Pam Brandon reveals her recipe for the perfect Disney cookbook

Jim Hill

14 years ago

Time was that people went to the Walt Disney Parks and
Resorts just because they wanted to experience all of the rides, shows &
attractions and/or stay on-site at one of their hotels.

Remy’s on board the Disney Dream is
the new gold standard when it comes to a
first-class dining experience at the
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Photo by Matt
Stroshane. Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

But over the past 10 – 15 years, another reason has emerged
for folks to make special trips to Anaheim, Orlando and/or on one of Disney’s
cruise ships. And that’s because they began enjoying the world-class cuisine
that could now be found at Disney Parks & Resorts.

“Seriously, when Guests began flying down to Walt Disney
World just so they could then go to dinner at Victoria & Albert’s, that’s
when we knew that people’s perceptions of the place had changed. At least when
it came to the quality & the variety of food that was now being served at the Parks
& Resorts,” said Pam Brandon.

The Chef’s Table at Victoria
& Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Copyright Disney
Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved

And trust me, Pam really knows when it comes to Disney food.
As the author – along with the Disney Chefs – of “Delicious Disney,” “Delicious Disney Deserts,” “Chef Mickey: Treasures from the Vault and Delicious New Favorites” and “Cooking With Mickey,” Brandon has spent literally hundreds of hours
backstage. Chatting with the Chefs & their staff in Disney Parks and Resorts kitchens. All as part of Pam’s ongoing effort
to make sure that the Guests can take a little Disney culinary magic home
with them after they wrap up their Disneyland, Disney World and/or DCL
vacation.

“Of course, the challenge here is that – when you’re working
with the Disney Chefs … Well, they don’t really write recipes. They create dishes.
More to the point, when they’re working in their kitchens, these Chefs will
create a hundred servings of a particular dish. Rather than the six or so
servings that a typical family needs when it sitsdown to dinner,” Brandon
explained. “Which is why it can sometimes be tricky when you’re compiling a recipe, listing all the
ingredients necessary to prepare a dish which will then taste just like it does whenever it’s served at a Disney
restaurant.”

Mind you, Pam faced an additional challenge with her most
recent book, “Delicious Disney: Just for Kids” (Disney Editions, March 2011).
Given that every recipe listed in this 48-page hardcover had to be one that a child could then prepare with a little
adult supervision.

“We started with 100 recipes and then winnowed those down to
30-40 candidates,” Pam recalled. “And then – from there – it was all
about the testing. We cooked each of these dishes three times. Not only to make
sure that the final product was Disney quality, but also to make sure that this recipe was
actually something that a kid could cook.”

Draining the pasta is a key part of the
preparation for
the Cooking Place’s Macaroni & Cheese. Photo by
Gary
Bogdon. Copyright Disney Enterprises, Inc.
All rights reserved

So – yeah – as you page through “Delicious Disney: Just for
Kids” – you’ll find some of the types of recipes that you’d typically expect to find
in a kid-friendly cookbook. Like the Macaroni & Cheese that’s served at Jiko – The Cooking Place at WDW’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Or the No-Bake Granola Treats that
Disney’s Contemporary Resort bakery makes.

But then there are the dishes that surprise. Like the BLT
Tomato Soup that’s long been a Guest favorite at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
Restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Or – better yet – the Ratatouille
that’s served at the Crystal Palace at WDW’s Magic Kingdom Park.

“Those sorts of choice were deliberate. You have to
understand that kids’ palates are far more sophisticated these days,” Brandon
continued. “So we wanted to feature some dishes in this cookbook which then reflected
that change.”

Well, I don’t know about kids palates. But I have to tell
you that – as I paged through ‘Delicious Disney: Just for Kids” – I saw a lot
of recipes that appealed to my palate. Theme park favorites like Big
Thunder Ribs. Which Disneyland fans have been chowing down on ever since these
savory meat treats first appeared on the menu at Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue.

As for Ms. Brandon, if she had to pick a favorite out of
this new cookbook … Well, it would be pretty hard for her to choose.

“I mean, I love the African Fruit Fool – which is so easy to
prepare and so good for you too. But I also like the stuff that’s really isn’t
good for you – not in large amounts, anyway – like the Florentine Cookies and
the Potato Gnocchi,” Pam laughed.

And while “Delicious Disney: Just for Kids” is expected to
get a great response from Guests when it finally hits store shelves later this
week … To be honest, Ms. Brandon’s already gotten the response that really
counted.

“When we were doing the test cooking for all of the recipes
in this book, what made me happiest was that the kids who were helping us out with
the cooking couldn’t wait to eat the food,” Pam stated. “They just couldn’t wait
for these dishes to come out of the oven.”

And while it would be nice if Pam could take some time to
appreciate all of the accolades that will soon be headed her way … To be
honest, Ms. Brandon and the Disney
Chefs are already hard at work on the next book in the “Delicious Disney”
series. Which will celebrate all of the food that’s served at Disney Parks and
Resorts over the holiday season.

“And we’re not just talking about Christmas. This cookbook will
feature recipes which will be suitable for serving up on Valentines Day, St.
Patrick’s Day and Hanukkah,” Pam concluded. “So this next one should be a fun
& informative cookbook as well.”

But for now … Hey, don’t let that “Delicious Disney: Just
for Kids” name throw you. Because – to be blunt — there are enough dishes in
this cookbook which appeal to both kids & adults (like that Chocolate,
Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast which is served at the PCH Grill at Disney’s
Paradise Pier Hotel at the Disneyland Resort) that this new Disney Editions publication is well worth adding to your home cookbook
library.

Your thoughts?