A Dash of Tenderness, a Heap of Love

In my last post, you may have noticed my "heap of love" measuring spoon sticking out of my aluminum pan. But you didn't see the rest: a pinch of joy, a dash of tenderness, and a spoonful of affection. These are such a great gift for a wedding shower, a birthday, Mother's Day, or simply as a kind gesture to show your favorite baker how much you care about her. If you're getting married, they'll be the perfect favor for your guests. And they won't just sit in people's china cabinets for years to come.

If you're single like me but still put love into everything you cook, why not buy a set for yourself?

These spoons are affordable, useful, and durable.

Can't find them in your local housewares store? Check out this site.
Enjoy!

Yum's the Word,

Holly

From Donald Duck to Wolfgang Puck

Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe

Downtown Disney

Walt Disney World® Resort

482 East Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830

Alright, before I begin to drool, let me tell you about Wolfgang Puck's restaurant in Downtown Disney.

I guess I'm a lucky girl; I always seem to order the best item on the menu. But Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe exceeded my expectations. I don't want to elaborate on the atmosphere and ambiance of the place right now--all of that was such a blur because my friends and I were so famished from swimming, basking in the sun, and wandering, like four tots, through every toy shop in the park. Sooner or later, we had to take a grub detour.

I will tell you that if you're looking for a family-friendly eatery that isn't swarming with sweaty Chip and Dales (and no, we're not talking about the male revue), then check out this place.

Wolfgang Puck's Cafe also serves a variety of moderately-portioned traditional dishes (i.e. spaghetti with meatballs, margherita pizza with fresh basil and mozzarella) and more avant-garde ones (i.e. the Smoked Salmon Pizza with Dill Cream, or the Tuna Tartare, as written on the menu: "Avocado salad and sashimi grade ahi tuna with wonton chips") to satisfy everyone in your party.

Word to the wise: if you're with a group of friends and don't know what to order (this is the conundrum in which everything on the menu entices you), pick one dinner item you think you'll enjoy, then decide on an entree all of you can share as an appetizer. We ordered the pumpkin ravioli just so we could each taste one bite before our individual dinners came.

These ravioli were dressed with a brown butter sauce and anointed with a port wine glaze. A sprinkle of toasted pigniolis (pine nuts), crispy, pan-seared sage leaves, and a shaving of aged parmesan cheese added a sharp, savory flavor to the sweetness of the filling (in which I could taste a dash of brown sugar, a few chopped golden raisins and a lightly spicy, musky flavor of nutmeg).

Okay, $17.95 may sound like a lot for an appetizer, but when you're on vacation and it costs, at Sea World for example, $4.50 for a 3-inch Shamu ice cream on a stick, you owe it to yourself to splurge at dinnertime.

If you're watching calories, you might want to try the vegetable napoleon ($14.95): a round trifle consisting of a sliced portabello mushroom cap, a roasted red pepper, and a thick slice of fire-roasted zucchini. It's garnished with (optional) crispy potato sticks and drizzled with a balsamic reduction and extra-virgin olive oil that would knock off Cinderella's other slipper.

For protein, I requested a layer of grilled chicken, which only cost a few dollars more.

Isn't that lovely?

Seriously, if you go to Downtown Disney anytime soon, stop by this place.

Note: I am talking about the Cafe, not The Dining Room at Wolfgang Puck's, which has a separate menu of three and four-course meals, and is significantly more expensive. I did not eat in the Dining Room, so I have no idea what that food is like. Sorry!

For more information on the Grand Cafe, check out this menu website.

If you're interested in The Dining Room, click here.

;) Holly

Bathroom Bellini Parties and Kicked-Up Smoothies

We now return to "Adventures in Orlando"...

The next afternoon at Orange Lake, we got too much sunburn and couldn't stay outside anymore. So, we decided to throw a little party in our private villa, which had a fully furnished kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a washer and dryer, and, not to mention, a screened-in deck facing the golf course and lake.

We stopped at the Publix, then visited the adjacent liquor store where a stocky clerk with a ponytail, beard, and bright orange t-shirt apologetically said he didn't carry prosecco (although I, of course, quickly discovered it in the first aisle), talked about his migration to Florida 22 years ago, and addressed me as "Beautiful" regardless of how much skin had flaked off my nose in the scorching sunlight.

All this was fun, but the best part was making the Bellinis: frozen peaches blended with chilled prosecco and served in decorative glasses. After downing two of them, I decided to host a cocktail party in our bathroom jacuzzi (of course I was wearing a bathing suit...what were you thinking?).

But it didn't end there. The next night, I concocted what Emeril might call a "kicked-up" smoothie. In the blender I combined about 1/2 cup non-fat strawberry yogurt, 1 cup Florida orange juice, a few handfuls of ice, and a good amount (I won't say how much) of Andre Peach Passion (a cheap but delicious champagne knock-off). Think Orange Julius meets mimosa-meets strawberry smoothie!

Wow, wow, wow. That's all I have to say. Before we ventured over to karaoke at River Island, one of my roommates chugged six of them, then proceeded to belt out "We Are Family" with a group of fifty-something year-old women who reeked of Aqua Net, musk, and vodka.

I'd say it turned out to be a fun evening.

Sunshine and Gator Bites

(Photo courtesy of www.leto.net)

When you hear the word "Florida," you might think of large Mouse ears that flash across the screen at the start of Disney films, or a bunch of polyester-skinned Goofies, Mickeys and Minnies bopping around theme parks in 90 degree weather. These were the first images to pop in my mind on the plane ride to Orlando a few weeks ago.

But my friends and I didn't stay at Walt Disney World. In the words of Sheryl Crow, we simply wanted to get away from it all and "soak up the sun."

So, we booked our stay at Orange Lake Resort.

Sorry, I have to gush about this place for a moment. Forgive me for sounding like an advertisement. With over three pools, a lazy river, six restaurants, gift shops, golf and tennis courses, an island-themed bar, an arcade, an internet cafe, and, not to mention, a fitness center named "Mussels," Orange Lake really does have something for everyone.

The first night, we decided to eat dinner at the River Island Grilling Company, where I ordered my first ever (ready for this?)...gator bites. Yup. You read it. A steaming plate of hot alligator nuggets breaded in a peppery herbed batter and deep fried until golden brown. I was amazed at the taste! I broke one nugget in half to see what it looked like, and the meat was white--it almost looked like popcorn chicken. Yes, I know you're probably sick of hearing that everything "tastes just like chicken," but this really did have the flavor of poultry with a sweet, honey-like note that induces salivation. It was indeed a delicacy.

The next morning, we went air boating in the Everglades, where a gator on the other side of my camera lens poked only his eyes out of the swampy water and leered at me as if he could smell his deep fried kin on my breath from the night before. Of course, I was the one seated at the edge of the boat. Thank goodness we made it out of there. I really thought karma would come back around to, eh, bite me.

I'm going to search for that picture so you can see the look of vengeance in this reptile's eyes.

I'll be back with more Florida sunshine soon.

Later, Gator (I couldn't resist).

Holly