Eat Like a Rabbit

The powers-that-be in my office must really like this place because this is the third year in a row that our office Christmas party has been hosted here. It also has a good reputation in the city for quality. This is my first year being able to attend the entire Christmas party because of my church choir ironically always seems to sing at Disney on the same day as the party.

We did not take any pictures of this meal because we were with a new group of individuals we had never met before. People who don't participate in Eat Like a Rabbit sometimes become embarrassed when sitting at a table with us while we take pictures of the food we are about to eat.

The neatest thing to me about Panullo's is the history of the building. I am pleased that the restaurant recognizes the importance of the history of Orlando and even points this out on the front page of its website.

Currently, the building is in excellent repair with nice paintings of Italian scenery. The ladies restroom had names of famous designers written in cursive here and there on the walls.

This Italian dessert and coffee spot is attached to a fabulous Italian restaurant, Cafe Epicure. The restaurant has tried to stay authentic with all signs in Italian (but with English translations) and even an imported cooler that reads the inside temperature in Celsius.

Being big fans of Italy, we have been interested in trying this dessert "shack," Jeremiah's Italian Ice, a stand-alone walk-up-to-the-counter building in front of a strip mall. I could not believe the number of patrons. There were three teenage girls working in the stand, and they were all kept busy. They were polite and worked hard. We had heard from friends that it was good. We just were rarely on that side of town. We just happened to be there around dinner time that day. Perfect dessert stop.

This is the same Garlic Soup recipe from Moosewood Restaurant's Simple Suppers cookbook. Only, this time I served it over soft wheat bread and cheddar cheese. You can see from the images the recipe is to ladle broth over bread and cheese. The concept makes sense. Tons of people dip their grilled cheeses in soup. This soup just makes the meal less messy.

I love bruschetta. There are many varieties for creations from my "Moosewood Cooks at Home" cookbook. We had an excess of tomatoes this day, so I created my own. I wrapped the entire loaf in aluminum foil and placed it in the oven at 350 degrees to warm. If it were just the two of us, I would place a few slices in a regular toaster. Toasting to dark makes the bread crumble-y and not toasting enough makes the bread a bit tough so when you bite into it the toppings fall off. We regularly test slices of bread while heating to ensure it's the right texture.