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How Disney World’s Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue almost didn’t make it

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It’s the show that many Disney World employees thought would
never make it through the Summer of 1974. Let alone still be going strong 37
years later.

“On our opening night at Pioneer Hall, our audience
consisted of six tables worth of Guests. That’s one table per member of the
cast,” recalled Gary Goddard, one of the many talented folks involved with the
creation of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. “By the end of our first month of
performances, things were looking somewhat better. We were playing to
half-empty houses by that point. But things were so touch-and-go for a while
there that we wondered whether Disney World management was actually going to give
this dinner show the time that it needed to catch on with the Guests.”

Mind you, you can understand Mouse House managers’
frustration. The Arab oil embargo (which had run from October of 1973 through
March of 1974) had had a horrific albeit temporary impact on WDW’s attendance
levels. And now that there was enough gasoline available around the country that
tourists could once again drive down to Orlando and vacation with Mickey, the
pressure was really on to make sure that every facility on property was focused
on turning a profit.


Workmen put the finishing touches on Fort Wilderness’ Pioneer Hall in February of 1974.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

Now Pioneer Hall had just opened in April 1, 1974. And WED’s original plan for
this new Fort Wilderness facility was that it would serve breakfast & lunch
to the Guests who were staying at the campground. But as to what would happen inside
of Pioneer Hall once night fell … Well, given that the Imagineers had hoped
that most WDW visitors would still be inside of the Magic Kingdom at this point
and/or be enjoying one of the Vacation Kingdom’s other recreational opportunities,
they didn’t put a whole lot of thought into Pioneer Hall’s nighttime entertainment
line-up.

“My understanding is – given that Fort Wilderness was supposed
to be the place where WDW Guests would stay if they wanted to get closer to
nature – that the nighttime programs that the Imagineers had initially envisioned
for Pioneer Hall were to have reinforced that idea,” Goddard continued. “So
they were originally going to present animal programs in there, so that campers
and their kids could then get to see some Central Florida wildlife up close.
Plus there was talk that they might screen some of Disney’s  old True-Life Adventures movies
in there on a
nightly basis.”

But – again – all of that changed in the Spring of 1974.
Where – on the heels of the Oil Crisis – every dollar now counted. Which is why
WDW execs turned to Bob Jani (i.e. the then-Vice President of Entertainment for
both Disneyland and Walt Disney World) and tasked him with coming up with a concept
for a new live dinner show that could then be presented inside of Pioneer Hall.


Cast of WDW’s Polynesian Revue from the early 1970s. Copyright
Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“The luau at the Polynesian was doing so well at this point
that it was selling out every night. They were actually turning Guests away. And
the feeling in-house was that – if Disney World were able to get another
nighttime dinner show up & running somewhere else on property … Well, that
show might then be offered as an alternative to the Guests who were
disappointed about not being able to get a reservation for the Polynesian
Revue
,” Gary explained.

The only problem was that Pioneer Hall hadn’t really been
designed as a performance space. The wide stone pillars that held up the building’s
balcony had a pretty detrimental effect on this hall’s sightlines. And then
there was the matter of there being absolutely no money in WDW’s entertainment
budget when it came time to hire the cast of this proposed new nighttime show.

“That’s why the original cast of the Hoop-Dee-Doo were all
members of Disney World Fine Arts College Workshop program. These were kids who’d
come down to the Resort to perform over the Summer. They thought that they’d be
dancing in the Magic Kingdom or singing at the Top of the World. But they wound
up in our backwoods show instead,” Goddard laughed.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

The initial plan for Hoop-Dee-Doo was that it would run for just
12 weeks over the Summer of 1974. But as I mentioned at the top of today’s
article, the audiences that initially turned out for this new offering at
Pioneer Hall were so small that … Well, the show’s creative team & cast allegedly
heard rumors that Mouse House managers were thinking about pulling the plug on
this production just two weeks into its run.

“But that was only because no one knew – at that time,
anyway – that we were out at Fort Wilderness doing this new fun dinner show. And
given that there was no money in our budget for promotion of Hoop-Dee-Doo, I
took it upon myself to start advertising the show,” Gary remembered. “I personally
made up a set of flyers and posters which I then hand-delivered to each of the
on-property Disney hotels. I then made a point of meeting with each of the
concierges at these hotels and inviting them to come see Hoop-Dee-Doo. So that
they’d then start talking up the show to the Guests.”

