Howdy Florida Foodie friends,
It’s me, Thomas Mates, taking over your inbox once again.
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Check out that picture up there. Doesn’t that look delicious? That is a photo from a recent 407 Food Fair posted to PinIt!
That picture was shared by my News 6 colleague Brenda Argueta, who also writes the Central Florida Happenings newsletter. Be sure to sign up to make sure you never miss out on any of the fun events coming to our area.
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With the shameless plugs out of the way, let’s move on.
We are heading into grilling season. I don’t know about all of you, but my neighborhood is constantly perfumed with the sweet smell of smoky meats.
I love it.
I have a classic Weber kettle grill. It is great, though it can be a bit of a pain to break out the charcoal every time I want to cook up some burgers or something else. I need more excuses get it fired up.
Maybe I’ll attempt a brisket this year. I know that is an all-day event. Let me know if you have any tips.
Coming up in the recipe section, I’ll have my own suggestion for improving your next cookout.
OK, let’s get into it.
A lesson in chocolate🍫
Chef Josh Cain is really passionate about chocolate.
He knows a ton about the science behind chocolate, where it comes from and how it is grown and harvested. He is looking to share all that information with the guests at Caribe Royale, the resort where he serves as executive pastry chef. He is expanding the resort’s chocolate operations to include space for classes for guests to learn and create.
Cain had a really in-depth conversation about chocolate with Candace Campos and Lisa Bell on the latest episode of Florida Foodie.
> You can listen to the episode here <
Small bites 🍧
Cinco De Mayo opening🍸: A new, Mexican-inspired restaurant is set to open its doors on Cinco De Mayo in Orange County’s tourism district. Here’s a look at all the details.
Sushi on the move🍣: I love conveyor-belt sushi restaurants. I find it to be an incredibly fun and playful dining experience. Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is getting ready to open a second Central Florida location. Read all about it here.
Best of the best🌮: Who doesn’t love tacos? Monsters, that’s who. If you are looking for a great taco, we have a list of the best spots around Orlando. Check it out here.
Big merger🥩: The Ruth’s Chris Steak House chain is being acquired by Darden Restaurants for about $715 million. And you thought a steak dinner was expensive? Learn all about the merger here.
Something to try at home 🍽️
As promised, today’s recipe is guaranteed to improve your next cookout. I recommend making your own burger buns. I know, it can be a little time consuming, but it will improve the taste of your burger immeasurably.
This easy recipe comes from Josh Weisman.
Ingredients:
- 2.5 teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup milk
- 3.5 cups bread flour
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- eggwash (a mixture of one egg and a tablespoon of water)
Step 1: Warm your milk to just above room temperature in the microwave. Then add your yeast to the milk and stir until dissolved.
Step 2: In a stand mixer (though you can also do this by hand or in a food processor) whisk together your bread flour, sugar and salt. Add your dough hook attachment (if using a stand mixer) and start mixing. Add in your vegetable oil, followed by your milk and yeast mixture and, lastly, your egg yolk and whole egg. Let mix until smooth.
Step 3: Roll your dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and let rise for one hour.
Step 4: Punch the air out of your dough. Divide your dough into six even pieces and roll each piece into a tight ball.
Step 5: Place your dough balls onto a baking sheet, cover and let it proof for another 30 minutes.
Step 6: Give them a light brushing of eggwash and place them in a 375-degree oven for 15 minutes. Once you remove them from the oven, immediately brush them with melted butter and optionally, you can add a sprinkle of salt over the top.
These will taste 100 times better than anything you buy at the grocery store. They are not difficult to make and well worth the effort.
That’s it for today.
Please, send me your recipes so I can share them with everyone. My email is tmates@wkmg.com.
Don’t forget to send in your foodie pictures as well through our PinIt! program.
Also, please take the time to rate and review the Florida Foodie podcast.