Hey there Florida Foodie friends,
It’s your good friend and unlicensed veterinarian Thomas Mates.
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Hope you all are doing well. I have been super busy myself. I’ve been out on location for Florida Foodie shoots and I had to pull a weekend shift. I’m not complaining. I genuinely like my job and I am happy to bring you all the news and information you need every day.
That being said, even the best job is still a job and I am tired.
Fortunately for me, I am getting a few days off.
Now you may be saying to yourself, “Didn’t he just get back from vacation?”
Well, you are correct, but this time it wasn’t entirely my idea. A good friend of mine is getting married. I am sorry that the celebration of his love is an inconvenience for all of you. I’ll be sure to scold him on your behalf.
In any case, the wedding will take me out of the mix for a few days. That means there will not be a new episode of Florida Foodie next week or a newsletter, but you can always head to the Florida Foodie page on ClickOrlando.com to get your foodie fix.
OK, let’s dive into what we’ve got going on this week!
Food and Family🚚
Vinnie Nguyen and his wife, Phi Phi Lam, started their food truck, Pho Wheels, so that they could have more time to spend with their children.
Nguyen worked in restaurants for years but took some time off to be a stay-at-home dad. When he went to rejoin the workforce, he decided the long hours of being a restaurant chef would no longer work for his family. So, he and his wife started their truck so that they could set their own schedules.
Nguyen and Lam had a great conversation with Candace Campos and Lisa Bell where they talked all about what it is like working together. The pair also showed off their food and the inside of the truck.
Check out the full conversation on the latest episode of Florida Foodie.
>You can watch the episode here<
And you can also find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube, as well.
Small Bites🥠
Beer boom🍺: Crooked Can Brewing Company has been transformative for Winter Garden and now it’s looking to do it again in another Central Florida community. Crooked Can Brewing Company is planning to open a 40,000-square-foot destination brewery. Learn all about it here.
Terrifying Treats🎃: Baking adds something special to any holiday, including Halloween. Here’s a list of 33 spooky, sweet recipes for you to try out, but you’ll have to be a News 6 Insider to check it. After you sign up, you can also enter to win tickets to Halloween Horror Nights.
New spots to dine🍽️: If you ever have family coming into town, you know it can be tough to entertain them. Well, there are three new restaurants that are getting ready to open up in the heart of Central Florida’s tourism district. It’s one-stop shopping for entertainment. Click here to learn about the new dining spots.
Something to try at home 🍽️
OK, I am going to dip back into the archives for this week.
I am going to give you a recipe with only three ingredients, corn tortillas. Sure, you can buy them pretty much anywhere but it will elevate any taco to make your own tortillas. You will need one special piece of equipment, a tortilla press. You can probably get away with using a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan, but the press will get it perfectly flat and round.
Ingredients:
- 240 grams (about 2 cups) masa harina (which is a cooked corn flour easily found at Publix).
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups of hot water (hot, not boiling)
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step 1: Add your masa harina and salt to a bowl and mix them to combine.
Step 2: Slowly pour in your water, you may not use all of it, and mix your masa harina mixture with your hand. It should quickly start to clump together. You want it to have the consistency of playdough. It should hold together into a tight ball without cracking around the edges. Cover the bowl with a rag and let it rest for a few minutes.
Step 3: Cut your dough into 6-8 equal pieces, about 60-70 grams a piece. Then roll each piece into a ball.
Step 4: Line the bottom of your tortilla press with parchment paper. Then, place a ball of dough on that and cover it with another piece of parchment before you flatten it. Repeat until all of your tortillas are pressed.
Step 5: Get a pan, preferably cast iron or carbon steel, ripping hot over medium-high heat. Then, one at a time, place your tortillas in the pan without any oil and cook each side for about 30 seconds to a minute. You should see some light charring on the tortilla. Then just keep them warm until you are ready to use them or you can keep them in the fridge for at least a couple of days, just be sure to reheat them before using them.
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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