No food pictures this time. This was going to be a leisurely few days getaway… and then we discovered restaurants worthy of your attention if in Greenville or Franklin (North Carolina) or Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Originally, my husband Russ and I booked a flight and hotel in Asheville, NC. When Hurricane Helene drove forceful winds and powerful floods throughout the artsy mountain community, we ended up staying
Rolling out strudel dough at Dunaalmási Lovarda, a Hungarian family farm and cooking school.
“Just take one bite. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to eat a second.” I can still hear my mom’s cajoling words when I turned up my nose or clenched my mouth tight. Light years later, those very words slipped out of my mouth when my picky-eater daughter would refuse to eat what I had cooked. Fortunately for both of us, now world class champions of trying a bite of something unfamiliar (no insects, please… I can only bend so far!), the “try one bite rule” has enabled us to travel across many countries and continents, devouring many new foods along the way.
Tomato, Avocado & Salted Peanut Salad
Russ is not big on my all-but-the-kitchen-sink salads. Yes, he can pick out the items he’ll eat, but every once-in-a-while (or in our household, more often than not), I rely on ingenuity to create dishes that will appeal to both of us. That’s how this Tomato, Avocado & Salted Peanut Salad came about. They are all ingredients he enjoys. (A can of cocktail peanuts sits by his side of the loveseat to continually munch on while watching TV).
a slice of German apple cake topped with cream cheese frosting.
This cake is a family favorite that I’ve been making since I was 16 when a friend shared her family’s recipe. Although I wouldn’t hesitate to bake it anytime of year, when the weather hits fall, it becomes a must-do. This is an easy-to-do cake, one even beginners shouldn’t be afraid to tackle.
Finished spanakopita as a side dish or snack.
Once upon a time I catered international cuisines. I had an Israeli Chef then as a partner, so preparing Middle Eastern delights became a focus of our business. One of the dishes I learned then and have always enjoyed making and eating since is spanakopita, a Greek-based dish that includes spinach, feta, filo or puffed pastry. I have made small triangles or thin roll-ups for appetizers, larger versions for side dishes, or have layered a 9×13 pan with many sheets of buttered filo piled atop one another, added my filling, and then topped with more layers of filo.
Yesterday I was in the mood for using my hands other than to lift weights to strengthen my bone density. As I perused my refrigerator, pantry shelves, and freezer, it was as if all the ingredients for spanakopita yelled, “Pick me, pick me.”
Finished spinach quiche.
In my household, real men (meaning my husband, Russ) not only eat quiche, but enjoy it.
My favorite quiche recipe came from my sister, Debbie. Although I have made it exactly as she gave it to me the first time, I have never made it the same way twice ever since, not because I don’t adore her original recipe, but because I use whatever cheeses I happen to have available. I don’t exactly follow original suggestions for amounts of cheese either, usually putting at least a half-cut more… just because. Although I usually use fresh spinach because that’s what I know what Russ will eat, Debbie’s recipe also includes broccoli as an alternative.
Occasionally I add some cooked, crumbled bacon, but have also added al dente diced asparagus and/or ham. My cheese assortments have been swiss, gruyere, muenster, boursin, feta, ricotta, cheddar, or a mixture of Italian cheeses. The result is that each time, the texture and taste are different. The dish lends itself to improvisation.
Finished meal of chicken and pasta, broiled tomato caprese.
Fixing a meal quickly can be done, but it is not my preference.
Today was just one of those days when groceries were being delivered sooner than expected and I had about 45 minutes to prepare a meal of my husband Russ’ choosing. Shortcuts were necessary. So, I didn’t take notes on quantities in order to give you precise amounts. I used what I had available, and with ingredients I knew he’d eat.
But before I tell how I made it, I need to vent. If anyone ever asks me about what I disliked intensely during the months of Coronvirus fears, other than the expected answers such as socializing and getting my hair done, I would say it’s being so concerned about keeping my husband and I safe, that I didn’t do my own grocery shopping. I am one of those rare (apparently, as my friends have noted to me) people who enjoy grocery shopping. If the watermelon isn’t the right color, the cantelope mushy, or the romaine lettuce spines are ribbed in pink, I am not buying them. I’d do without first. I’m just as choosy about meats, poultry, or cheeses.
