7 minute read
Garden Variety
Handle with Karem
The founder of The Modern Host wants to shake up your next dinner party with a taste of something new.
Three different disasters chased Karem (pronounced KARE-em) Rodriguez to Winter Garden, but she’s never looked back. Not even when a pandemic forced her to pivot once again. That’s how the former labor and employment attorney found herself opening a specialty food shop in the Key Foods Plaza on Dillard Street.
“Food, family, and entertaining give me so much joy. And after years working in a job I didn’t love, then living through two Texas hurricanes, being evacuated by flooding, and watching Hurricane Maria devastate my family home in Puerto Rico, I needed to feel grounded. To rediscover joy.”
Indeed, delight and pleasure is the premise behind The Modern Host, the brick-and-mortar version of Karem’s wildly successful blog and pop-up market, The Modern Host Life. The shelves are lined with uniquely sourced products, designed to elevate and inspire any Tuesday night dinner or gathering with friends. Take, for instance, Olive Spoon Sweets from Greece, incredible almond-stuffed olives preserved in a syrup of sugar and lemon juice. Bite-sized honeycomb dipped in chocolate. Brilliantly -hued extra virgin olive oil chips from José Andrés. Cases upon cases filled with hard-to-source cheese, housemade dips, ceviche, meats, handmade pasta, wine, and more. And, of course, Karem’s expertly crafted boards.
On any given day, Karem, her mother, Millie, husband, JP, and daughter tend the counter. “Building this has been more work than any of us anticipated, but it’s so much better than practicing law,” she laughs. “We get to be together. We get to find and taste and make great food, and then share it with the whole community. It’s a dream come true.”
VOCAL LOCALS: What is your secret food craving or indulgence?
—Michael M.
—Sam C.
—Tim H.
—Angela G.
—Susanna J.
LOCAL HISTORY: Evergreen Appeal
Picture it … Winter Garden, October 1927. “Stardust” by Hoagy Carmichael plays on the radio as you sit and enjoy a hearty meal in the popular dining room at the Edgewater Hotel. This newly opened Dining Room has room for 54 guests and hosts regular luncheons for the Rotary Club and the Junior Chamber of Commerce. It offers table service featuring steak dinners, short orders, and a regular plate lunch. The motto is, “A satisfied customer is the best advertisement.”
The Edgewater Dining Room would experience many reincarnations. After a year in operation, the Kirkland family bought the restaurant in November 1928, just in time for the Rotary Club Ladies’ Night Banquet. In 1935, they refurbished the kitchen and redecorated the dining room, which was much appreciated by the newly formed Winter Garden Junior Welfare Association. The redesign was ideal for locals, with luncheons and receptions that had outgrown the original space. In December of 1947, the venue transformed into the Evergreen restaurant, proudly serving the residents of Winter Garden and providing meals for local prisoners.
Today, the venue houses Thai Blossom Restaurant. Rumor has it that the dining room’s floor tile, due to the room’s decades-long popularity, has been visibly worn deep thanks to constant foot traff ic! Don’t believe us? Go see for yourself.
MARKET WATCH: Jo & Gigi Go to Market
When Tom and Tomi Newberry sold their restaurant on the coast, they thought their food service days were over. Or did they? Two of their favorite fish dip recipes stayed in the family for safe keeping. But then friends kept asking for it, and friends of friends, and the next thing you know, Captain Jo’s Smoked Fish Dip took up residence at Winter Garden Farmers Market.
Their fresh line of dips has expanded from those first two favorites to eight varieties as well two different jalapeno toppers, crab cakes, and homemade chips. To be fair, the chips aren’t the only thing homemade—the entire line is! It was this grassroots, home-produced popularity that spun them into another line of food items: pot pies. Tom loves a good pot pie and after playing with the recipes, he crafted a line of 13 different pies, vegan, savory, and sweet, and called it Gigi’s Pot Pies.
The Newberrys are proud to keep the family run, local production small to maintain consistency and quality. They want you to have the same product they would proudly feed their family. Stop by either booth and discover their homemade creations!
Good News in the Garden
Here we grow again! It wouldn’t be a food issue if we didn’t start by sharing all the tasty new bites showing up around town. Mangoni (@mangoniwg) opened their doors last month, dazzling diners with its gorgeous European-inspired decor, craft cocktails, and made-to-order pizzas. Go for the pie, stay for the cannolis. #drool Things are getting weird over at Flamingo Crossings ever since Persimmon Hollow Brewery (@persimmonhollow_flamingo) started pouring. Then again, weird is in their motto, so that’s a good thing. Now we’re just anxiously awaiting the arrival of Sweetland Cake & Tea to dowtown Winter Garden (255 Tremaine Street) and Möge Tee in Hamlin (14410 Shoreside Way). Brown sugar bubble tea, anyone?
Lastly, we’d be remiss not to share the mouthwatering news that Bruno’s Oysters will start roasting and shucking this fall at Crooked Can Brewery’s Barrel Room (426 W Plant St) . Also opening at Plant Street Market will be Norikase Hand Rolls, a casual version of high-end Japanese restaurant Norikase in Jacksonville. And Bento Sushi + Poke will bring sushi rolls and poke bowls to Plant Street Market in the space formerly occupied by Jodo Sushi. Lastly, we’re thrilled to share that Diandra Culver of Sweet Dee’s Cupcakery (@sweetdeescupcakery), who shared her pregnancy announcement via our November issue, gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Alani Grace, on April 14. Welcome to Winter Garden, little one. You’re going to love it here!
CHARITABLE SPOTLIGHT: Second Harvest Food Bank
An estimated one in seven Central Floridians is at risk of going to bed hungry on any given night. Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is working to meet that need, distributing 250,000 meals each day through its network of 550 community feeding partners, including several in Winter Garden. For every $10 donated to Second Harvest, the organization can provide 40 meals to the community.
But there is more that we can do! Second Harvest also has opportunities for the community to help with hunger relief efforts, such as starting a Food & Fund Drive, becoming a Monthly Meal Maker, signing up to Volunteer, or registering for its first-ever Ultimate Garden Party on Saturday, May 21. Hunger advocates are invited to “Escape to Elegance” at the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando where guests will enjoy live entertainment, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and specialty drinks.
Get Involved! feedhopenow.org ultimategardenparty.org
