Saturday evening’s Homeowners for Haiti event, held in conjunction with the Central Florida Home & Garden Show at the Orange County Convention Center, raised enough money to buy a house to send to Haiti. Attendees dined on such things as braised short ribes, crab cakes, scallops, lamb chops and luscious desserts, along with wines by Rodney Strong and Opici Winery.
People so enjoyed the food that they asked where they could get the recipes. I have them here. Click to see the recipes for Tobias Braised Short Ribs, Focaccia Crusted Lamb Chops, Crab Cakes with Tropical Mango Salsa, and Chocolate Sabayon.
I was pleased to serve as host for the event and to introduce Harris Rosen, whose vision to provide houses to the earthquake devasted country was the reason for the fundraiser. Among the attendees were many readers of the flog (thanks, gang), concerned members of the community, and folks who had been wandering through the Home & Garden Show and wanted to come in for the good food and wine.
And why wouldn’t they? Admission was only $25, although additional monies were raised through the sale of raffle tickets. Prizes included dining certificates to Cala Bella, A Land Remembered and Everglades. The Grand Prize was dinner for four with Harris Rosen — and me.
Throughout the evening, the star chefs, Michael McMullen, Michael Rumplik and David Ramirez demonstrated their dishes to the crowd. The highlight was the demonstration by pastry chef Ramirez who asked Rosen to help him finish an elaborate chocolate sculpture.
My kudos go to what I dubbed the “Rosen Machine,” headed by the indomitable Amy Leniz. I watched in awe as her crew transformed the Grilling Garden area from a place for audience members to a party space with food stations, wine pouring spots and seating for the 300 guests. It was fun to watch.
But it was a lot more fun to announce that the evening was a success. Thanks to all who helped make it possible,
