Flavor

Daytona Cubs chili cookoff to benefit Humane Society

2009-10-13T19:44:42Z

Think you've got the best chili in town or that your business can beat all the rest?
Then don't miss the Nov. 11 registration deadline for the Daytona Cubs 5th Annual World Series of Chili Cookoff and Music Festival, to be held from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 14 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark, 105 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach. The winning team will receive a $500 cash prize with additional awards for People's Choice, Most Unique Chili and Best Stand.

Entry fees for the event, a benefit for the Halifax Humane Society, are $60 for businesses and $30 for membersindividuals. Advanced ticket prices are $12; $6 children and $15; $10 children at the gate and include unlimited samples.

Dogs are welcome. Take canned pet food to the park and receive a free soda.

For more information, call Laura Landry, 386-257-3172; lauralandry@daytonacubs.com.

Florida foods, artists, music and more at museum event in DeLand

2009-10-13T19:41:31Z

Support the Museum of Florida Art at "A Taste of Florida ... and More!" from 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 24 at the National Guard Armory, 401 S. Alabama Ave., DeLand.

The event will feature Florida flavors, artists, authors, music, art and silent and live auctions with opportunities to purchase premium wine and gourmet dinner packages by some of the area's top community cooks.

Music will be provided by retired DeLand High School teacher Stan O'Neal's AP History Band.

Advance tickets are $50 per person; $75 per couple or $75 per person and $100 per couple at the door.

For more information or to reserve tickets, call the museum at 386-734-4371.

Wine tasting to benefit cancer charity

2009-10-05T21:16:29Z

An open house wine tasting to benefit Making Strides Against Cancer is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Vin'Yard, 1395 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach.

More than a dozen wines from all over the world, along with imported and domestic cheeses will be offered. Chef Patrick will be manning the stove providing a cooking demonstration (think pink!) to taste and enjoy. The open house format will consist of four to six separate wine stations, with at least three wines per station. All of the wines are poured by wine professionals available to answer questions.

Cost is $10 per person, good toward any purchase at the event. Optionally, you may donate all or a portion of your admission to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.

For more information, call 386-672-5223.

Cooking class to feature fish

2009-10-05T21:14:58Z

"Let's Cook Some Fish," will be the topic at Chef Bobby's Cooking School, planned for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Frappes North, 123 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach.

The hands-on cooking class, presented by Chef Bobby, will feature grilled mahi mahi pecan crust with pineapple and tomatillo salsa, pepper crusted ahi tuna with chive sauce and sesame salmon pan seared with vegetable stir fry and citrus ponzu sauce.

Cost is $90 per student. For more information and to reserve a spot, call 386-615-4888; frappesnorth.com.

Tasting to feature wines from six countries

2009-10-05T21:12:05Z

Wines from six countries will be featured at the Vino 100 Ormond Beach wine tasting from 6-8 p.m Friday, Oct. 9 at 175 S. Nova Road., one block south of Granada Boulevard.

The tasting will highlight some of the great wines of the world including Peter Brum Bacchus 2008 (Rheinhessen, Germany), Mariposa Crū Chardonnay 2007 (Monterey, California), Monte Schiavo Verdicchio dei Castello di Jesi 2007 (Italy), Borsao Grenache/Tempranillo 2007 (Campo de Borja, Spain), Friday Monkey Merlot 2008 (South Eastern Australia) and the featured wine, Tohani Dracula's Blood Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Transylvania, Romania).

Recording artist and saxophonist Richard Young will perform during the wine tasting. Richard performs a variety of music including jazz and pop on alto and soprano saxophones.

The fee for the event is $10 per person with full credit given toward any same-day purchase of $20 or more. There is no charge for Vino 100 wine club members. Call 386-677-9800 or visit vino100ormondbeach.com for more information.

Contest winners to receive trip home for holidays

2009-10-01T17:12:38Z

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee on a brisk winter morning can stir up a sense of nostalgia and a yearning to be home with family during the holidays. This year, Folgers is making that happen for five lucky families.

Entries are now being accepted for the Folgers "Home for the Holidays" Contest. Through Nov. 7, America can visit folgers.com for a chance to win a trip home to celebrate with family. Five winners will receive a seven-day, six-night trip in December for themselves and up to three other guests to travel to their hometown destination within the 48 contiguous United States.

To enter, visitors to the site will be asked to describe what they think is the best part of waking up at home during the holidays.

Winners will be announced on or about Nov. 11. Each trip includes round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, a rental car, $1,000 spending money and a Folgers gift basket. Open to legal residents of the United States 18 years old or older. Void where prohibited. See folgers.com for official rules and complete details.

Greek cooking classes to offer 'Fun With Phyllo'

2009-10-01T17:07:36Z

My Big, Fat, Greek Cooking Class! is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 17 at The Casements, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach.

"Fun With Phyllo," with Instructor Elaine Pitenis, will feature menu items that use phyllo dough in the recipes including feta cheese triangles, beef Wellington, contemporary Greek salad, galaktoboureko and baklava.

