Honoring James Beard, Orlando-Style
Orlando -- Seven Central Florida restaurants will honor the late food guru James Beard by offering one item apiece inspired by Beard and donating $1 per dish to a scholarship in his name. Mi Tomatina, The Rusty Spoon, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Spanish River Grill, Cress, K Restaurant, and Taverna Opa are participating. Here's the Cress menu item. May 28 through Sept. 3.

Upcoming Days at K
Orlando -- Here's what's on the calendar at College Park's charming K Restaurant.
Friday Night Flights -- Samples of six wines, live music, in the garden. May 25, 6 p.m. $20
Serving Up James Beard -- Offering duck a l'orange per James Beard (see previous item) K-style with duck fate potato hash, orange marmalade, natural reduction sauce.
June Sunday Brunch -- A la carte. June 10, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A Tasting Tour in the Fleming's Bar
National -- In the nice bar area of Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, guests can order seven small plates, each paired with wine, for $24.95. Selections include sliced filet mignon on mushroom risotto with Penley merlot and lemon-honey scallops with Cakebread sauvignon blanc. Through May 31.

Vote for Orlando's Best Markets, Boutiques
Orlando -- Zagat wants to know where you shop. Loads of independents want you to help get the word out. Vote here.

Head to Max's Harvest
Delray  Beach -- It's all about quality ingredients at Max's Harvest, a farm-to-fork restaurant minutes from Early Bird Land. Run! The food is phenomeal, from pan-fried baby artichokes with basil aioli to a burger of dry-aged beef and ..., everything we tasted. The service was super polished yet down to earth, a delightful surprise.

Celebrate the Summer Solice the Celtic Way
Orlando -- At Raglan Road, the summer solstice will be greeted with a festive multi-course Mid-Summer Feast plus entertainment. A custom cocktail will be followed by a basket of pates and jams, roast stuffed suckling pig, and a Pimms Knickerbocker Glory dessert, plus craft beers pairings. 407.938-0300. $90

Asian-Mexican Tacos. Try it Set: Orlando's
Orlando -- Tako Cheena is a hip, cheap, creative restaurant in the Mills 50 district. Try first the Chinese BBQ Char Siu Pork Belly "takos" -- amazing. They Thai peanut chicken tacos and Tom Yum mojo shrimp ones are winners tooo. Tacos are about $3/apiece.

Get Set: Orlando's Bacon-Off
Orlando -- Orlando's food trucks will launch their own version of the Pillsbury Bake-Off with a first-ever Bacon-Off. Battle of the Bacon will  pit five bacons by Big Wheel against five by C&S Brisket Bus. Sunday, June 17. $30

Cheese Tastings at Citrus
Orlando -- Once a month, Citrus holds fun and informative cheese tastings with Tonda's Tastings. Tonda also hosts private events upon request.

Tapas and Tastings at Oceanaire
Orlando -- Enjoy Spanish tapas and riojas at Oceanaire during a "chef-inspired" event. Five "tasting stations"will feature the likes of charred octopus salad with tomato, pepper-crusted tenderloin, and Serrano ham-wrapped dates. Thursday, May 31. 6 p.m. $65

The Rest of Orlando's Best
Orlando -- Rona couldn't bear to waste her "best of" write-ups that didn't make it into Orlando Home & Leisure, so read them here. Breads and noodles and jams. Delish!

Orlando's New Brazilian Steakhouse
Orlando -- Orlando has yet another upscale Brazilian steakhouse, Fogo de Chão (pronounced fo-go dèe shoun). It's sleek and the food is top-quality. The salad bar is kept ultra-fresh and the meat quality is high. Faves: picanha (sirloin), bottom round, and the Portuguese sausage.

Intense Flavors at Disney's Jiko Restaurant
Orlando -- Chef Jon O’Brien is now at the helm of Jiko's kitchen, and this African-themed restaurant is better than ever. Highlights of the menu's boldly seasoned dishes: The Moroccan chermoula dip served with wood-fired flatbread, the grilled wild boar tenderloin with white truffle oil, the air-cured tuna "biltong" with pickled hearts of palm and smoked mackeral aioli, and the Bunny Chow-Falafel, an incredibly satisfying vegetarian entree.

