Florida Foodie

Florida Foodie Taste Test: Squid-flavored chips

Central Florida is home to a wide variety of ethnic markets, offering scents and flavors from all around the world.While wandering the aisle of these shops, the variety of snacks could catch your eye and make you wonder, “What could that possibly taste like?”That is the premise behind a new segment on the Florida Foodie podcast.On the first Florida Foodie Taste Test, hosts Candace Campos and Lisa Bell are subjected to a unique chip flavor from overseas by producer Thomas Mates.The grilled-squid-flavored potato chips are an import from Asia. Even though it comes from a familiar company, Lay’s, the flavor is anything but common in Central Florida.Campos, Bell and Mates put the flavor to the test — evaluating the smell and the taste with some surprising results. Without giving too much away, the word “armpit” gets thrown around a bit.The trio also talks about their most memorable meal, which includes the story of a harrowing experience from Bell’s childhood.You can hear it all in the latest episode of Florida Foodie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Austin’s Coffee is a Winter Park institution with an uncertain future

Jackie Moore hoped that her Winter Park business, Austin’s Coffee, would be something she could pass down to her children, but the cafe faces an uncertain future as the city looks to repurpose the land.“This was meant to be an investment in their future,” Moore said. “I just wanted to make sure I left something behind for them because my kids have actually suffered the most in helping be there for a small business.”Moore and her former husband purchased the business along Fairbanks Avenue nearly 20 years ago. She said the former owner had a good concept, but could never quite balance the cafe’s ledger.Since taking over, Moore said Austin’s has become a hub for the community; however, she added that some people have made assumptions about her clientele.“They think that we’re just, you know, a hippie-dippy coffee shop that has a bunch of people just hanging out and playing music and that’s it,” she said. “The majority of our clientele is the community that lives in and around Austin’s. We get all ages, we get all forms of life, different political backgrounds, different religious backgrounds."Moore takes pride in the fact that some of the artists who spent time in Austin’s have gone on to bigger and better things.“We’ve had a few people that have gone on to America’s Got Talent,” she said. “One of the comedians went on to be a writer for Mad TV. We’ve had somebody go on to be a writer for SNL."Despite this, Austin’s currently faces an uncertain future. The city of Winter Park is looking to redevelop the area — a $4 million city project aimed at alleviating traffic congestion on Fairbanks Avenue. The plan involves expanding the road, potentially displacing several small businesses, including Austin’s Coffee.Moore said that if her business were to be shuttered and torn down, there is irreplaceable art that would be completely lost."It sounds weird to hear that there’s art in the bathrooms, but there is. The majority of the bricks in the men’s bathroom were painted by an artist named Morgan Steele and he has passed away. You know, I can’t just move that."According to Moore, unless something changes in the near future, she will be forced to close Austin’s once her lease is up later this year.On the latest episode of Florida Foodie, Moore talks more about building her business and the community she has helped foster there. She also talks more about her struggles to stay open her hopes for a resolution with Winter Park leaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brewlando went from unplanned venture to growing business