Cost is $76.30. For more information, call 386-676-3216.

Farmers market to debut in Ormond Beach

2009-10-01T17:05:49Z

You'll find everything from soy candles and fresh fruit to African baskets, crab cakes and more at The Ormond Beach Farmers Market, making its debut Thursday, Oct. 1 at Rockefeller Gardens. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday at the gardens, 25 Riverside Drive, Ormond Beach.

Presented by Ormond MainStreet and Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center, participating vendors include Salsa King, Eco Outdoors, Lucy's Dogs and Sausage, Local Farms 2U, Holly's Orchids, Spring Valley Farms, Sublime Scents, Natures Garden, Gene's Steak House, Sweet Cheyenn's Treats, Bolga Baskets and more.

In addition to the vendors, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center will offer low-cost medical screenings.

For more information, call 386-451-2138; ormondbeachfarmersmarket.com.

World's Fare

2009-09-29T20:20:23Z

A local church is offering the public the opportunity to take a culinary world tour without leaving town this weekend. It's the second annual Ethnic Food Festival at Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church in Ormond Beach.

The parish includes families with far-reaching origins and ethnic backgrounds with a rich variety of customs, said Father Michael Byars. "The most popular of these ethnic customs are the many different traditional food dishes and recipes that have been passed down through many generations."

The festival will include food tables with Arabic, Greek, Slavic, Romanian and Italian dishes available a la carte for "very reasonable prices," Byars said.

The event will also include face painting for the kids and recorded ethnic folk music.

The Ethnic Food Festival takes place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church, 375 Fleming Ave., Ormond Beach.

Admission is free. For more information, call 386-677-0640 or visit holycrossaoc.org.
]]> Spanakopita

This recipe for Spanakopita was provided by Nancy Laskos. Makes 30-50 pieces,
depending on size.

1 box phyllo dough, thawed to room temperature
3 10-oz. boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped and browned in olive oil
1 pound cottage cheese
7 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil melted with 2 tablespoons
butter

Mix spinach, onions, cottage cheese, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Brush a 10-by-15-inch pan with olive oil and butter mixture, then line pan with six sheets of phyllo, each brushed with olive oil and butter mixture. Tuck edges neatly into the pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Cool, cut into squares and serve.

Dolmathes Avgolemano

This recipe for stuffed grape leaves with creamy lemon sauce was provided
by Debra Moulis. Makes six servings.

2 pounds lean ground beef or lamb
2 large onions, grated
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/2 cup long grain rice
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 2-pound jar Krinos grape leaves
2-3 quarts chicken broth

Sauce:
2-3 cups chicken broth
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Combine ground beef or lamb, onions, parsley, rice, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well.

Rinse, drain and separate grape leaves. Cover bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with 4-5 large leaves. Prepare rolls by placing one teaspoon
of filling in the bottom of each leaf. Fold over, fold in sides and roll up. Place closely together in even layers in the saucepan.

Add enough broth to cover rolls. Place a small plate directly over the rolls to weigh down. Cover and simmer one hour. Remove rolls to a
serving bowl.

In a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Combine eggs, yolks, lemon juice and cornstarch in a blender. With blender running, slowly add hot broth.
Return contents of blender to saucepan. Stir over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over rolls.

Take a sip to benefit Volusia Literacy Council

2009-09-23T15:03:13Z

A wine-tasting party to benefit the Volusia Literacy Council will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at Peter's Wine Shop, 1665 Dunlawton Ave., Port Orange, in the Shoppes at Yorktown (near Monterey Grill and Daily Grind).

Peter and Sandy Philipsen and their staff will share their knowledge of wine from all over the world.

Cost is $10. For more information, call 386-689-1946.

Wine tasting features South African wines

2009-09-23T15:01:10Z

In celebration of Heritage Day, a day on which South Africans are encouraged to celebrate their cultural heritage and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions, South African wines will be featured at the Vino 100 Ormond Beach wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 at the store in Nova Shoppes, 175 S. Nova Rd., Ormond Beach.

The tasting will feature some of the wines South Africa is known for including Avondale Unwooded Organic Chardonnay 2006, Louisvale Chavant Lightly Oaked Chardonnay 2006, Avondale Organic Cabernet Sauvignon Rose and Thorntree Merlot 2007. Gary Player's limited quantity Major Championship Series 2003 blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Shiraz will also be tasted. This first edition celebrates his first major championship at Muirfield in 1959, and less than two cases are available on the East Coast of Florida.

Classical guitarist Robert McCormack will perform during the tasting, playing a wide range of music including classical and pop.

Cost is $10 with full credit given towards any same-day purchase of $20 or more. Vino 100 wine club members are free. Call 386-677-9800 or visit vino100ormondbeach.com for more information.

Italian spot offers plenty of choices for lunch

2009-09-22T16:31:59Z

With smooth jazz riffs from Pat Metheny's guitar and mellow vocals of Diana Krull filling the dining room, News-Journal Staff Writer Audrey Parente and her friend Laurence Bennett had lunch recently at DeVinci's Italian Restaurant and Pizza in Ormond Beach.

Only three other tables were seated during their visit, so the superlative wait-staff attention might just have been because the restaurant wasn't very busy.

But Audrey said the unusual abundant baskets, stuffed with oil-glazed bread and pizza strips, were served to each of the diners' tables, so maybe everybody gets great treatment.

What was the place like?

The clean, bright and uncrowded dining room with shiny table tops was a hallway away from a take-out pizza counter.

What did you order?

It wasn't easy to choose. Pasta ranges from penne ala vodka to baked manicotti. Entrees included chicken Florentine to shrimp Alfredo. Three pizza sizes come with more than a dozen topping options. Calzone, stromboli, pin wheels and six hero sub choices are only a fraction of the offerings. Salads, appetizers -- so many choices.

But this was lunch after all, so we kept it simple. We shared pasta marinara with sausage and peppers and a DeVinci salad. The salad was chock full of gorgonzola cheese, sliced almonds and craisins on greens with a great fresh-made balsamic vinaigrette. We had water, but beer and wine were available.

What else did you order?

Honestly, we couldn't eat anything else because -- even though we rarely eat the bread -- we emptied the basket. Folks at the next table asked for a second basket and I thought about it too. It was that good. But I restrained myself.

Anything else?

I noticed they had white pizza on the menu for $16.95. I'm a sucker for a white pizza. Next time I go there it will be for supper with a bigger crowd, when I have more time to order a mussels in red sauce appetizer, Caprese salad (mozzarella and roasted red peppers over greens) and white pizza.

How much did it cost?

DeVinci salad, $8.95; penne with sausage and peppars, $6.95. Total with tax and tip: $19.94.

'Foodie cities' to be showcased at Epcot

2009-09-22T16:11:12Z

STAFF REPORT

Epcot kitchens are turning up the heat for a global tasting experience beginning Friday and running through Nov. 8 at the 14th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort.

Festival guests can enjoy the flavors of more than 25 international marketplaces that will dot the World Showcase promenade, highlighting tastes from cities on six continents, including Bologna, Italy; Bangkok, Thailand; Wellington, New Zealand; Santiago, Chile; Marrakesh, Morocco; Shanghai, China; and, from the United States, New Orleans.

Tapas-sized portions of regional specialties will cost $2 to $7 each, and recommended wines and beers are available for pairings at each kiosk.

Puglia, Italy, returns as a sponsor this year, presenting culinary demonstrations with regional chefs and showcasing Adventures of Pasta and Olive Oils.

Festival highlights will include:

Daily wine and beer tastings

Culinary programs featuring renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers participating in elegant dinners, luncheons, seminars and wine schools.

New programs like Culinary Adventures in Signature Dining and Celebrating Family and Friends in the Kitchen.

Popular returning events such as French Regional Lunches at Bistro de Paris in the France pavilion; Epcot Wine Schools; Food and Wine Pairings; and Sweet Sundays.

Guest chefs scheduled to appear are Warren Brown, Cat Cora, Jamie and Bobbie Deen, Keegan Gerhard, Jeff Henderson, Robert Irvine, Art Smith, Jacques Torres, Alan Wong, Andrew Zimmern and other culinary stars.

The Weekly Party for the Senses grand tasting event with tempting bites from eminent chefs, more than 50 wines and beers and live entertainment. This year, for the first time, there willl be a different theme for each week.

The Festival Welcome Center, with a Champagne and wine bar, educational wine seminars, celebrity chef book signings and festival keepsakes.

Epcot's live regional entertainment is scheduled throughout each day along the promenade and the Eat to the Beat concert series will feature acts from many musical genres including classic rock, jazz, R&B, funk and soul. Concerts will be performed three times each evening at America Gardens Theatre along the World Showcase Lagoon. Artists scheduled to appear include Richard Marx, Billy Ocean, En Vogue and Boyz II Men.

Chilean wines to be featured at tasting

2009-09-15T20:45:06Z

In celebration of the 199th year of Chilean independence from Spain, Chilean wines will be featured at the Vino 100 Ormond Beach wine tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18. The event will be held at the store in Nova Shoppes, 175 S. Nova Road, one block south of Granada Boulevard.

The tasting will feature some of the outstanding wines Chile is known for including Merlot, Carmenere, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recording artist and saxophonist Richard Young will perform during the tasting.

Vin'yard holds open house wine tasting

2009-09-15T20:39:07Z

More than 18 wines from around the world will be poured during an open house tasting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 17 at The Vin'Yard, 1395 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach.

The event will include imported and domestic cheeses and Chef Patrick will demonstrate how to prepare a delicious hot dish. The format will include six or more wine stations set up throughout the store with at least three wines per station. The wines are poured by wine professionals who will answer any questions.

Cost is $10 per person, which will be credited toward any purchase. For more information call 386-672-5223.