New Blues Festival in Bradenton
Bradenton -- Florida's Bradenton area will host its first-ever blues festival this summer. Read about it.

Taste Wine on a Cruise through Burgundy
France -- The Barge Lady is hosting two wine-tasting cruises through France this July. Learn more here.

Celebrate Spring at Seasons 52
National -- Seasons 52's spring menu features grilled steelhead trout, grilled shrimp penne pasta, and a strawberry-basil fusion martini, among other treats.

Fantastic Fare on the Fantasy
Port Canaveral -- Just returned from a preview cruise of Disney's Fantasy. Self-serve fare in Cabanas is exceptional, especially at lunch, where options range from avocado-citrus salads to shrimp cocktail, German potatoes, and a load of satisfying hot dishes, different every day. Animator's Palate complements fine dinners with interactive videos--it's just wild. The lounge designs are spectacular, and one-of-a-kind. Palo's Italian fare is superb (portobella and porcini appetizer, lamb chop entree), as on the other ships. And Remy features the foods of both Victoria & Albert's Chef Scot Hunnel and Chef Arnaud Lallement from France's l'Assiette Champenoise. It's worth the splurge even for the complimentary champagne cocktails made with mint-infused pear vodka and dried apricot.

Fine Food Event in Bradenton, Florida
Bradentown -- Watch a cooking demonstration with, and sample the food of, Mary Nolan, who is chef de cuisine of Bon Appetit magazine. Two packages are available. Several nearby hotels in the Bradenton area offer lodging.

Foodie Fun at the Flying Fish Cafe
Orlando -- You'll always find a fine seafood meal at Disney World's Flying Fish. Now you can partake in a five-course wine pairing dinner sitting at the chef's counter. Read Rona's feature.

Authentic Italian at Peperoncino
Orlando -- The City Beautiful's Restaurant Row has a petite newcomer with an intriguing menu. Peperoncino has only a few tables but its food is big on flavor. Start with fried pecorino cheese topped with honey and powdered peperoncino (a kind of pepper) and the roasted vegetable salad. Choices include fried sardines, pasta with meat ragu, an especially interesting-sounding lasagne, gnocchi with pesto, veal with spinach and ham (tasty, but the menu should mention that the sauce is creamy), and osso bucco.

Cask & Larder: WP's Upcoming Brew Pub
Orlando -- Cask & Larder is the name the folks at The Ravenous Pig have chosen for their second endeavor, a brew pub to open in a historic Winter Park spot. It will be run day-to-day by current husband-and-wife Piggers Tracy Lindskoog and Dennis Bernard along with Pig owners James and Julie Petrakis. Expect casual, seasonal, scratch-prepared pub grub (lots of ham!) along with five house draughts and one brew in a cask.

Bullish on the Bull & Bear
Orlando -- I expected the Bull & Bear in Orlando's Waldorf Astoria to be dull yet the menu is anything but. It has superb versions of steakhouse strongholds such as a dry-aged sirlion and veal Oscar. The passionate chefs get creative with the starters, such as a hearty portion of escargot and gnocchi tossed with shimeji mushrooms and crescents of black garlic, a rich shrimp and grits appetizer served with a dome filled with aromatic smoke, and the most delicate little raviolis stuffed with a tender bacon-Spanish ham blend. Desserts are light and delightful, notably a frothy Vahlrona chocolate mousse-like bar made with four kinds of chocolate with a ganache-like center, and a refreshing lemon treasure for which the peel is poached for 17 hours before being filled with light lemony confections. Prices are steep (that steak is $58) but 60 to 75 percent of weekend guests are locals; they're returning for good reason.

Cooking with the Chefs
Orlando -- Learn to cook from hotel chefs at the JW Marriott Grande Lake's 2012 Griffin Cooking School. The topics, once a month from January through June, are pasta making, Valentine's Day Night, charcuterie, Primo Garden Ventures, Whole Hog Cookery, and beer making. Prices range from $50 to $75 and most include a meal or beverage samples. 407.393.4683.

