IN THE KITCHEN
RECIPE
Stepping up to the plate Restaurateur and cook Amanda Walsh adds a creative touch to popular dishes. STORY: JAMES COMBS
heeser’s Palace owner Amanda Walsh receives nonstop praise for nearly every item on her menu. The only complaints occur when some customers learn what’s not on the menu. That comes with the territory when you operate a European-style café in the South. “Sometimes people get upset when they learn I don’t have biscuits and gravy,” she says. “You can’t please everybody.” But Amanda certainly tries. As owner, she does everything from making electrical repairs to
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≈ PHOTOS: NICOLE HAMEL
waitressing. A frying pan in one hand and a plumber’s wrench in the other is not unusual. But her favorite aspect of the job is spending time in the kitchen dreaming up new ways to enhance traditional food. Her cute and cozy café in downtown Clermont offers more than standard restaurant fare. A quick glance at the menu reveals items such as European Muesli cereal, Belgian waffles, crepes, a French Brie cheese plate served with French rolls, a Whiskey Cheddar Burger, and Tomato Basil Florentine soup. One of the true stars is her eggs Benedict. This dish may not be new or trendy, but the perfect
combination of poached eggs and creamy Hollandaise sauce atop a deliciously toasted croissant has customers raving. “Most people make eggs Benedict with English muffins, but we use croissants because they absorb the flavor better,” Amanda says. Her eggs Benedict come in many variations besides the traditional with Canadian bacon. Other choices include Grilled Spinach and Tomato, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Sausage and Smoked Salmon. However, the most popular variety was born from Amanda’s own creative tastes and is prepared with a Florida twist. It’s affectionately