Finished chicken pot pie. You can see it’s chock full of chicken and veggies.
Chicken pot pie is like a warm blanket fresh from the dryer on a blustery day that your mom wraps around you to quiet the chilled air. Chicken pot pie is comforting love, and yet, I can’t recall the last time I personally cooked it. I’ve had enough bad versions in restaurants — the dough wasn’t cooked through or there was a scarcity of filling amid a soupy, flavorless broth –so I knew what I didn’t want it to be. What I did want is to appeal to my husband Russ’ preference for a denser stuffing, and in these days of not being able to do a spur-of-moment run to the grocery store, I had to use what I had available.
Not everyone will have the time or ingredients I have, so as I go, I will share possible substitutions. If you’ve read my cooking blogs, you know I don’t measure, but I made a point of taking notes as I went to give you a close approximation. As always, adjust to your taste.
Spanish (dark yellow) rice with chicken and a side of black beans (2)
Cooking for a picky husband is always challenging, especially during COVID-19 when I am doing my best to work with ingredients still in my pantry/freezer/refrigerator. He’s a Midwestern born-and-raised meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, but in trying to restrain his desire for red meat, I try to mix in chicken dishes, and to expand his tastes with international flavors. With all this is mind, my meal for the day was a Spanish-styled chicken, doctored black beans from a can, and Spanish yellow rice. (Reminder: I don’t measure, but will try to give you an idea of what I do.)
Mixed veggies atop couscous.
I heard quickly from some of you that the bacon or some of the other items in my Mediterranean-styled Green Beans aren’t on your diets, but at least some of you have already shared ways to make substitutions or eliminate any items that won’t work for your individual health plan. Great! That is exactly the right thing to do.
But because I know many of you are veggie-lovers comme-moi, here is an easy dish I made today. My sweet hubby had to have two teeth extracted on an emergency basis yesterday, so I am pampering him with soft foods and dishes just to keep him happy. What that means, is that I can prepare dishes for myself about which he might not otherwise be overly enthusiastic.
Moroccan couscous, an easy and quick side dish.
Russ does love this Moroccan couscous, and I can occasionally sauté some chopped veggies into it or turn it into a salad side, but this combo was designed for me.
The couscous can be purchased at most grocery stores. I always have some on hand. The veggies I stocked up on during my last (and now infrequent during shelter-in-place restrictions) grocery run. You can use any, or all, of my suggestions, and don’t hesitate to embellish with your own spices.
I didn’t know we were poor. I just knew that growing up in a multi-household of amazing cooks (and bakers) that there were two rules: you never know who may show up famished, so be able to stretch your meal, and never let anyone leave hungry.
Sometimes I’d walk into my grandma’s Coney Island, NY kitchen where she and my Aunt Fanny would be stirring big pots of chicken matzoh ball soup or layering a black-and-white speckled enamelware roasting pan with stuffed cabbage, just in case unexpected relatives and friends happened to pop in… and they always did. The women in my family didn’t just cook. They cooked from love with limited budgets and unlimited imagination.
From the time my dad’s sister, Aunt Golda, guided me through making my own apple pie tart at the age of five, I have always baked and cooked. I have cookbooks, but mostly I just cook with what ingredients are on hand. I visualize the ingredients melding together, and then set about making that materialize. Between the sumptuous Eastern European dishes created by my mom’s and dad’s families, and later the exotic influences imprinted upon my mom as we lived and travelled internationally, I grew up experiencing the “throw a bit of this, a dash of that, smell, taste and be sure there is color” philosophy. When my mom returned to work, I was 11 and responsible for choosing what I would cook and then making the family meals.
Top Chef Santa. See the cleaver in his hand?
We’re very fortunate living in the Orlando, FL area. While the rest of the country is still experiencing the bluster of March, we’re enjoying blue skies, low 80’s and gentle breezes. It was perfect weather for sitting on the back porch of Seasons 52 overlooking the lake, sipping on slights of wine and munching on flatbreads.
Seasons 52 is a Darden Restaurant original brand that specializes in fresh, locally sourced foods, with meals, appetizers and mini-desserts typically weighing in at no more than 500 calories, including the aforementioned flatbreads. The menu changes seasonally, and the wines offered on their stellar program called Flights & Flatbreads changes frequently. Each wine comes with tasting notes. The program is available daily up to 6 pm.
For $15, you can have a choice of whites or reds (roughly 3 ounces each) and one flatbread. For $20, their Acclaimed red wines are rated at 90+ points. According to Seasons 52, the Acclaimed wines are rated by Wine Spectator, The Wine Advocate, Wine Enthusiast Read more
Italian cheesecake, berries and mascarpone. All photos by Karen Kuzsel
2nd in a series
Grilled chicken with herbed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. photo by Karen Kuzsel
This is the first in a series.
Tender filet medallions with a red wine reduction, Chateau potatoes, and Haricot Verts. photo by Karen Kuzsel
My husband and I love Visit Orlando’s Magical Dining Month each September. This year the “month” expanded so that it began August 24. All the better to luxuriously dine for $33 for a three-course meal and celebrate birthdays, our anniversary, getting together with friends, or just having an elegant evening out.
Such was our latter raison d’etre for selecting Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House of Orlando. The International Drive location just blocks from the Orange County Convention Center, has only been opened since mid-August, so wondered if it would still be experiencing growing pains. If this is how Del Frisco’s does business after two weeks, I can’t imagine how much better it will be in a couple months. The only negative I could say is that it was raining and there was no undercover protection to get out of one’s car for the complimentary valet service. The newly-built restaurant is contemporary in design, beautiful in taupe tones, and with dimmed lighting that exudes warmth. The staff were first class. There wasn’t one who passed by who didn’t greet us in their own way, all sounding as if they meant it. There are a number of private and large dining room spaces, as well as an extensive lounge area when you first enter. We thought the extended lit faux fireplace we passed enroute to the dining room added an atmosphere of drama. I can hear you saying, “But what about the food”?
My Midwestern-raised meat-and-potatoes husband said it doesn’t get better than this, both in the quality of the juicy, tender steak and in the preparation. A loaf of warm bread and butter was brought out immediately while we pondered the extensive wine list. We both ordered the classic Caesar salad. I had thought about the day’s soup, but mushroom bisque is not a favorite. The salad was crisp, plentiful, with just the right amount of tang from the lemon married to the anchovy salt. The croutons were handmade. I rarely order steak and if this hadn’t been a top-rated steak house, I likely would have chosen the pan-roasted chicken or the pan-seared salmon. As it was, Russ selected the 8-oz filet mignon and I took the (6 oz) filet medallions served with a red wine reduction. They both were cooked exactly as ordered, and a server asked us to cut it open to verify that before leaving our table, and were plated with Chateau potatoes (dense mashed potatoes) and thin sautéed Haricot Verts (green beans). Dessert was a tougher choice. We wanted all three, even though I was full by then and really just wanted to take my generous portion of warm banana bread pudding (chosen over the chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce) home to enjoy. It was served with a large mound of vanilla ice cream and lightly lined with caramel sauce. Russ ate the ice cream, I took a couple bites of the gooey banana concoction and took the rest home. He chose the cheesecake with butterscotch sauce, not a combo one generally sees on menus. The cheesecake was double the size usually given and twice as light and creamy. We took half of it home as well.
Meeting Planners, club and party hosts: this is for you. As I said, there are many dining room group options. The Eagle’s Nest, up to 10; The Executive, up to 28; the Barrel Room (half cellar), up to 45; and the Oak Room (half cellar), up to 35. The Grand Cru (full cellar) can accommodate up to 80 for sit down and 110 for reception. Presentation A/V available, as are flat screen TVs, and WiFi access. www.delfriscos.com
This is the first of our Magical Dining Month experiences for 2015. I’ll be writing about each of the ones we try.
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI and is now serving on the 2015 – 2016 MPI Global advisory Board for The Meeting Professional Magazine. Karen writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, she has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady.
The rooftop bar opens July 9, 2015 and has 360 views
The Hotel Zamora Castile Restaurant
Widowmaker: a killer pizza from Prato in Winter Park. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Two little apple lovebirds sitting in a watermelon of love. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Chef demo of making a Christmas tree completely of chocolate, including the glittery balls. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Sea life centerpiece. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Checkerboard Salad cools with summery colors and refreshing tastes. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Taking a break from a Cooking class at an Orlando Marriott World Center. They presented me with the apron embroidered with my name.
Mount Rushmore handcrafted in solid milk chocolate at the World of Chocolate Museum & Cafe’. photo by Karen Kuzsel.
The Venetian Room’s version of Caprese Salad. all photos by Karen Kuzsel
Hoo has personality! photo by Karen Kuzsel
penguin holiday. photo by Karen Kuzsel
The edible Christmas tree and friends. photo by Karen Kuzsel
| Event |
School | Home School | Student Name |
| Non – Edible Centerpiece | |||
| First place | Cypress Creek HS | Riani Pokipala | |
| Second place | Dr Phillips HS | Cassidy Brown | |
| Second place | Dr Phillips HS | Sofia Fernandez | |
| Second place | Dr Phillips HS | Madison Fitch | |
| Second place | Dr Phillips HS | Tia Humphries | |
| Edible Centerpiece | |||
| First place | Mid Florida Tech | University HS | Christine Hernandez |
| Second place | Mid Florida Tech | Edgewater HS | Kristopher Davis |
| Third place | Mid Florida Tech | Cypress Creek | Jamie Pena |
| Dessert High School | |||
| First place | Gateway School | Heriberto Lopez | |
| First place | Gateway School | Josue Cabrales | |
| Second place | Cypress Creek HS | Grant Baldinger | |
| Second place | Cypress Creek HS | Jessica Butler | |
| Third place | Winter Park HS | Daniella Sauri | |
| Third place | Winter Park HS | Raham Elsayed | |
| DessertTech Center | |||
| First place | Westside Tech | Wekiva HS | Zakoya Hall |
| First place | Westside Tech | Evans HS | Devante McDonald |
| Second place | Westside Tech | West Orange HS | Kristi Caruana |
| Second place | Westside Tech | West Orange HS | Lauren Harms |
| Gourmet Meal | |||
| First place | Winter Park HS | Melissa Morales | |
| First place | Winter Park HS | Antonio Cepero | |
| First place | Winter Park HS | Angelique Allison | |
| Second place | Winter Park HS | Joey Goldberg | |
| Second place | Winter Park HS | Laura Johnson | |
| Second place | Winter Park HS | Foley Flood | |
| Third place | Winter Park HS | Caleb Johnson | |
| Third place | Winter Park HS | Julie Phicien | |
| Third place | Winter Park HS | Amber Negron | |
| Gourmet MealTech Center | |||
| First place | Westside Tech | West Orange HS | Angela Cippilone |
| First place | Westside Tech | West Orange HS | Brandon Santiago |
| First place | Westside Tech | West Orange HS | Abby Johnson |
| Second place | Mid Florida Tech | Cypress Creek | Emmanuel Arboleda |
| Second place | Mid Florida Tech | University HS | Raquel Amador |
| Second place | Mid Florida Tech | University HS | Desiree Perez |
| Knife Skills | |||
| First place | Orlando Tech | Winter Park HS | Yafreicy Rodriguez |
| Second place | Mid Florida Tech | Dr Phillips HS | Fransheska Whittington |
| Third place | Westside Tech | Wekiva HS | Latasha Morris |
| Waiter’s Relay | |||
| First place | Freedom HS | Luis Alvarado | |
| First place | Freedom HS | Ysenia Palomino | |
| First place | Freedom HS | Lourdes Sanchez | |
| Second place | Colonial HS | Christine Ortiz Hernandez | |
| Second place | Colonial HS | Nathaniel Morales | |
| Second place | Colonial HS | Angel Dones | |
