Tasty Chomps' Orlando

• Second Harvest Hosts Chef’s Night Featuring the Chefs of LongHorn Steakhouse
• Taste of College Park 2016
• Inside Look at Hard Rock Catering
• Add a little Sprinkles into your day – Disney Springs’ Sprinkles Cupcake ATM
• Celiac Awareness Month at The Melting Pot
• Capa at The Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Second Harvest Hosts Chef’s Night Featuring the Chefs of LongHorn Steakhouse

Second Harvest Hosts Chef’s Night Featuring the Chefs of LongHorn Steakhouse 

“Year of the Steak” Series to Benefit Second Harvest’s Culinary Training Program

WHAT: As part of its commitment to the community, Executive Chefs Jens Dahlmann, Michael Senich and Josh Evans of Orlando-based LongHorn Steakhouse will prepare a special dinner for Second Harvest’s “Year of the Steak” Chef’s Night series.

Chef’s Night brings Central Florida’s top chefs into Second Harvest’s Community Kitchen to celebrate delicious food and raise funds for a good cause. This year’s series, named “Year of the Steak,” features local chefs and restaurants that have a “steak” in our community.

Guests will enjoy a four-course dinner beginning with a cocktail reception. The event will celebrate steak and the start of summer grilling season, and will also feature several chance drawings and prizes for winners.

All proceeds benefit Second Harvest’s Culinary Training Program, which provides students with the skills and inspiration they need to obtain an entry-level position in a food service establishment.

MENU:

Passed Hors d’oeuvres: Chilled Wild West Gulf Shrimp and Montamore Stuffed Ribeye Meatball

First Course: Grilled Diver Scallop with Braised Pork Belly, Sweet Onion Jam and Preserved Mango

Salad: Heirloom Watermelon with Pickled Red Onions, BW Farms Arugula, Shaved Ricotta Salata, Orange Blossom Honey and White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Entrée: Slow Roasted Wagyu Zabuton Steak finished with Pan Jus, Loaded Potato Gratin and Brown Butter Poached Carrots

Dessert: Campfire “Chocolate Stampede”

WHEN: Thursday, June 23
6 p.m.

WHERE: Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
411 Mercy Drive
Orlando, Fla. 32805

COST: $100 per person

TO
REGISTER: Purchase tickets at www.FeedHopeNow.org or call 407-514-1048 for more information.
____________

About Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
SHFBCF is a member of Feeding America – the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. SHFBCF secures and distributes food and grocery products to approximately 550 local nonprofit feeding programs throughout Central Florida. Last year, with the help of food and financial donors, volunteers and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributed 43 million meals to partner programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, senior centers, day care centers and Kids Cafes. In addition, Second Harvest’s 14-week culinary program teaches foodservice-based technical, life and employability skills to economically hard-pressed adults. Our community turns to Second Harvest’s partner agencies more than 71,000 times per week. To learn more about SHFBCF, visit www.FeedHopeNow.org.

Taste of College Park 2016

Every spring, the Rotary Club of College Park hosts the Taste of College Park Food & Wine Festival. The festival takes place at the Historic Dubsdread Ballroom. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday, April 21, 2016.

The Taste of College Park combines food, wine, music, and silent & live auctions for an extraordinary evening in College Park. Nearly a dozen local restaurants and distributors provide the food and wine; local retailers supply items for the silent and live auction. College Park businesses and Rotary Club members sell nearly 500 tickets.

The event was intimate and lively as it was held in a quaint ballroom that then opens up to an outside gathering.

You’re able to experience the quaint and rustic ballroom

as well as the open outside in the patio.

Although I suggest you come early to get a taste of everything because it can get crowded quite fast.

The event allows you to indulge in as many servings of your favorite dish crafted by the participating restaurants as you can handle… as well as wine and beverages.

The Outpost: Root chips

The Outpost: Pulled pork on polenta and mango salsa 

Infusion Tea: Vegetarian options- Fried eggplant, Spring rolls, avocado on toast.

Rusteak set up 

Rusteak: Blueberry Gin Sling 

Rusteak: “The Port” Shrimp salad

North Quarter Tavern

North Quarter Tavern Deli slices sandwich Citrus 

Citrus: Rock Shrimp Sandwich 

K Restaurant: Gazpacho 

Cookie Cousins: Sugar cookies

All in all I do recommend Taste of College Park Food and Wine festival for those enjoy an intimate setting and not have to wander too far to get a taste of each venue!

And congratulations to the title winners of the night. See you next year!

Inside Look at Hard Rock Catering

Hard Rock Cafe known as one of the premiere food and entertainment venues at Universal CityWalk, has recently revamped their special events catering service. Hard Rock Catering keeps their rock ‘n’ roll theme and it shows in their cuisine. Keeping up with the ever evolving tastes of the American palate, showcasing Korean inspired dishes as well American classic fare. their made in house specialty cupcakes were a nice finishing touch to the menu.

Spanish inspired paella with chorizo sausage and shrimp.

Beef Tenderloin with crab and Bearnaise sauce

Peanut Butter and Amaretto Cake

Death by Chocolate

Havana Banana Cream with Grand Marnier

Add a little Sprinkles into your day – Disney Springs’ Sprinkles Cupcake ATM

Disney Springs recently had a nice addition to their family.

Sprinkles is the world’s first cupcake bakery by Food Network and their location at Disney Springs is the 20th location for the brand nationwide as well as the 12th Cupcake ATM nationwide that will dispense fresh cupcakes straight to customers.