Coffee and a Very Decent Meal
Orlando -- I was invited to sample the farm-to-table menu at Barnie's CoffeeKitchen, an upgraded coffeehouse in Winter Park. Seems like the perfect place for a high-quality yet light breakfast or lunch. The warmed olives have a dash of orange zest. The avocado mash is nice and chunky. I loved the smoked salmon tartine, on buttery toasted white bread with dill creme fraiche and preserved lemon. End with a rich dark chocolate pudding. We'll be seeing more CoffeeKitchens around town.

Hillstone: From-Scratch Cooking
Orlando -- I'd always dismissed Winter Park's Hillstone restaurant (formerly the same company's slightly less upscale Houston's ) since it's a chain, but as it turns out Hillstone has a scratch kitchen. The restaurant grows a lot of its own produce out back; bakes its breads daily; grinds its own beef; and hand-cuts its own fish. Of its new menu items, I recommend a terrific rock shrimp Caesar salad; the veggie burger, made with brown rice and bits of jalapeno; a really good oversized artichoke; and the banana cream pie (share it). Cream is whipped fresh three times a day.

Read About Quaint Winter Garden
Orlando -- Check out Rona's feature about historic Winter Garden, Florida, in E dible Orlando Magazine.
 
10 Hideaways within Disney World
Orlando -- Want a quiet(ish) escape within Disney World. Rona shares her secrets via author Sarah Sekula in USA Today.

Primary Report: Prato
Orlando -- We got to try out Prato, the new Italian restaurant by the Luma folks. First impression: Excellent. The dining room is
rustic-chic, open and loud. Menu standouts: a rabbit "cacciatore" with citrus zest, marcona almonds and homemade pasta; duck "ragu" with truffle butter and homemade pasta; a salad with house-cured lonzino, apple, and "gorgonzola dolce"; peeky-toe crab bruschetta; amazing meatballs; fried clams; a salad with homemade pancetta; and a chocolate pudding-like "budino" dessert with salt and cinnamon that's usually topped with zeppoli donuts.
UPDATE*** Went back for another dinner. Add to my list of must-haves the Campagna salad with butter greens, sizzling cubes of pancetta, and a terrific olive oil; the unbeliebably delicious chicken liver Tosana with lardo, capers, and pickled shallots (I made it my entree); and the proscuitto with shredded raw brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, and mustard seed.

Podcast: Rona on Disney World
Click here to link to a podcast with Rona and Dean L. Rice of the Dreamer's Empire. Rona talks about the Little Black Book of Walt Disney World, Fodor's, Zagat, the parks and area restaurants.

The Weekend Food Warrior
Orlando -- I did some significant re-tasting this weekend.
Rusty Spoon -- Holy cow. The Rusty Spoon was good at my first visit, but with time the kitchen staff has made amazing strides. The farm-to-table menu was over-the-top delicious (and reasonably priced). Especially good were two salads (my "crudite" with caramliezed pear was so good I almost ordered a second as the entree), a butternut squash-mushroom "lasagne," a fish stew, and a pork "goulash"-- plus a chocolate mousse cake dessert and a trio of puddings. Run!
Le Rouge Wine Bar and Tapas Restaurant -- Le Rouge is still good, but not has mind-blowing as a few months ago. In respect to the serious menu, the dining room now has tables and chairs in addition to the sofas and hightops. With a good wine list, a sexy aura and solid eats, including a wild mushroom tapas plate that's divine, it's a great spot for friends and couples.
Islandville -- In an Ocoee strip center, Islandville features two simple menus, one Caribbean, one American soul food. It's cheap ($5 dinner specials), good-quality, filling fare.

Go Gluten-Free at Ocean Prime
National -- It's easy to eat gluten-free at a fish and steak restaurant, since proteins and veggies are naturally free of wheat. Still, Ocean Prime put together a nice collection of its gluten-free items for restricted diners.

Learn to Sleep in the Caribbean
Grenada -- Insomniacs might enjoy vacation at La Source, which is offering a Sleep School by Dr. Guy Meadows June 3-9. All guests, as always, receive a spa treatment daily.

What's Behind the Winter Park Harvest Festival?
Orlando -- Rona introduces readers to John Rife, who spearheaded the effort that will soon be the second annual foodathon. Part 1. Part 2.

Check out OH&L's Restaurant Winners
Orlando -- Rona helped judge Orlando Home & Leisure's 2011 Silver Spoon Awards. Take a look.

Food Bloggers? Meh
If you want a long detailed description of someone's most recent meal, look elsewhere. Rona thinks that's boring. Rona's blog

Belgium for Foodies
Belgium -- Like many other tourism groups, Belgium's is now promoting the European country as a dining destination. It has named 2012 the Year of Gastronomy and put together a Web page called Belgian Bites to promote, say, waffles sold on the street, artisan chocolatiers, and the 450 varieties of beer. I'd accept a press trip offer.

Your Personal Provence Concierge
France -- Don't know your Avignon from your Aix? Have this personal concierge help you plan the ideal Provencal vacation.

Lunch at The Capital Grille
Orlando -- I'd assumed Pointe Orlando's tony Capital Grille was a dinner-only destination. Turns out it serves lunch, at a bargain no less. Three courses for $18. How about porcini bisque, a lobster roll, and roasted butternut squash with cranberry chutney? I'm in.

Induglent Event: The Table
Orlando -- Got a chance to try The Table . Neat concept: All guests sit around a hefty table and share a set five-course gourmet meal with wine pairings. Great for a culinary adventure or a group event. Chefs Tyler Brassil and Loren Falsone are nationally acclaimed and "cook with love," Loren says.

Marrying Family Farms with Local Schools
Want your kids eating locally grown foods for lunch at school? Here's how to make it happen. Farm to School Lunches

The Prickly Pear
Orlando -- With its bold Southwestern flavors, the Prickly Pear is Thornton Park's newest eatery. It's worth a try. Begin with a smoked duck quesadilla or smoked mozzarella salad, followed by Navajo-style duck breast with dried cherry jam or pork tenderlion with bourbon-ancho sauce.

A Romantic Rendezvous in Winter Garden
Orlando -- The hidden Chef's Table has long been Orlando's ultimate date-night restaurant. Now the owners have opened the adjacent Tasting Room, where dark woods and dim lights set the tone for tapas-size plates, from roasted duck salad to a flatbread topped with prosciutto, fig and asiago cheese. Pan-asian beef skewers, mini muffaletas and corn-crawfish beignets are other options. Tapas $7 to $13.

Dine with an Animal Specialist at Disney
Orlando -- Disney World has long welcomed visitors to lunch with an engineer at the Brown Derby. Now you can have a four-course meal with an animal specialist at Sanaa, with no park admission fee. $49, $29 kids, 407-938-6922, option 3

Decor Trends? Offensive, at this Point
Read Rona's latest blog, Potty Training, about the woes invovled in sprucing up the master bathroom.

Read the Story Behind Rona's Disney Guide
Disney World changes constantly, meaning it's quite a challenge to keep Rona's Little Black Book of Disney World up to date. Read more.

Band Camp? Only If It Has A/C
Check out Rona's latest blog, inspired by a trio of high school musicians passing out cold on a too-hot day.

Organic Eats on Dominica
Caribbean -- As part of its eco-appeal, Dominica's chic new Secret Bay resort includes a full-time cook/attendant, an organic food basket, and a kitchen pre-stocked with locally grown foods in its four villas and bungalows.

Find Us on Facebook
We've updated both our Facebook pages. "Like" us, please. We'd love your company.
On Dining with Rona Gindin
Little Black Book of Walt Disney World

Gluten-Free at Disney
Orlando -- BabyCakes NYC has been selling gluten-free baked goods at Downtown Disney for awhile. Now you can arrange to have its goods awaiting you in Disney World restaurants; simply ask when reserving your table.

Magic Mixes with Steak at Del Frisco's
Orlando -- On Friday evenings, dinner at Del Frisco's Prime Steak & Lobster can come with a magic show. For $(98 (tax and tip included), you receive a four-course dinner plus a show by magician Kostya Kimlat and his team. Details

French Classics Made Easy
Are you going to schlep around town seeking just the right French sausage for cassoulet,  pit a bunch of olves or peel tomatoes? Me neither, usually. Welcome French Classics Made Easy, a cookbook that gets you to satisfying Gallic fare without a ton of sacrifice. Author Richard Grausman simplified a load of recipes and takes away the intimidation factor, shrugging that unbleached all-purpose flour is best "but if you have bleached flour, use it" and casually explaining that using a food processor cuts pasta-making time to mere seconds.  I have bookmarked several recipes to try ASAP and I'm sure you will too.

Eat This
Orlando -- Had two fab dishes in the Orlando area this weekend: The Burginator (No. 7 on page 2), Pine 22, and the mushroom-spinach quesadilla (listed as an appetizer but big enough to be an entree), Cocina 214.

Take a Culilnary Tour of Ecuador
Ecuador -- It's all about the soups -- simmered with quinoa, green plantains, barley, manioc --  on a food-focused tour of Ecuador with Enchanted Expeditions. Learn more.

Sail Away
Caribbean -- Look at this! A week on a yacht with gourmet meals. The crew will tailor the activities to you. Festiva Sailing Vacations

Orlando Just Got Its 3rd New Cajun Eatery
Orlando -- After a dearth of noteworthy New Orleans-style cooking, a third new restaurant just opened following the recent debuts of Tibby's in Winter Park and the Big Easy in Winter Garden. Hot N Juicy Crawfish, on Restaurant Row, is the third unit of a concept operating in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.

Eat Your Way Through Belize
Orlando -- If you're more interested in hot sauces than zip lines, visit Savor Belize before heading out for vacation. The tourism folks' website features food tours, restaurants, and recipes.

OMG Bread at Shipyard Emporium
Orlando --The Shipyard Emporium in Winter Park is mostly about beer and nibbles, but stop by grab a loaf of the raisin-grape-walnut bread and another of the cheddar-jalapeno loaf. Divine.

Rusty Spoon: Orlando's Newest Gastropub
Orlando - After brilliantly raising the bar for burgers at the new Pine 22, chef Kathleen Blake has taken on a second job -- creating and executing the menu at new gastropub The Rusty Spoon. The slogan: "Locally Sourced, European Roots." A first meal there was promising, including a satisfying pork scallopine with favas and peach mostarda, and a so-fesh pasta primavera with fennels, peas and tendrils.

Remember ' I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar?'
Now Rona roars at her kids. Blog.

Ready to Wham Your Picky Eaters Upside the Head? Join the Club
Read Rona's blog, "Picky, Picky".

Check Out This Great Review of My Book
The Little Black Book of Walt Disney World

A Nifty Route to Asian Flavoors
Orlando -- Hawkers -- Asian Street Fare is a hip table-service eatery offering a wide selection of tapas-size specialties from throughout the Asian continental. Pad thai, papaya salad, five-spice tofu, banh mi (Vietnamese sub) sliders, roti (flatbread) with curry sauce, and potstickers are among the ptions. Prices for most are $4 to $6.50.

Indian, One Step Up
Orlando -- In Orlando's Dr. Phillips neighborhood, Saffron Indian Cuisine is a stylish spot for Indian food  that's a little more complex, with a slightly deeper flavor, than its nearby brethren. Give it a shot.

"B" Happy in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale -- Right across from the beach, the new B Ocean is a chic getaway. A cutting edge decor with whites and waves sets the tone. Extras include Aveda sundries, B Ambiance lighting and scents, B In Touch free iPad rentals, and B Social communal tables in both restaurants. Those restaurants are B'istro on the Beach, a bright space withe menu items by Hell's Kitchen Season 7 winner Chef Holli Ugalde (start your day with lemon crunch pancakes, and SAIA for creative Asian foods.

Orlando Gets Its First Gastro Bar
Orlando -- Making use of his  Winter Park catering kitchen when it's empty, local chef Jamie McFadden will open the gastro bar BarJMe two or three evenings a month. Billed as featuring Contemporary Counter Cuisine, BarJMe will feature eight-course tasting menus for $75. The theme is a clever gourmet take on breakfast (think quail eggs), lunch and dinner. Ten guests max.

