Showing posts with label DDP. Show all posts

Friday

Foodie Friday: Big Top Treats - Menu

Welcome to this week’s Foodie Friday where we share our favorite food finds with our friends. This week's favorite is Big Top Treats which can't be missed at Storybook Circus in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. I say it can't be missed because not only are the Quick Service Snacks and treats terrific and you wouldn't want to miss this opportunity to try them but it is a huge circus tent with a ginormous sign on it. No need to ask for directions just follow the path to Storybook Circus.

Once inside you'll find souvenirs galore and in the center an open show kitchen with bakery chefs preparing all sorts of delightful goodies. There are circus snacks galore! Olaf Caramel Apples, Dumbo Cupcakes, Cotton Candy and my favorite the Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Olaf Caramel Apples and Dumbo Cupcake Display at Storybook Circus

Caramel Apples and Dumbo Cupcakes at Big Top Treats

Adults love it! Cape May Character Breakfast at Disney's Beach Club Resort

Character dining experiences have become a family tradition while we're vacationing in Walt Disney World.

When my children were young I scheduled a character breakfast every day of our trip. It gave us a great start to the day and fun character interactions. All before hitting the parks. One of our favorite character meals is Beach Club Goofy and friends Character Breakfast at Cape May Cafe.

We first tried it on one of our trips in the early 90's while staying at The Yacht Club Resort. The characters were Admiral Goofy and Chip & Dale. Our son's favorite characters at that time were Chip & Dale so it quickly became a must do for us.

Today's Foodie Fare find is a recipe from Palo the Disney Cruise Line signature dining experience. Dining at Palo is reserved exclusively for adults. Every romantic dinner, exquisite champagne brunch and elegant afternoon high tea provides unsurpassed service and inspired Northern Italian cuisine.

This is one cruise experience you don't want to miss. I always make ADRs for date night on the high seas at Palo. Sometimes more than one night too;)

The dessert menu includes this signature chocolate soufflé. It's Dreamy, Magical & Wonderful!

Palo Chocolate Soufflé with Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Sauce. Palo, Disney Cruise Line

Palo Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

(Makes 6 Servings)

Ingredients You'll Need:

3 tablespoons butter, plus more for greasing the soufflé cups
6 tablespoons sugar, plus more for dusting the soufflé cups
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons *Dutch-processed cocoa
2 ounces (2/3 cups) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
4 eggs, separated

any style ramekin will do as soufflé cups

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350. Set a full kettle of water on to boil.

2. Butter six 4-ounce soufflé cups and coat with sugar, set aside.

3. Bring milk to boil in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cocoa to the butter and beat with a whisk until it has a smooth, paste-like consistency. Reduce heat and cook for 1 minute.

4. Slowly add hot milk, whisking until smooth, then blend in melted chocolate. Let cool for 5 minutes, then stir egg yolks.

5. Beat egg whites in separate bowl until frothy. Slowly add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until glossy peaks form. Stir a heaping spoonful of egg whites into the chocolate, then fold in the remaining whites just until combined.

6. Pour the batter into prepared soufflé cups. Place cups in a large baking dish and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the soufflé cups.

7. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately with warm vanilla sauce.

Palo Vanilla Sauce for Soufflé

1. Bring 1 1/4 cups heavy cream and 1/4 vanilla bean (split lengthwise) to a low boil in saucepan over medium heat.

2. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 2 small egg yolks.

3. Add 2 spoonfuls of boiling cream to egg mixture and stir well, then pour back into the remaining cream and continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.

Source: Disney Cruise Line

*More info than you need to know:
Dutch- processed cocoa was developed in the 19th century. It is chocolate that has been treated to modify it's color and give it a milder smoother taste compared to natural cocoa. It is used in ice cream, hot cocoa and baking. Dutch chocolate does not react with baking soda. It should be used in recipes that require baking powder.

Have you tried this recipe? What did you think?

Bon appétit mes amis!

Debs

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Thursday

Gotta have a Dole Whip!

Just the other day I had a major craving for one. To satisfy the craving I had a Healthy Choice bar which is no substitute for a Dole Whip. Speaking of the real thing. I know there are recipes for making Dole Whips at home and there are home machines that can whip them up for you.
Maybe it's just me but I'd rather save my Dole Whip indulgences for times when I'm in Disney World.
There are just some things-that-should-stay-in-Disney.

You can find Dole Whips at The Aloha Isle in The Magic Kingdom's Adventureland. They serve up pineapple, vanilla, chocolate and swirl for $2.89 or 1 snack credit on the DDP.
The Wilderness Lodge has self serve machines but only vanilla or chocolate.
Or, you can find a self serve Dole Whip at Captain Cook's counter service restaurant in The Polynesian Resort's.
Dole Whips are refreshing, have a healthy dose of vitamin C, they're fat free, cholesterol free, lactose free and only 80 calories for a 1/2 cup serving. Not a lot of calories for a dessert. Walking around the park would burn that off.

DS didn't want his face full of Dole Whip shown ;P

There's nothing like having a Dole Whip late at night after the fireworks during EMH. I'll pick a quiet table in the corner and just relax thinking back on the days activities.

Speaking of traditions.We have a tradition of having a Dole Whip for Bawb each trip. It started In May of 2008 when I attended a memorial/meet for the late Bob Varley a wonderfully funny DIS moderator and DISUnplugged Podcaster. That night I went to the MK and had a Dole Whip in his honor, took a pic and posted it on the DISboard thread, A Dole Whip for Bawb. It's one way of remembering and paying tribute to a great guy who is sorely missed.

Friday

Foodie Fare Friday

Happy Foodie Friday! Today I'm sharing a recipe today from one our favorite dining spots in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, The Liberty Tree Tavern. They make the best warm Apple Cobbler which is my husbands favorite dessert.

Apple Cobbler

Preheat oven to 300º degrees.

Pie Crust Dough:
3 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter cut into ¼ inch pieces
4 tablespoons Crisco (or substitute: margarine (1 cup shortening = 1 cup + 2 tablespoons margarine)
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers (I cut it in with a pastry knife) work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons ice water and work with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Add more water if needed.

Spray the inside of a 9x13x2 inch glass or ceramic baking dish with a
non-stick coating (I use Baker's Joy). Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface (I use a cold marble slab) and line the baking dish with dough (as for an apple pie)

Apple Filling:
4 pounds Baking Apples – Golden Delicious
½ cup Sugar
1 ½ cups Brown sugar
½ teaspoon Nutmeg – ground
½ cup Flour

Sift dry ingredients together. Put apples in a small saucepan and cook
over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add dry ingredients and cook until
apples are soft and ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Remove apples
from heat and chill thoroughly. Place cooled apple filling into dish.

Oatmeal Streusel:
¾ cup All –purpose flour
½ teaspoon Cinnamon – ground
½ cup Brown Sugar – packed
¾ cup Rolled Oats
½ cup Butter – Unsalted

Spread streusel mixture evenly over top of apple mixture.
Bake in center of oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

If you try this recipe, please write and tell me how yours turned out.

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Have you tried the Apple Cobbler at Liberty Tree Tavern?

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Thursday

Dinner at LeCellier {Review}

Le Cellier Steakhouse the most coveted Advanced Dining reservation (ADR) in Epcot's World Showcase and we were about to have our much anticipated dinner.
I've dined at Le Cellier four times over the years. On our last visit we arrived early for our 7:30pm ADR. Signed in at the podium and was handed a pager.

Via Napoli, a taste of Italy in Epcot's World Showcase

One of the many surprise highlights from my birthday celebration was lunch at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzaria in Epcot's The World Showcase.

It was a very hot August day with the sun screaming down. The heat and humidity from outside quickly evaporated as we waited for a table while listening to my favorite Italian song. "Mambo Italiano".

Via Napoli, a taste of Italy in Epcot's World Showcase

Take a culinary tour of Southern Italy at this family-friendly restaurant and pizzeria at Epcot where Restaurateur Nick Valenti spent time in Naples studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon before creating the menu at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria. Voted Critic’s Choice for “Best Theme Park Restaurant” by Orlando Sentinel, Via Napoli was created by Patina, the renowned Patina Restaurant Group.

Review ~ Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzaria, a taste of Italy in Epcot's World Showcase

My thoughts and experience:

There was no waiting! We were immediately shown to a table in the first room overlooking the square outside and the main dining area. Drinks orders were quickly taken almost as quickly and we were off to a great start.

Our server explained the food at Via Napoli is served when it's ready, even if the other peoples dishes at your table aren't. Serving fresh, hot food is more important to them than serving everyone at the same time. That's such a good policy but we didn't have to wait for each other as ours came out together.
The menu looked wonderful with a variety of moderately priced appetizers and entrees to choose from. $15 to $29.99 per adult (some DDP accepted).
Click here for the menu.
Initially I thought we would split a large pizza as this was an early lunch but was told that with the Disney dining plan you may not split individual pizzas using the 1T. Only the extremely large pizzas could be split and regular entrees.
We ordered the Pepperoni Pizza with spicy pepperoni, tomato & mozzarella.
and a Calamari Pizza with fried corn crusted calamari, arugula & fennel.
The kitchen is a huge show kitchen with high ceilings and visible from almost every table.

This is a view from our table in the first room into the larger room. The ovens at are at one end and a large counter/table runs down the center.

The layout is very casual with tile floors, booths, mismatched wooden chairs, high ceilings, large windows. Open and airy. I noticed only salt shakers on the table.
It was a little loud. Not in an Ohana coconut pushing kind of way but people talking, lively music, chairs on tile taverna floor loud. It's a great casual restaurant for for everyone. There was a mix of families with kids, singles and couples.

The wood fired ovens are named after the 3 active volcanos in Italy - Stromboli, Mount Vesuvio & Mount Etna. Water for the pizza dough is sourced from a spring similar to Italy's Campania region. When brought to the table it's put on a large stand in the center of the table. Cooking stations are all visible and exciting to watch. The pizzas are made with fresh mozzarella cheese, San Marzano tomatoes and real Caputo flour imported from Southern Italy.

We had time to scout for Hidden Mickeys.

Found a few!

Our pizzas arrived together and piping hot. Drinks were refreshed quickly and without notice. Our server was very attentive and did more than the 2 sec. check.
We ate heartily.

Fresh was the first word that came to mind. The crust was perfect. Crisp on the edge but chewy and thin. I asked that mine be re-cut as it wasn't cut into manageable pieces. They hadn't actually cut the crust it was quartered if that. This proved a little confusing to my server at first but then understood.

The sauce reminded me of a NYC pizza sauce - so good. Even though the calamari was sparse we enjoyed every bite. The spicy pepperoni pizza was delicious. Each bite exploded with flavor.

For dessert we ordered Tiramasu and Coppa di Brutti Ma Buoni aka

"Ugly but Good"

Tiramisu 8. Mascarpone cream, espresso coffee, lady fingers and chocolate

"Ugly But Good"

Amarena cherry & vanilla gelato sundae with the "Ugly But Good Cookies":) All incredibly heavenly delicious and not to be missed for $10. This item was removed from the menu I'm sad to report. Maybe if we all request it'll be brought back.

Celebrating birthdays at Via Napoli is unforgettable even if it's one you'd rather forget:P

Servers gather around to sing the Italian happy birthday song!

Review ~ Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzaria, Birthday

a special birthday dessert

If you have time for lunch (this isn't a quick meal) and need a cool, fun, filling lunch in a terrific dining spot then try Via Napoli. We're looking forward to our next visit.