And – in the end – Goddard’s effort paid off. The
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue eventually grew to be so popular with WDW visitors that,
for a time, the Imagineers actually toyed with moving this nighttime dinner
show out of Pioneer Hall and then restaging it outdoors on a far grander scale.


Dorothea Redmond’s concept painting of the performance space which was proposed
for that greatly expanded outdoor version of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.
Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“When I was initially hired by WED in 1975, one of my very first
assignments was to help create some additional entertainment offerings at Fort
Wilderness. I worked with Marc Davis to help design this walk-thru funhouse
called the Old Barn,” Gary said.  “I also
helped design this new outdoor version of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue which was
going to be staged on this full-sized Western street. Where you wouldn’t have
just heard the cast pull up outside in a stage coach, you’d have actually seen
that stage coach roll onstage pulled by a team of live horses. And an audience
of 1500 people could have watched this live show all at the same time – with chorus
lines of dance hall girls & epic gun battles & stuntmen falling out of
rooftops — from across the street, where they sit eating inside of the
Deadwood Steakhouse. Which was going to be this big open-air restaurant.”

And even though Card Walker, the then-Chairman of Walt
Disney Productions, reportedly thought that this greatly expanded version of
the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue was one of the greatest ideas that he’d ever heard
and actually proposed using a network TV special as a way of making would-be
Disney World visitors that this new entertainment alternative was now open at
the Resort  … This obviously promising
concept never quite made it off of the drawing board.

Which is why – to this day – people have to make
reservations six months in advance in order to secure a seat inside of Pioneer
Hall. In spite of presenting three shows nightly of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical
Revue, Disney World still can’t meet guest demand. Which – given that it’s been
more than 37 years since he initially worked on this show with Bob Jani, Ron
Miziker, Larry Billman and Tom Adair – still amazes Gary Goddard.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“This was a show that only could have happened at Walt
Disney World in the early 1970s. Back then, management was far more hands-off.
More to the point, because we were working out of Pioneer Hall at the Fort
Wilderness campground, we were really off the Company’s radar for quite a
while. So we then had the time we need to fine-tune this show, add new gags,
change the order of things,” Goddard smiled. “Of course, once Dick Nunis and
Bob Matheison came around during our second months of performances and saw that
we had cast members jumping from the balcony down onto the stage … Well, for
safety reasons, they had us restage that part. But beyond that, they really
loved the show.”

And so do most Walt Disney World visitors. Which is why –
since June 14, 1974 – the Hoop-Doo-Dee Musical Revue has been presented over
35,000 times. Which makes this nighttime dinner show the most popular &
longest-running live entertainment production that The Walt Disney Company has
ever staged.  

Which – when you consider how close Pioneer Hall came to
being this place where campers could go at night to see live animal demos of
creatures that had been shipped over from Discovery Island and/or watch
screenings of “The Living Desert” or “The Vanishing Prairie”  – is just kind of
bizarre.


Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

So how many of you JHM readers are among the 10 million WDW
visitors who have seen the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue over the past 37 years?
And – if you have seen this nighttime dinner show – what’s your favorite
bear-related pun from that “Mammoth Historical Pageant” which closes out these
proceedings? Mine is “How could you do this to my next-of-skin?”

Your thoughts?


Planning a Disney vacation?
Let Disney only travel company
Mouseketrips help you.


Jim Hill is an entertainment writer who has specialized in covering The Walt Disney Company for nearly 40 years now. Over that time, he has interviewed hundreds of animators, actors, and Imagineers -- many of whom have shared behind-the-scenes stories with Mr. Hill about how the Mouse House really works. In addition to the 4000+ articles Jim has written for the Web, he also co-hosts a trio of popular podcasts: “Disney Dish with Len Testa,” “Fine Tooning with Drew Taylor” and “Marvel US Disney with Aaron Adams.” Mr. Hill makes his home in Southern New Hampshire with his lovely wife Nancy and two obnoxious cats, Ginger & Betty.