Shara Pathak never planned on owning a brewery, but her “soft heart” led her down this unexpected path.“I owned a building and had a tenant in there that was a microbrewery (Castle Church) and supported them through the infancy of their brand, which was approximately three years,” Pathak said. “In December of 2019, [the brewery’s owners] decided that they were going to shelve it. So at that time, I actually was going to put the lock on the door and I was going to give it to a business broker and I the employees reached out to me and it was two weeks before Christmas.”Pathak agreed to let the employees keep the brewery going so they could at least sell off the remaining inventory and collect a paycheck through the holidays. She eventually decided to keep the brewery running. Originally, she was planning to rename it The City Beautiful Brewing, but eventually landed on the name Brewlando.“One of the reasons that I helped that brewery as much as I did was because I really felt like they had exceptional quality beer. You could just taste the difference,“ Pathak said. ”So I just felt like it would be a matter of time, if I helped them along and push them across that eventually they’d be able to forge ahead.”Part of the reason for that, according to Pathak, was because the previous owners had sunk a lot of money into high-end brewing equipment.Despite this, she did not believe she would maintain ownership of the brewery in the long term.“We were going to find another owner-operator and I was going to find another tenant. And in that search, we were introduced to a big conglomerate brand that actually originated from Trinidad, which is where I was born," Pathak said.She ultimately decided that was not the right move; however, the CEO of that company decided to join her team and help her helm Brewlando.“So [James Webb] came on board and built out a great team," Pathak said.Within a year, Webb had made connections with the head of ICON Park and got to talking about opening a new concept at the attraction.“It used to be a hookah bar and so we went in and we completely rented the entire space and decided that we were going to come out with a different concept,” Pathak said. “We thought, why not open a winery and a tasting room?”The Winery & Tasting Room by Brewlando was the first major expansion for the business, but not the last.Shortly after that opened, Pathak learned that Sanford Brewing Company was closing. She thought this could be an opportunity for a quick flip of the property.“Two days later, I got a call and they said, ‘Well, actually, it’s not just the building, it’s the building’s equipment, it’s the whole business,‘” Pathak said.She asked Webb to look into it further and see if this was an opportunity for expansion.“James calls me back an hour and a half later and he says, ‘I think that there is good potential in doing this,‘" she said.Her team is now in the process of reopening the two Sanford Brewing locations under the Brewlando name.On the latest episode of Florida Foodie, Pathak talks more about the future of Brewlando and what she hopes to accomplish with her expanding business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Disney chefs offer tips and tricks for the perfect holiday feast

The holidays have arrived, which for many means a family feast is in order. To help everyone create the perfect spread, a pair of Disney chefs are offering their expertise.Executive chef John Prieto and sous chef Anthony Scott work in Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, where they help feed thousands of guests daily.The pair offered tips on proper turkey preparations, from brining your bird to the ideal way to carve and present it.They also talked about sides and their personal family traditions when it comes to the holidays.The chefs are also part of the Disney team that will help feed the needy at Coalition for the Homeless and Harbor House of Central Florida. It is a tradition the park has been taking part in for more than 25 years. You can hear all of their tips and tricks on the latest episode of Florida Foodie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Butterfly Lifestyle helps feed Pine Hills community as need continues to grow

Shereece Mitchell-Sanchez has been working tirelessly since 2021 to help feed people living and working in the Pine Hills community.Mitchell-Sanchez runs a weekly food pantry through her nonprofit, Butterfly Lifestyle. Since she started the weekly giveaway, Mitchell-Sanchez has seen the demand for her help grow.“So on a weekly basis, we could do in our like, 300 and up families... we county by families,” she said. “In August, we almost hit 5000 individuals.”Mitchell-Sanchez currently runs the pantry out of Rise Up Church, 4400 N. Powers Drive. She offers food to the community there every Friday.“The line starts at 8 o’clock, even though we start at 11:30 (a.m.),” she said.When Mitchell-Sanchez started handing out food, she was unable to partner with a larger food bank to provide meals. Despite that, she was undeterred and partnered with a church to provide a space for the pantry.“The pastor said, ‘You know what, Second Harvest won’t work with us — they have too many partners or something like to that extent — but if you can find food, go for it,’” she said.So, she went about finding the food. Mitchell-Sanchez ended up partnering with restaurants, coffee shops and convenience stores to source her food. It’s a laborious practice that she still does today. She drives around Central Florida filling her cargo van with donated food.“I have a few Wawas that I pick up at,” she said. “I’ve had people in the line come and say, ‘Hey, you know, I come to this pantry because I heard you give out Wawas. ‘”Mitchell-Sanchez has since been able to partner with Second Harvest, allowing her to provide more fresh fruits and vegetables for the people she serves.“Thursday is the big day when we go to Second Harvest. I rent a truck,” she said. “I will get maybe, like, a 15-footer, and then use my van, you know, and then we distribute food that way.”Mitchell-Sanchez has accomplished all of this with a completely volunteer workforce.On the latest episode of Florida Foodie, she talks more about her efforts to feed the community and the other services she provides. She also shares times when her ambitions to help people in need exceeded even her own expectations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices