Saturday, Nov. 9, food blogger Scott Joseph hosts a pop-up dinner featuring an all-female cast of cooks, including James Beard Award winner Melissa Kelly (Primo), Kathleen Blake (Rusty Spoon), Jephanie Foster (formerly of Blue Bistro and Graze) and Julie Petrakis (Ravenous Pig). The dinner will feature Spanish Rioja wines. The location won’t be revealed until Nov. 8, but we can tell you it will be within three miles of the Quantum Leap Winery. Tickets are $133.69; visit scottjosephorlando.com for more info.
The Winter Park Harvest Festival – a calendar highlight for locavores – returns Nov. 23 to Central Park for a daylong celebration of local farmers, fishers, ranchers and gardeners. A week prior, East End Market chefs will use local ingredients grown by said agriculturalists for the Fall Harvest Dinner, 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16. Tickets are $133.13. Learn more at eastendmkt.com.
Pointe Orlando hosts A Sweet Thanksgiving Carnival from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, featuring such confectioners as Wondermade (handcrafted marshmallows), Sassafras Sweet Shoppe (popular Park Avenue candy store) and Hyppo Orlando (gourmet popsicle maker). Because the event coincides with National Baklava Day, Taverna Opa will make the rich pastries (along with traditional meze and gyro corndogs) available to guests as well. The event, as well as food and drink, are free to all.
In other Greek news, Jacksonville-based Taverna Yamas, and the accompanying Yamas Hookah Bar, have opened in the former Salt Island Chophouse locale on International Drive.
BRIEFLY:
First Watch has opened at Mills Park; the NYC-based “natural fast food” joint Dogmatic will open there sometime next year … In celebration of Diwali, the Hindu “festival of lights,” Whole Foods Market serves a slew of Indian dishes in their hot, cold and prepared foods sections through Nov. 8 … Look for John Rivers to carve smoked turkey and sign copies of his cookbook, The Southern Cowboy, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Longwood 4Rivers Smokehouse, and 5:30-7:30 p.m. the same day at the Winter Park 4Rivers.
Got restaurant dish? Share your tips with [email protected]