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Jens Dahlmann of LongHorn Steakhouse has lots of great tips when it comes to grilling

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Sure, for some folks, the Fourth of July is all about fireworks. But for the 75% of all Americans who own a grill or a smoker, the Fourth is our Nation’s No. 1 holiday when it comes to grilling. Which is why 3 out of 4 of those folks will spend some time outside today working over a fire.

But here’s the thing: Though 14 million Americans can cook a steak with confidence because they actually grill something every week, the rest of us – because we use our grill or smoker so infrequently … Well, let’s just say that we have no chops when it comes to dealing with chops (pork, veal or otherwise).

So what’s a backyard chef supposed to in a situation like this when there’s so much at steak … er … stake? Turn to someone who really knows their way around a grill for advice. People like Jens Dahlmann, the Vice President and Corporate Executive Chef for Darden Restaurant’s LongHorn Steakhouse brand.

Given that Jens’ father & grandfather were chefs, this is a guy who literally grew up in a kitchen. In his teens & twenties, Dahlmann worked in hotels & restaurants all over Switzerland & Germany. Once he was classically trained in the culinary arts, Jens then  jumped ship. Well, started working on cruise ships, I mean.

Anyway … While working on Cunard’s Sea Goddess, Dahlmann met Sirio Maccioni, the founder of Le Cirque 2000. Sirio was so impressed with Jens’ skills in the kitchen that he offered him the opportunity to become sous-chef at this New York landmark. After four years of working in Manhattan, Dahlmann then headed south to become executive chef at Palm Beach’s prestigious Café L’Europe.

Jens Dahlmann back during his Disney World days

And once Jens began wowing foodies in Florida, it wasn’t all that long ’til the Mouse came a-calling. Mickey wanted Dahlmann to shake things up in the kitchen over at WDW’s Flying Fish Café. And he did such a good job with that Disney’s Boardwalk eatery the next thing Jens knew, he was then being asked to work his magic with the menu at the Contemporary Resort’s California Grill.

From there, Dahlmann had a relatively meteoric rise at the Mouse House. Once he became Epcot’s Food & Beverage general manager, it was only a matter of time before he wound up as the executive chef in charge of this theme park’s annual International Food & Wine Festival. Which – under Jens’ guidance – experienced some truly explosive growth.

“When I took on Food & Wine, that festival was only 35 days long and had gross revenues of just $5.5 million. When I left Disney in 2016, Food & Wine was now over 50 days long and that festival had gross revenues of $22 million,” Dahlmann admitted during a recent sit-down. “I honestly loved those 13 years I spent at Disney. When I was working there, I learned so much because I was really cooking for America.”

And it was exactly that sort of experience & expertise that Darden wanted to tap into when they lured Jens away from Mickey last year to become LongHorn Steakhouse’s new Vice President and Corporate Executive Chef. But today … Well, Dahlmann is offering tips to those of us who are thinking about cooking steak tips for the Fourth.

Photo by Jim Hill

“When you’re planning on grilling this holiday, if you’re looking for a successful result, the obvious place to start is with the quality of the meat you plan on cooking for your friends & family. If you want the best results here, don’t be cheap when you go shopping. Spend the money necessary for a fresh filet or a New York strip. Better yet a Ribeye, a nice thick one with good marbling. Because when you look at the marbling on a steak, that’s where all the flavor happens,” Jens explained. “That said, you always have to remember that — the higher you go with the quality of your meat — the less time you’re going to want that piece of meat to spend on the grill.”

And speaking of cooking … Before you even get started here, Jens suggests that you first take the time to check over all of your grilling equipment. Making sure that the grill itself is first scraped clean & then properly oiled before you then turn up the heat.

“If you’re working with a dirty grill, when you go to turn your meat, it may wind up sticking to the grill. Or maybe those spices that you’ve just so carefully coated your steak with will wind up sticking to the grill, rather than your meat,” Dahlmann continued. “Which is why it’s always worth it to spend a few minutes prior to firing up your grill properly cleaning & oiling it.”

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of heat … Again, before you officially get started grilling here, Jens says that it’s crucial to check your temperature gauges. Make sure that your char grill is set at 550 (so that it can then properly handle the thicker cuts of meat) and your flattop is set at 425 (so it can properly sear thinner pieces of meat).

Okay. Once you’ve bought the right cuts of quality meat, properly cleaned & oiled your grill, and then made sure that everything’s set at the right temperature (“If you can only stand to hold your hand directly over the grill for two or three seconds, that’s the right amount of heat,” Dahlmann said), it’s now time to season your steaks.

“Don’t be afraid to be bold here. You can’t be shy when it comes to seasoning your meat. You want to give it a nice coating. Largely because — if you’re using a char grill — a lot of that seasoning is just going to fall off anyway,” Jens stated. “It’s up to you to decide what sort of seasoning you want to use here. Even just some salt & pepper will enhance a steak’s flavor.”

Then – according to Dahlmann – comes the really tough part. Which is placing your meat on the grill and then fighting the urge to flip it too early or too often.

“The biggest mistake that a lot of amateur cooks make is that they flip the steak too many times. The real key to a well-cooked piece of meat is just let it be, “Jens insisted. “Of course, if you’re serving different cuts of meat at your Fourth of July feast, you always want to put your biggest thickest steak on the grill first. If you’re also cooking a New York Strip, you want to put that one on a few minutes later. But after that, just let the grill do its job and flip your meat a total of three or four times, once every three minutes or so.”

Of course, the last thing you want to do is overcook a quality piece of meat. Which is why Dahlmann suggests that – when it comes to grilling steaks – if you’re going to err, err on the side of undercooking.

“You can always put a piece of meat back on the grill if it’s slightly undercooked. When you over-cook something, all you can do then is start over with a brand-new piece of meat,” Jens said. “Just be sure that you’re using the correct cut of meat for the cooking result you’re aiming for. If someone wants a rare or medium rare steak, you should go with a thicker cut of steak. If one of your guests wants their steak cooked medium or well, it’s best to start with a thinner cut of meat.”

Photo by Jim Hill

As you can see, the folks at Longhorn take grilling steaks seriously. How seriously? Just last week at Darden Corporate Headquarters in Orlando, seven of these brand’s top grill masters (who – after weeks of regional competitions – had been culled from the 491 restaurants that make up this chain) competed for a $10,000 prize in the Company’s second annual Steak Master Series. And Dahlmann was one of the people who stood in Darden’s test kitchens, watching like a hawk as each of the contestants struggled to prepare six different dishes in just 20 minutes according to Longhorn Steakhouse’s exacting standards.

“I love that Darden does this. Recognizing the best of the best who work this restaurant,” Jens concluded. “We have a lot of people here who are incredibly knowledgeable & passionate when it comes to grilling.”

Speaking of which … If today’s story doesn’t include the exact piece of info that you need to properly grill that T-bone, just whip out your iPhone & text GRILL to 55702. Or – better yet – visit  ExpertGriller.com prior to firing up your grill or smoker later today. 

This article was originally published by the Huffington Post on Tuesday, July 4, 2017

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Brattleboro’s Strolling of the Heifers is a sincere if somewhat surreal way to spend a summer’s day in Vermont

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Some people travel halfway ‘around the planet so that they can then experience the excitement of the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona. If you’re more of a Slow Living enthusiast (as I am), then perhaps you should amble to Brattleboro, VT. Where – over the first weekend in June – you can then join a herd of cow enthusiasts at the annual Strolling of the Heifers.

Now in its 16th year, this three-day long event typically gets underway on Friday night in June with a combination block party / gallery walk. But then – come Saturday morning – Main Street in Brattleboro is lined with thousands of bovine fans.

Photo by Jim Hill

They’ve staked out primo viewing spots and set up camp chairs hours ahead of time. Just so these folks can then have a front row seat as this year’s crop of calves (which all come from local farms & 4-H clubs) are paraded through the streets.

Photo by Jim Hill

Viewed from curbside, Strolling of the Heifers is kind of this weird melding of a sincere small town celebration and Pasadena’s Doo Dah Parade. Meaning that – for every entry that actually acknowledged this year’s theme (i.e. “Dance to the Moosic”) — …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there was something completely random, like this parade’s synchronized shopping cart unit.