At Sprinkles, they offer freshly baked cupcakes and an assortment of ice cream and cookies. Not to mention, vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free cupcakes, cookies and ice cream are also available daily.

Combinations can be made like this cookie ice cream sandwich. You can decide on what cookies and ice cream you’ll be served. Not a fan of cookies? How about a fudge brownie ice cream sandwich? The fudge brownie alone is moist, airy, thick, and sweet enough to give you cavities on impact.

If you can’t decide between having ice cream or a cupcake, you can combine those too. Here’s a delicious Sprinkles cupcake with a scoop of red velvet ice cream in the middle.

At Sprinkles, they have bits and pieces of the red velvet cake in their red velvet ice cream. I don’t think you can imagine how delightfully surprised I was when I discovered this fact. It adds a nice dense texture to the ice cream that I truly enjoyed.

A variety of seasonal flavors will be available at various times throughout the year. They deliver within a 100 mile radius for online and phone orders – this could be great and horrible news for us all.

When Sprinkles has extra food items at the end of the day, they donate to a nonprofit organization called A Grateful Mind that works to feed the homeless in Central Florida and provide programs for the area’s youth. How can you not support a good cause?

Feel free to join their perks program for benefits and rewards at Sprinkles Perks.

Bakery days and hours: Monday-Sunday 10am-midnight

ATM days and hours: Monday-Sunday 8am-2am

More information can be found at Sprinkles at Disney Springs.

Celiac Awareness Month at The Melting Pot

What is Celiac Disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, or barley) leads to damage in the small intestine.  It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.

The Melting Pot Orlando offers a variety of options ranging from drinks, entrees, and dessert that does not contain gluten.

The Menu and environment can seem a little intimidating for those who have never been but with the patience of the staff I was able to get a hang of the dining experience.

Step. 1 (optional) Pick a gluten free drink!

I had a Berry Mojito while my guest has the Sunrise Sangria. 

Step 2. Choose your Cheese

We had to agree on 1 cheese choice and we went with the “Fresh! Spinach Artichoke”
Which includes Fontina and Butterkäse cheeses, fresh spinach, artichoke hearts and garlic.

The ingredients are mixed into vegetable broth.
With the cheese being the last ingredient

Stir continuously until it becomes a gooey consistency

We then enjoy it with some gluten free bread, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, and granny smith apples that’s surprisingly quite delicious.

Step. 3 Choose your meat options
I went with the Surf & Turf while my guest went with the Classic which offers a variety of proteins (shrimp, chicken, pork, and beef).

The meat comes raw so that you can enjoy the cooking at the table experience.We also had to decide on a broth for the cooking style and we agreed on the “Mojo” a Caribbean-seasoned bouillon with a distinctive fresh-garlic flavor and a citrus flair.

Step 4. Choose your Chocolate Fondue

Again, we had to agree on one option and that is “The Flaming Turtle” it’s an irresistible combination of milk chocolate, caramel and candied pecans flambéed tableside.

We had a selection of sweets to go with the chocolate dipping including: Strawberries, gluten free brownies, Marshmallows, bananas etc..

My guest and I definitely enjoyed our experience at the Melting Pot! It’s such a fun and interactive way to dine (especially on dates). I would say to be patient with your server since each table requires so much attention and steps to ensure the safety and the enjoyment of the guests.

The Melting Pot

Capa at The Four Seasons Resort Orlando

I had the pleasure of dining at Capa, a restaurant sitting on the top floor of one of of Florida’s most beautiful resort The four Seasons. We started off in the lounge area with a very hip and modern décor. The open windows allowed in plenty of light to set the lively ambiance.

We then were introduced to some cocktails first the Vodka and Tonic:

Naranja GinTonic (17)
Tanqueray No. 10 | Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Orange, Juniper, Sage, Thyme

As well as a Gin and Tonic.

Capa GinTonic (17)
Caorunn Gin | Fever Tree Mediterranean Gala Apple, Juniper, Key Lime, Fennel

Both drinks were delicately prepared so that the aromatics were a central part of the experience.

The hordeurves started off with Artic char. They were addicting little bites that would burst with flavors of apples, buttermilk, and roe on top of a rye crisp.

We then had Datiles made with medjool dates, almond, bacon, maple, and tamarind. A harmonious combination between salty and sweet. I would let these cool a little since it proved to be difficult to conquer in one bite without scorching your mouth.

Moving onto the Pan Con Tomate Y Bellota. A finely sliced of cured ham with bread and tomatoes. Simple and focused on Bellota as the center piece.

The Albondigas: Duck meatballs, lentils, escebeche, carrots. The duck was nice and tender without the gaminess, an overall very comforting dish.

 The entree arrived and it was glorious. The Bone In Ribeye from Arkansas City, KS was grilled to a beautiful medium rare with the melt in your mouth fatty goodness. Honestly, my favorite part of the dinner – I went back to gnaw on the bone.

Everyone had to take a snap of it!

The photo snapping continued with the Pork Chop from Portland, OR. Charred and sweetened with kumquats.

Photo by Kristine Young

We ended dinner with a rather simple dessert. 

Churros with caramel and chocolate sauce dipping.

I really enjoyed my experience at Capa. The venue and atmosphere was very lively and inviting that’s quite perfect for a date night or even a girls night out. I’m excited with the new seasonal changes to the menu bringing in vibrant flavors and twists to the luxurious Four Seasons of Orlando.

Cheers to great food and great company!

Capa

Recent Articles: