{"id":8934,"date":"2017-08-23T16:17:13","date_gmt":"2017-08-23T20:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/?p=8934"},"modified":"2022-01-12T12:12:09","modified_gmt":"2022-01-12T17:12:09","slug":"honey-sweet-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsroom.ocfl.net\/2017\/08\/honey-sweet-win\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Honey for the Sweet Win"},"content":{"rendered":"

Local Task Force Nominates Main Ingredient in Quest for Orlando Signature Dish <\/strong><\/p>\n

Like any good recipe, the search for a dish that represents Orlando is starting from the beginning: A signature ingredient has been decided \u2013 local honey \u2013 representing the diversity, sweetness and unique attributes of Central Florida.<\/p>\n

A group of area chefs and food and beverage specialists met with Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Visit Orlando destination experts to consider exploring a signature dish for the region. The idea to focus on a culinary competition to showcase local honey grew from that initial challenge.<\/p>\n

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Let the voting begin!<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Beginning Oct. 2, diners will find a list of participating restaurants and their respective honey dish \u201ccandidates\u201d on VisitOrlando.com\/Dish<\/a>. The dessert will be featured on each restaurant\u2019s menu, and the public is encouraged to try each one and vote for their favorite throughout the campaign (Oct. 2 \u2013 Nov. 3). Votes will be cast and tabulated on VisitOrlando.com\/Dish<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Visit Orlando will promote the competition with ongoing social media, and the public can join the conversation through the hashtag #MyOrlandoDish.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cA signature dish doesn\u2019t happen overnight; ultimately it grows organically over time. This initiative is a first step in starting the conversation as to what dish the community thinks represents Orlando. In the process, we continue to expand people\u2019s awareness of the rich and unique culinary offerings found throughout our region,\u201d said Mayor Jacobs. \u201cWe are an incredibly diverse destination, which makes this both a challenge and an opportunity for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why honey?<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Due to its temperate climate and agricultural origins, Central Florida has long had an abundance of local crops and plants that contribute to numerous flavors of honey, including gallberry, saw palmetto, blueberry, Brazilian pepper, and – of course – popular orange blossom from the region\u2019s once-flourishing citrus groves. The state produced 17 million pounds of honey in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlorida has the largest variety of honey \u2013 more than any other state in the U.S.,<\/em>\u201d said Orange Blossom Beekeepers Association\u2019s communications director Beth Fox. \u201cThe diverse ecology in Central Florida, in particular, yields a wide variety of nice honey flavored by different wildflowers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur climate is conducive to nearly continual honey-making, as Central Florida has lots of flowers and botanicals blooming all year long for the bees,\u201d said John Rife, the founder of local-sourced food hub the East End Market in Orlando (and a philanthropic beekeeper himself). \u201cAnd it\u2019s part of our history \u2013 growing up with orange trees in the back yard, watching bees pollinate.\u201d It\u2019s also a way to help fight the trend of declining honey bees nationwide, Rife notes.<\/p>\n

Because of this mild climate, beekeepers from around the country also migrate to the state every winter to rebuild their colonies – trucking in about 280,000 colonies each year. The number of registered beekeepers in Florida has more than quadrupled in the past decade (4,500 in 2016), with about 500 new beekeepers registering each year, many in Central Florida, according to the University of Florida\u2019s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.<\/p>\n

From a chef perspective, honey also was a natural choice agreed Chef Julie Petrakis, co-owner of several local restaurants, including award-winning The Ravenous Pig, and a participant on the task force. \u201cWe use local honey in so many ways; it\u2019s so versatile, has many flavor components and is locally sourced and authentic to our region. It\u2019s been an inspiration for many of our dishes, as it can be both sweet and savory.\u201d<\/p>\n

Destination executives will use the challenge to showcase Orlando\u2019s culinary offerings. \u201cThe significant depth and breadth of Orlando\u2019s dining experiences have grown and become a vital part of the destination for visitors,\u201d said George Aguel, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. \u201cThis initiative celebrates the culinary talent in our region, unites the community through a friendly competition, and allows us to create some great \u2018buzz\u2019 about Orlando\u2019s dining scene and chef artistry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Competition criteria<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The culinary competition kicks off this fall and is open to all Orlando restaurant chefs. Dishes can be submitted now through Oct. 1 on VisitOrlando.com\/Dish<\/a>, and public voting takes place Oct. 1 through Nov. 3. The public will determine the top candidates and a panel of national and local food experts will it narrow down to the final winner. Dish criteria are:<\/p>\n