Quick Bites

THE VILLAGES

A satisfy ing tradition

If you can’t wait till the 17th for Irish culinary traditions such as corned beef and cabbage, get an early jump on satisfying your appetite in The Villages. The community will stage two St. Patrick’s Day Festivals, March 14 at Lake Sumter Landing Market Square and March 16 at Spanish Springs Town Square, both scheduled from 4:45-9pm. Restaurants and food vendors lining the squares will serve all the holiday food favorites, and don’t forget the green beer.

Just drop them off !

Publix supermarkets in Leesburg and Eustis now offer delivery service right to your door! All you do is browse all their products online, create a shopping list, and the items will be delivered to your home. For those who dread going to the grocery store after work, the fear is gone! Right now, this service is offered only in select areas, and it includes liquor deliveries. Go to publix.com, put in your zip code to see if service is available in your area, and start shopping. There is a charge for delivery, but how valuable is your time?

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TOTAL FOOD EXPENDITURE AND AT-HOME SHARE

1,800 1,600 1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 At-home share is declining

54.6% Away from home $800B

+94% since ‘03 49.8%

At home $793B

+59% since ‘03

‘03 ‘08 ‘13 ‘04 ‘09 ‘14 ‘05 ‘10 ‘15 ‘06 ‘11 ‘16 ‘07 ‘12

Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Economic Research Service. © 2017 The Nielsen Company

The daily special

It seems everyone, including the president, enjoys more meals from restaurants than dining at home or they’re preparing home meals from a kit. According to a Nielsen Marketing study, more people are eating in restaurants than ever. This trend has increased in such a significant manner that it’s hitting grocery stores in the cash register in a bad way. Much of this is due to online shopping and meal kit availability. It simply means avoiding the hassle of shopping while having everything you need for the meal in one container. Statistics show Gen X buyers account for 51 percent of spending on meal kits, but indications are all generations are being more diverse in food and beverage buying options.

Label, label, label

If you’re smart, you shop with a list so you don’t give in to impulsive prompts on grocery shelves. However, even with a list, no two shoppers work the store aisles alike. Studies show that U.S. shoppers are focused more on product attributes than sales. Some are looking for keywords like antioxidants, and others are looking for what’s not inside. According to Nielsen’s Clean Label Report, many shoppers are saying it’s more important to leave out the bad stuff than include the good stuff. They don’t like artifi cial ingredients, hormones/antibiotics, and that vague list of ingredients that aren’t easy to pronounce.

MOUNT DORA

Head to the market

The Mount Dora Village Market is a popular Sunday attraction from 9am-2pm at Sunset Park, 230 W. 4th Ave., Mount Dora. Local vendors will be on hand March 4, 11, and 18 showcasing fresh vegetables, cheese, eggs, seafood, breads, and crafts. To learn more, call Don Stuart at 352.406.6455 or email studeck@comcast.net.

LEESBURG

Burger wars

Burger King and McDonald’s, McDonald’s and Burger King—you rarely see one without the other. So it’s no surprise that the Home of the Whopper has a new address in Leesburg at the northwest corner of U.S. Highway 27 and County Road 48—kitty corner from the Golden Arches. The new restaurant went up rapidly and staff was hired during construction in preparation for its opening. Let the burger battle begin.

LEESBURG

The founder of the daily special

Evander Lee, the founder of Leesburg, doesn’t need a statue when he can have a restaurant to honor his legacy. The Evander Lee is expected to open soon at 205 W. Main St. in downtown Leesburg. The American restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with craft cocktails from a full bar, according to its Facebook page. The business already has black-and-white T-shirts emblazoned with a drawing of Evander—a little thread of immortality.

Whip up some Irish soda bread

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 by eating foods the Irish enjoy, including this easy Irish soda bread.

4 cups allpurpose flour

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and margarine. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into a round and place on prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaf with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an ‘X’ into the top of the loaf.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.

Source: allrecipes.com

Dig into some chips and dips!

Who doesn’t love chips and dips? March 23 is National Chips and Dips Day, and the perfect time to enjoy your favorite potato chips with French onion dip, or tortilla chips with salsa—just in case you needed an excuse!

Foodimentary.com

provided the following chips and dip trivia:

• The potato chip was invented in 1853.

• Dips for chips first became popular in the 1950s, serving as finger food.

• It takes 10,000 pounds of potatoes to make 3,500 pounds of potato chips.