Think Cooking for Friends Is Easy?
Not when your name is Rona. Read the blog.

Fear of Frying
Think a new kitchen is all flowers and butterflies? Only if those butterflies are in your stomach, as Rona tells it. Read her blog .

Le Great Le Rouge
Orlando -- Gutsy entrepeneur Mounir Elidrissi (on right, with chef Faisal Sultani) took on the upscale-casual chains of Restaurant Row and opened Le Rouge, a tapas restaurant and wine bar in European style. The sexy lounge aura is great, but the food makes the place a standout. Tapas from pistachio-crusted lamb chops with mustard and cherry balsamic, to Taleggio crostini with cherries and candied walnuts, make this place a must-try.

Sunset Sam's Fish Camp -- Go!
Orlando -- I've been exporing Orlando's hotel restaurants for the 2012 Fodor's, each time expecting bland overpriced food. Surprise! Once again, I was stunned to find an excellent meal, this time at Sunset Sam's within the Gaylord Palms convention hotel. It looks like a laid-back fishing area with a big bar centered around two enormous masts -- but the guests were wearing sports jackets and name tags, not flip flops. Try the three-tiered appetizer sampler and the scallops. The hash that comes with the day's catch, plus the avocado-mango salsa and the citrus butter dip, are all excellent. End with key lime pie.

Mama Della's: Fun, Plus Good Food
Orlando -- Mama Della's Ristorante has a  kitschy theme. As it turns the place also has great food and service. Located in Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Mama' Della's is designed to look like a grandmother's house, with flowered wallpaper and knick-knacks. Hearty Italian food (get the garlic shrimp appetizer and the veal chop entree) is a plus, as is the roaming trio of accordianist with male and female singers -- and a Mamma Della character who greets everyone with her Italian warmth and accent.

Norman's: As Incredible as Ever
Orlando -- Norman's, the suave, exclusive New World Cuisine restaurant in Orlando's Ritz-Carlton, has had a lot of chef turnover recently. Luckily, chef-owner Norman Van Aken has been able to keep up the quality even though he has been busy with new ventures elsewhere in Florida. The signature My "Down Island French Toast," the ceviche, the pan-cooked yellowtail fillet with citrus butter sauce, the pork Havana Nueva, the chocolate souffle, the "Spice Creams"--spectacular, one and all. Norman's is a splurge, but it's a worthwhile splurge.

Whine, Whine, Whine. That's All I Do
You hear the kitchen is the heart of the home, but who'd have thought Rona would become unglued when hers went missing? Read my blog.

Go Bananas for This Diner
Orlando -- The folks from Orlando's twin Funky Monkey restaurants now bring to town Bananas, a Modern American Diner, and it's fun for a casual meal. Dijon-crusted meatloaf, a banana-tasting beer (that's surprisingly good), creative burgers, deep-fried pickles and oversized pancakes are among the myriad options. Prices are low.

Visit Epcot's Caramel Kitchen
Orlando -- Caramel candies, caramel apples and chocolate-dipped strawberries are among the sweet treats for sale at Karamell-Kuche (pronounced KOO-shay) in Epcot's Germany pavilion. Photo

Lunch -- and Now Brunch! -- Lunacy at Tchoup Chop
Orlando -- For surprisingly reasonable prices, Emeril's Tchoup Chop is offering terrific-sounding lunches. The Wok & Rollin' Lunch menu features build-your-own noodle bowls for $8 and Build-a-Bento Box  for $15.  Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Parking is free. Now the Emeril offshoot features Sunday brunch too -- a three-course meal such as the Loco Moko, meatloaf on Spam fried rice topped with a fried egg. Eggs Benedict here involves fried rice cakes and Sriracha hollandaise.

Want to Host a Party? Call Chef Bram
Orlando -- Chef Bram Fowler, who with his wife, Geraldine, ran the popular Journeys and Journeys at Alaqua restaurants in town, now provides food for in-home parties through his Interactive Catering Services. He'll also deliver platters. Call 407.222.5393.

So Now Cabinets Are Out of Style
How is that even possible? Read my blog and share my pain.