With little
sleep, it was time to wake up, pack up utensils and ingredients, and head over
to Celebration for the first annual Blogger challenge, sponsored by Saucy Mama and The Kansas City Steak Company. After finding a close parking spot near Market
Street, the bloggers enjoyed a grab-and-go breakfast of champions which
included bagel, cream cheese, yogurt, an apple, orange juice, trail mix and
water. The competitors are much like athletes cooking away in a 2 hour heat and
need energy for their sport.
The final
touches to Kenmore Kitchen Arena were being set by making sure each
station had all the equipment set up and ready to go. In one station, the
bloggers attended a kitchen training by Kenmore’s Pro-Team. This included
training on how all the appliances work from the oven/cooktop, toaster oven,
and Bull grill.
Then, it was off
to the cooks’ meeting where all the rules of the competition were explained. The
blogger cook-off was not as strict as the normal competition as most of the
bloggers had never competed before. The challenge was a taste of what it would
be like to be in a competitor’s shoes. The bloggers also had to write up their
recipe which included ingredients and preparation instructions within 3 hours before
turning in their dish.
 |
| Photo courtesy of World Food Championships |
The bloggers had
15 minutes to prepare their stations, placing their items to cook with on the
prep tables or in the refrigerators. There was also a pantry of vegetables
along with a variety of Saucy Mama sauces available. But instead of ordering
them like the normal competitors, it was a mad dash as bloggers were grabbing
vegetables and sauces like Cutthroat
Kitchen. My Yard Farms also provided microgreens to incorporate into their
dishes.
 |
| Presentation plate during test kitchen prior to World Food Championships |
The author’s
recipe, Filet a la Madrone (recipe below), focused on The Kansas City Steak
Company’s filet mignons, Saucy Mama’s Poblano Ranch Dressing, and CaliforniaRancher’s Santa Maria Style seasoning. The Santa Maria Style had the right flavor profile
to match with the Italian flavors of the pesto sauce and tomato side dish. Fresh
basil leaves were unavailable in large enough quantity to make pesto and had to
resort to a ready-made pesto. Unfortunately, it did not have the bright green
color that was expected. The flavor was flat as well so it desperately needed
to be doctored up.
Filet a la
Madrone
- 2 Kansas City Steak Company filet mignons
- 2 tbsp California Rancher Santa Maria Style seasoning
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp + ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp Saucy Mama Poblano Ranch dressing
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup My Yard Farm microgreens
- Heat grill to high. Grease grill with bacon drippings or oil to keep steaks from sticking to the grates.
- Remove filets from packaging and season with California Rancher’s Santa Maria Style seasoning and set aside to rest and come to room temperature.
- Cut grape tomatoes in half and stir in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to coat. Cover and refrigerate to let the flavors marinate.
- Add basil leaves, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to food processor or NutriBullet and blend until smooth with dark green color. Set aside but do not refrigerate.
- Sear steaks over high heat for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium and cook to your perfect temperature (rare: first side for 7 minutes, second side for 5 minutes; medium: first side for 8 minutes, second side for 7 minutes; medium: first side for 9 minutes, second side for 7 minutes). Remove from heat and let the filets rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
- Stir the pesto, if separated, and decoratively swipe two tablespoons of pesto in the center of the plate.
- Decoratively swipe 1 tablespoon of Saucy Mama’s Poblano Ranch dressing in the middle of the pesto for a two-toned effect.
- Slice filet and arrange on atop of pesto/ranch swipe.
- Place ¾ cup of the marinated tomatoes on the side of the steak and top with microgreens.
After two hours
of cooking and grilling, it was time to turn in the dishes to the judges. With
nerves calmed, station cleaning was at hand to return dirty equipment and pans
to the wash station while the bloggers packed up their personal items.
The bloggers
headed to the bus for the last time to visit Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek run
by the Osceola County Historical Society. The Pioneer Village is a collection
of carefully relocated structures that once stood in different areas of Osceola
County. Each structure has been lovingly preserved to demonstrate how life was once
lived, complete with Partin Family’s Caretaker’s House, Blacksmith’s Shop,
Lanier “Cracker House” (an early-American form of architecture defined by the
center breezeway which created a natural air condition for the home), Tyson
House (showing how an average farming family of
11 lived in a single room dwelling), The Cadman Complex (including
bungalow, kitchen, bachelor’s quarters, and citrus packing house), Seminole
Village, and Mary Kendall Steffee Nature Preserve. If you are a history buff or
an avid photographer, this is a great place to visit.
The bloggers
enjoyed a lunch provided by Experience Kissimmee, an instrumental partner in bringing the World Food
Championships (WFC) to the “The Gateway to Fun”. Kissimmee puts you right in
the middle of the action from world-class theme parks like SeaWorld Orlando to
exciting dinner shows like Medieval Times to accommodations that will fit every
budget. Experience Kissimmee is a great resource for meeting planners as well.
After a short
bus ride back to Celebration, it was time to head back to Parc Soleil for some relaxation for a few hours.
Westgate Resorts
Town Center Resort & Spa’s Ship Wreck Island Water Park was closed off to
the kiddies for one evening to showcase the Kick-Off Reception for the World
Food Championships. As one of the supporters, Westgate Resorts planned a
beautiful reception with food stations galore as past winners reunited as the
2015 World Food Championships began. The bloggers gathered near the stage to
see how they did. Rebecka Evans, blogger and WFC competitor, won 1st
place with a $500 prize. Ken Hulme, blogger and personal chef, won 2nd
place with a $250 prize. Cho Wut Yee, blogger and television personality from Myanmar,
won 3rd place with a $100 prize. The full score board can viewed here. The author received a score of 80 and placed 19 out
of 32.
The 2015 Food
Fight Write! Blogger Summit has come to an end but the World Food Championship
is just about to start.
To see more
photos, please visit OC Food Diva’s Facebook page.
For more
information:
Celebration, FL
2491 Babb Road
Kissimmee, FL
34746
+1.407.396.9644
Hours: Daily
from 10 AM to 4 PM (Closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas
Day, and New Year’s Day)
Admission: $7
for adults, $3 for children 4-12 years old
7700 Westgate
Boulevard
Kissimmee, FL
34747
+1.407.396.2500
