
After choosing your vodka and rim seasoning, start with a base of plain tomato juice, V8 or one of several premade Bloody Mary mixers. From there, add some savory spice with garlic powder, celery salt, onion powder, crushed red pepper and more.
Pipettes of Worcestershire sauce allow the addition of your perfect amount of savory goodness.
Pipettes of Worcestershire sauce, bottles of hot sauce and fresh horseradish finish the makings for the perfect Bloody. Then it’s on to the garnish section! So many fresh and pickled veggies to skewer and finally, several types of regular and stuffed olives.
Old Bay rim, my from scratch family recipe Bloody Mary with lots of horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and a garden of veggies to garnish. Blue cheese stuffed olives were great!
The perfect Bloody Mary? Yep. The Bloody Mary fixins bar is available for $2.00, in addition to the price of the vodka. My friend and I enjoyed the house vodka, for $6.95 (+ $2.00) which was a generous pour of Smirnoff. Premium and ultra premium brands are also available. On my visit I was informed that the Bloody Mary Bar will soon include premium garnish items like bacon and cocktail shrimp. Thinking I may need a small plate for my next trip through the Marlow’s Tavern Bloody Mary fixins bar.
1008 S. Orlando Avenue (17-92)
Winter Park, FL 32789
Hours of Operation
Sun -Thu: 11:30am – 11pm
Fri – Sat: 11:30am – 12am
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