Hey there Florida Foodie friends,
It’s Thomas Mates, the lovable rascal with a heart of gold, back to claim squatter’s rights in your inbox.
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It feels like were just here a minute ago, but it has been two weeks. Wild stuff.
Anywho, I am happy to report that I have been able to get out and about, enjoying several of the fine eating establishments that dot the landscape in Central Florida.
Of course, I made all of these trips with my faithful companion who also happens to be my loving wife.
Let’s see, where have we dined recently?
First, we made a trip to Quesa Loco, which is always a great spot. I had the birria tacos while she had the chicken quesadilla. We both got a margarita, which are great but enormous. We probably should have split one.
We also made a trip to the College Park location of Pizza Bruno. We got the Tight Socks pizza, the fried garlic knots (which are a religious experience) and the hot honey and chili crisp wings.
Lastly, we made a stop at Pho Hoa for pho and summer rolls.
Everything was great and I would recommend any of those spots. I’ve posted some pictures of our eating adventures on PinIt! Share your pictures there too and they will show up in an upcoming newsletter.
OK, enough about me. Let’s get into the meat of this newsletter.
Growing and evolving 🥪
Swine & Sons has gone through a lot of changes in its short life. It started as a provisions shop, selling pickles and sauces along with grab-and-go sandwiches, but had to quickly pivot to become more of a deli counter. Then it moved just before the pandemic hit, switching to burgers and chicken sandwiches. Now, it has found a new home with a focus on Southern-inspired sandwiches and burgers.
The restaurant’s owner, Lexi Gawlak, has also gone through several changes over her career. She stared in fast food at Einstein Bros. Bagels. She ended up in fining dining restaurants in Orlando and New York. Eventually, she began running Swine & Sons before buying it from the previous owners and building it into the award-winning establishment it is today.
Gawlak joined Lisa Bell and me on the latest episode of Florida Foodie. We had a really great conversation and I highly encourage you all to check it out.
> You can listen to the episode here <
And you can also find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube as well.
Small bites 🌮
International Sushi Day🍣: I had no idea there was such a day as International Sushi Day, but perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. In any case, it sounds like a wonderful day to indulge in one of my favorite foods. We have a county-by-county breakdown of some of the finer establishments for raw fish. You can find it here.
Eating on the cheap🥂: Bite30 is back. If you’ve not experienced it before, Bite30 allows you to enjoy a 3-course meal for $35 per person at participating restaurants. It’s all on a special prix fixe menu and there are more than 30 restaurants taking part this year. The event runs now until July 9. Find all the details here.
Best spot to sip some suds🍻: Orlando has some mighty fine water holes to enjoy. We’ve got a list of some of the highest-rated in the area. You can find it here, but you’ll need to be an Insider to check it out. It’s totally free to sign up and it gives you access to more great content and contests.
Something to try at home 🍽️
I don’t know if you all have noticed but it is really hot out there. And when it is piping hot outside, nothing cools you down quite like a bowl of stew!
I’m partially joking. This is a recipe for a stew, but you may want to wait until it cools down a bit — or don’t. You do you.
In any case, I recently made a batch of chicken and dumplings and it was delicious. So, decided to share the recipe with all of you. This recipe comes from Farideh Sadeghin, formerly of Munchies.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ribs celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- ¼ all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
For the dumplings:
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Step 1: Season your chicken generously with salt on both sides. In a stock pot set over medium-high heat, coat the bottom with vegetable oil. Once the oil starts to smoke, add you chicken and brown it on both sides. Once your chicken is brown on both sides, add your chicken stock and reduce to a simmer. Allow the chicken to cook for 20-30 minutes or until it is falling off the bone.
Step 2: Remove the chicken and allow it to cool. Pour the stock into a bowl and set it aside.
Step 3: Place your stock pot back over medium heat and add a tablespoon of butter to the pan. Once the butter starts to froth, add your vegetables. Generously season them with salt and pepper and allow the vegetables to soften. You can now shred your chicken and discard the bones.
Step 4: If you find that your pan appears dry, add some more butter. Then add your flour and stir it into the vegetable mixture. Cook until the raw flour smell disappears and then your cream. Cook until a thick gravy forms in the pan, then add your chicken stock and chicken back into the pot. Reduce to a simmer.
Step 5: Now, start on your dumplings. First, mix all of your dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, mix all your wet ingredients. Slowly add your wet mixture to your dry mixture, gently folding the two together. Do not overwork the dough or your dumplings will get tough. You should be left with a very wet, sticky dough.
Step 6: Slowly drop a tablespoon’s worth of dough into your pot to prevent splashing. Repeat until all of the dough is gone. Cover your pot and let cook for 20 minutes or until your dumplings are cooked through.
You can serve this on its own or with a biscuit to help sop up some of the thick, savory broth. You could also sub in veggie stock and ditch the chicken for a vegetarian version of this dish.
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.