Photo by Jim Hill

And for every piece of authentic Americana (EX: That collection of antique John Deere tractors that came chugging through the city) …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there was something silly. Like – say – a woman dressed as a Holstein pushing a baby stroller through the streets. And riding in that stroller was a pig dressed in a tutu.

Photo by Jim Hill

And given that this event was being staged in the Green Mountain State & all … Well, does it really surprise you to learn that — among the groups that marched in this year’s Strolling of the Heifers – was a group of eco-friendly folks who, with their  chants of “We’re Number One !,” tried to persuade people along the parade route not to flush the toilet after they pee. Because – as it turns out – urine can be turned into fertilizer.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of fertilizer … At the tail end of the parade, there was a group of dedicated volunteers who were dealing with what came out of the tail end of all those cows.

Photo by Jim Hill

This year’s Strolling of the Heifers concluded at the Brattleboro town common. Where event attendees could then get a closer look at some of the featured units in this year’s parade…

Photo by Jim Hill

… or perhaps even pet a few of the participants.

Photo by Jim Hill

But as for the 90+ calves who took part in the 2017 edition of Strolling of the Heifers, once they reached the town common, it was now time for a nosh or a nap.

Photo by Jim Hill

Elsewhere on the common, keeping with this year’s “Dance to the Moosic” theme, various musical groups performed in & around the gazebo throughout the afternoon.

Photo by Jim Hill

While just across the way – keeping with Brattleboro’s tradition of showcasing the various artisans who live & work in the local community – some pretty funky pieces were on display at the Slow Living Exposition.

Photo by Jim Hill

All in all, attending Strolling of the Heifers is a somewhat surreal but still very pleasant way to spend a summer’s day in Vermont. And that’s no bull.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, that could be a bull. To be honest, what with the wig & all, it’s kind of hard to tell. 

This article was originally published by the Huffington Post on Sunday, June 4, 2017

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Looking to make an authentic Irish meal for Saint Patrick’s Day? If so, then chef Kevin Dundon says not to cook corned beef & cabbage

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Let’s at least start on a positive note: Celebrated chef, author & TV personality Kevin Dundon – the man that Tourism Ireland has repeatedly chosen as the Face of Irish Food – loves a lot of what happens in the United States on March 17th.

“I mean, look at what they do in Chicago on Saint Patrick’s Day. They toss all of this vegetable-based dye into the Chicago River and then paint it green for a day. That’s terrific,” Kevin said.

But then when it comes to what many Americans eat & drink on St. Paddy’s Day (i.e., a big plate of corned beef and cabbage. Which is then washed down with a mug of green beer) … Well, that’s where Dundon has to draw the line.

Irish celebrity chef Kevin Dundon displays a traditional Irish loin of bacon with Colcannon potatoes and a Dunbrody Kiss chocolate dessert. Photo by Tom Burton. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“Green beer? No real Irishman would be caught dead drinking that stuff,” Kevin insists. “And as for eating corned beef & cabbage … That’s not actually authentic Irish fare either. Bacon and cabbage? Sure. But corned beef & cabbage was something that the Irish only began eating after they’d come to the States to escape the Famine. And even then these Irish-Americans only began serving corned beef & cabbage to their friends & family because they had to make do with the ingredients that were available to them at that time.”

And thus begins the strange tale of how corned beef & cabbage came to be associated with the North American celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. Because – according to Dundon – beef just wasn’t all that big a part of the Irish diet back in the 19th century.

To explain: Back in the Old Country, cattle – while they were obviously highly prized for the milk & cheese that they produced – were also beasts of burden. Meaning that they were often used for ploughing the fields or for hauling heavy loads. Which is why – back then — these animals were rarely slaughtered when they were still young & healthy. If anything, land owners liked to put a herd of cattle on display out in one of their pastures because that was then a sign to their neighbors that this farm was prosperous.

“Whereas pork … Well, everybody raised pigs back then. Which is why pork was a staple of the Irish diet rather than beef,” Dundon continued.

So if that’s what people actually ate back in the Old Country, how then did corned beef & cabbage come to be so strongly associated with Saint Patrick’s Day in the States.? That largely had to do with where the Irish wound up living after they arrived in the New World.