| Third place | Orlando Tech | University HS | Jessica Rivera |
| Third place | Orlando Tech | University HS | Gabrielle Tursi |
| Third place | Orlando Tech | University HS | Adrianna Colon |
A cantelope tiki hut shields birds of a feather. photo by Karen Kuzsel
| Event | School | Home School | Student Name |
| Hospitality Competition | |||
| First place – Overall | Dr Phillips HS | Tia Humphries | |
| First place | Dr Phillips HS | Cassidy Brown | |
| First place | Dr Phillips HS | Madison Fitch | |
| First place | Dr Phillips HS | Sofia Fernandez | |
| Second place- Overall | Colonial HS | Yarissa Pena | |
| Second place | Colonial HS | Meagan Ojeda | |
| Second place | Colonial HS | Noe Hernandez | |
| Second place | Colonial HS | Lesly Lopez | |
| Third place – Overall | Mid Florida Tech | Lake Nona HS | Angie Grunskyte |
| Third place | Mid Florida Tech | West Orange HS | Jadia Johnson |
| Third place | Mid Florida Tech | Cypress Creek HS | Sasha Gatti |
| Third place | Mid Florida Tech | Wekiva HS | Deja Miller |
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is a Contributing Editor-Writer for Prevue Magazine and is an active member of ISES and MPI. She writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, Karen has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. karenkuzsel@earthlink.net; www.ThePsychicLady.com. @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady.
roasted beets surround the Duck Confit Salad. photo by Karen Kuzsel
Individual Vegetable Pizzetta from Golden Door (Spa)–a savory snack to put a smile even on a meat-lover’s face!
If money and time were as plentiful as the weeds trying to overtake my yard, I’d take cooking classes around the world from culinary master chefs –particularly if they share delectable but low-calorie recipes, and I’d wallow in spa service treatments bent on improving my emotional spirit while unknotting muscles cramped tighter than a woman wearing high heels during a day-long shopping binge across tiled floors.
With the impending escalation of activity that scurries in with Fall, time seems to becomes as stretched thin as a resistance tube just before it snaps harshly apart. Menu selection and preparation becomes as painstakingly deliberate as planning battlefield strategy: how many people, what’s the occasion (school lunches, executive dinner, client meal, tail gating party, or holiday banquet), the budget, the environment, and for goodness sakes, how many different dietary selections should be offered?
Don’t panic. Even if you’re not a gourmet cook, don’t have the budget Read more
“If you’re expecting Dragonfly to be a traditional sushi restaurant, then you need to think again,” utters my friend Julienne, a once-a-week sushi-holic with whom I recently dined at the year-old hot Orlando spot. “Sushi restaurants usually focus on the food, not on the décor. This place has the ambiance you’d expect in a San Francisco restaurant, with mood lighting and modern high-style. The music is contemporary and low enough you can have a conversation. The long couch in the lounge bar area invites mingling. This place is visually stunning. Perfect for date night or with all the indoor and outdoor private space, great for groups wanting to meet in a fashionable, comfortable setting.”
Dragonfly does indeed have ambiance. The restaurant is designed with three key elements in mind: sensual, spiritual and savory. Sensory is easy. There are those deep red spots of color on pillows, seat backs or drop down curtains that shield private spaces for group dining and the contrasting smoothness of river rock crusted cabinets and scalloped baseboards. Cork flooring pads against clicking heels. Latticed wood screens contribute to the gentle flow of the restaurant. A European walnut tree previously cut down was creatively reimagined into an expansive sushi bar counter. “We believe in sustainability, both in our décor and in our food,” notes Dave Talpasz, GM for Dragonfly. Even the restrooms havea zen spa quality, with stall walls of hand-painted gold swirls and stone basins.
Mahi Mahi Picatta
