Hey there, Florida Foodie friends,
It’s your good buddy and tyrannical dictator, Thomas Mates.
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I have a couple of things to share real quick.
First, I got an invite to the soft opening of Zymarium Meadery in Orlando. It was awesome. The decor is great and the mead is delicious. I highly recommend you check it out when they open to the public later this month. You can find all the details here.
That same night, I had an odd experience while dining with my stupendous spouse.
We went to an Italian restaurant for dinner, Tornatore’s. This is in no way a knock on that restaurant. The staff was great and the food is delicious.
Some of the customers on the other hand, could use a little reminder on how to mind their manners.
There was a group of about a dozen people. They were eating and laughing and appeared to be having a great time. All of that is fine. They were a little on the loud side, but I didn’t even have a problem with that.
My issue was when our food arrived, a large chunk of the group came over to gawk at our meal. They were commenting on it and sniffing it and it was all a bit much. I don’t need people hovering over my meal before I get a chance to eat it.
It was also just the approach. They were being rather, let’s call it festive before we arrived. If they had just stayed at their seats and said, “That looks good,” then I have no issue, but stay away from my food.
It was just odd. Again, cannot say enough nice things about the restaurant and the staff.
OK, my rant is done. Let’s get into it.
Southern Charm🍰
Chef Art Smith is a seventh-generation Floridian. He grew up in a rural community but has since become a world-renowned chef.
Smith is also a great storyteller. He has a million anecdotes from his career. He has served governors, presidents, celebrities and royalty. He also has no problem name-dropping.
Smith had a fun, lively conversation with Lisa Bell and Candace Campos on the latest Florida Foodie.
> You can listen to the episode here <
And you can also find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube, as well.
Small bites🍝
The bagel boom continues🥯: Jeff’s Bagel Run is continuing its aggressive expansion. The company just announced another store opening up, this time in Oviedo. Here are all the details of where the shop will be.
Keep cool🍦: It has been so very, very hot here in Central Florida recently. Ice cream is my go-to frozen treat when the mercury is running high. Here is a list of the highest-rated ice cream shops in Orlando, but you will need to be a News 6 Insider to check it out. Becoming an Insider is free and right now, Insiders can enter to win tickets to see Beyonce in Tampa.
Saying goodbye👋: A staple restaurant in Winter Park has closed up shop after decades in business. The owner decided it was time for her to retire. You check out the last day for Linda’s Winter Park Diner right here.
Terrifying treats 👻: Universal is gearing up for its annual Halloween Horror Nights event. The theme park will also be rolling out some tasty treats for the terrifying event. Check out the offerings here.
Something to try at home 🍽️
Let’s make something sweet this week.
My lovely wife recently made this recipe from Turkey and the Wolf. We are making pistachio pudding cookies with chocolate chips.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of unsalted butter at room temp
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3.4 ounces of pistachio pudding mix (1 pkg)
- 2 large eggs at room temp
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup chopped pistachios
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda and salt. Set mixture aside.
Step 2: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat your butter until smooth. Then add your sugars and beat on medium speed until the mixture is creamed. Then add your pudding mix, eggs and vanilla extract and beat until thoroughly combined.
Step 3: Add all your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and stir together until thoroughly combined. Cover your mixture and let it chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This will help prevent spreading in the oven. While your mix is chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Step 4: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your cookies, about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough, in rows on the baking sheet. Be careful not to crowd them.
Step 5: Bake your cookies in batches for about 12 to 13 minutes or until the cookies are brown on the edges and gooey in the center.
These are great chocolate chip cookies with a little extra crunch and a bite of salt. I really enjoyed them. A small tip to help keep them from going stale: when you place them in Tupperware or a cookie jar or whatever, include a piece of bread. The bread will help retain moisture in the container and prevent the cookies from drying out. It works for me every time.
That’s it for today.
Please, send me your recipes so I can share them with everyone. My email is tmates@wkmg.com.
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