“When the Irish first arrived in America following the Great Famine, a lot of them wound up living in the inner city right alongside the Germans & the Jews, who were also recent immigrants to the States. And while that farm-fresh pork that the Irish loved wasn’t readily available, there was brisket. Which the Irish could then cure by first covering this piece of meat with corn kernel-sized pieces of rock salt – that’s how it came to be called corned beef. Because of the sizes of the pieces of rock salt that were used in the curing process – and then placing all that in a pot of water with other spices to soak for a few days.”

And as for the cabbage portion of corned beef & cabbage … Well, according to Kevin, in addition to buying their meat from the kosher delis in their neighborhood, the Irish would also frequent the stores that the German community shopped in. Where – thanks to their love of sauerkraut (i.e., pickled cabbage) – there was always a ready supply of cabbage to be had.

“So when you get right down to it, it was the American melting pot that led to corned beef & cabbage being found in the Irish-American cooking pot,” Dundon continued. “Since they couldn’t find or didn’t have easy access to the exact same ingredients that they had back in Ireland, Irish-Americans made do with what they could find in the immediate vicinity. And what they made was admittedly tasty. But it’s not actually authentic Irish fare.”

Mind you, what Kevin serves at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant at Disney Springs (which – FYI – Orlando Magazine voted as the area’s best restaurant back in 2014) is nothing if not authentic. Dundon and his team at this acclaimed gastropub pride themselves on making traditional Irish fare and then contemporized it.

Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

“Take – for example – what we serve here instead of corned beef & cabbage. Again, because it was pork – rather than beef – that was the true staple of the Irish diet back then, what we offer instead is a loin of bacon that has been glazed with Irish Mist. That then comes with colcannon potatoes. Which is this traditional Irish dish that’s made up of mashed potato that have had some cabbage & bacon mixed through it,” Kevin enthused. “This heavenly ham – that’s what we actually call this traditional Irish dish at Raglan Road, Kevin’s Heavenly Ham – also includes some savory cabbage with a parsley cream sauce as well as a raisin cider jus. It’s simple food. But because of the basic ingredients – and that’s the real secret of Irish cuisine. That our ingredients are so strong – the flavors just pop off the plate.”

Which brings us to the real challenge that Dundon and the Raglan Road team face every day. Making sure that they actually have all of the ingredients necessary to make this traditional-yet-contemporized Irish fare to those folks who frequent this Walt Disney World favorite.

“Take – for example – the fish we serve here. We only used cold water fish. Salmon, mussels and haddock that have been hauled out of the Atlantic, the ocean that America and Ireland share,” Kevin stated. “Not that there’s anything wrong with warm water fish. It’s just that … Well, it doesn’t have the same structure. It’s a softer fish, which doesn’t really fit the parameters of Irish cuisine. And if you’re going to serve authentic food, you have to be this dedicated when it comes to sourcing your ingredients.

Copyright Mitchell Beazley. All rights reserved

And if you’re thinking of perhaps trying to serve an authentic Irish meal this year, rather than once again serving corned beef & cabbage at your Saint Patrick’s Day Feast … Well, back in September of last year, Mitchell Beazley published “The Raglan Road Cookbook: Inside America’s Favorite Irish Pub.” This 296-page hardcover not only includes the recipe for Kevin’s Heavenly Ham but also it tells the tale of how this now-world-renown restaurant wound up being built in Orlando.

On the other hand, if you happen to have to the luck of the Irish and are actually down at The Walt Disney World Resort right now, it’s worth noting that Raglan Road is right in the middle of its Mighty St. Patrick’s Day Festival. This four day-long event – which includes Irish bands and professional dancers – stretches through Sunday night. And in addition to all that authentic Irish fare that Dundon and his team are cooking up, you also sample the fine selection of beers & cocktails that this establishment’s four distinct antique bars (each of which are more than 130 years old and were imported directly from Ireland) will be serving. Just – As ucht Dé (That’s “For God’s Sake” in Gaelic) – don’t make the mistake of asking the bartender there for a mug of green beer.

“Why would anyone willingly drink something like that?,” Dundon laughed. “I mean, just imagine what their washroom will look like the morning after.”

This article was originally published by the Huffington Post on Friday, March 17, 2017

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