By Brendan O’Connor
Photos Credit: Brendan O'Connor and Scottie Campbell
Photos Credit: Brendan O'Connor and Scottie Campbell
June 1, 2010
When most people think of the “locavore” movement they summon up an image of vegan hipsters and their free-range chickens clucking collectively through a residential neighborhood in tight jeans. (I was talking about the hipsters in tight jeans, not necessarily their chickens.)
The perception is not the case at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando Resort. Through their “Adopt-A-Farmer” program the hotel chain has partnered with Slow Food Orlando to build their menus through sourcing and buying locally produced food. To celebrate their brand-wide mandate to support and enhance local farming communities, Loews held the second of hopefully many “Aloha Friday Farmers Market” dinners. My partner Scottie Campbell and I had the pleasure and the honor to represent The Daily City at the most recent shin-dig in the Wantilan Luau Pavilion, and we were both impressed by what we found.
The dinner was open to the public and for $45 you could sample what the hotel’s chefs had created with their adopted produce.
My personal favorite was the pork taco sourced from Jim Wood’s Palmetto Creek Farms. Mr. Wood’s family started this business with 2 pigs and now after 12 years, they are supplying pork to some of the top chefs in the state. All of the pork is preservative, chemical, and cruelty-free, and is so mouthwateringly delicious that it has to come from some very happy pigs.
There was a salad bar showcasing the hydroponic goodies from Hearts of Christmas Farms.
Just a few steps away there was a seafood table piled high with Wild Ocean’s latest catch out of Port Canaveral and Titusville. Wild Ocean sources its product from small family businesses and ships all across the country.
Deep Creek Ranch provided the grass-fed beef for the AMAZING roast beef sandwich table and Emeril’s Tchop Chop was on hand with plates of tuna and salmon sushi.
However the biggest hullabaloo was stirred up by the drink vendors.
Four Orange Vodka (made with real Florida Oranges) and Orlando Brewing (of $10 all you can drink mimosa fame at the Lake Eola Farmers Market) provided an all you can drink bacchanal of local liquidities which allowed the high brow crowd to let loose and enjoy the party.
The Dinner quickly turned into a yuppy frat party complete with beach ball games and ‘80s classic rock by local band, Volcano Joe and the Hot Lava Band (who were fantastic b.t.dubs).
Clearly there is a lot for Central Florida to be proud of, but Slow Food has some work cut out for them if they’re hoping to educate the public rather than get them to binge on local seafood dumplings and organic beer. Other than the fact that the majority of those present had no idea, and no interest in what they were eating and drinking, the party was a gas and Loews should be proud of the trend they are setting with their Adopt-A-Farmer program.
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