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Was “Home on the Range” deliberately under-promoted?

Jim Hill reports on an interesting story that’s currently making the rounds in animation circles. Evidently, Disney — in an effort to make sure that its last traditionally animated film didn’t accidentally upstage the company’s first CG feature — may have scaled back HOTR’s promotion.

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Notice anything different about the way the Walt Disney Company has been promoting its latest animated feature, “Home on the Range? That the marketing campaign for this movie may seem somewhat half-hearted?

Well — if you did — then you’re not the only one. Over the last week or so, I have received a dozen or more e-mails from Disney insiders. Each of them furious with the way the studio has been handling the promotion of “Home on the Range.”

Fairly typical of these notes was the one I just received from E. Xecutive, a longtime senior employee at Disney Feature Animation:

“Did you see the promotional campaign that Disney put together for ‘Home on the Range’? ‘On April 2, Bust a Moo’?! Beyond those banners for the multiplexes and that trailer in front of ‘Brother Bear,’ what else did the company do to try and build up public awareness of this movie? I saw a couple of bus shelter signs around LA and a few TV commercials that aired less than 10 days before HOTR officially opened. But — beyond that — nothing.

If you asked me, management did this deliberately. They wanted it to appear as if this movie did poorly during its domestic release. That way — when ‘Chicken Little’ opens next July and does marginally better than ‘Home on the Range’ did at the box office — Eisner and his cronies can say ‘See? We did make the right choice in shutting down WDFA’s traditional animation unit and switching to CG.’

It’s so aggravating when a film that we all worked so hard on, a movie that everyone here is so anxious to see succeed, gets sacrificed to service someone else’s agenda.”

Can this be true? Is it really possible that Disney’s “Home on the Range” was deliberately under-promoted? With the hope that — when the box office performance of the studio’s last traditionally animated film is compared to its first all CG effort — “Chicken Little” will come out looking that much more impressive?

Certainly — when one takes a look at the big picture — there have been some troubling decisions made by Mouse House managers in regards to this motion picture. First and foremost being “Home on the Range”‘s release date.

Now — typically — when a movie studio is anxious to make sure that a film reaches the widest possible audience (with the hope that this movie will then be able to earn the largest amount possible at the box office) it typically releases that motion picture in one of two time slots: the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day OR the period between Thanksgiving and New Years Day.

Whereas April … Well, April isn’t really a super-hot time for a studio to release a movie during. Sure — what with April school vacation and all — it is admittedly a better month than most for a family film to make its debut in. (Why for? Because — when the kids are out of school — the parents are obviously looking for things to take their offspring to. And what better way is there to kill a few hours then to take your children to see Disney’s latest animated feature?) But — that said — April is still not a primo month to premiere your picture in.

And yet here is Disney rolling “Home on the Range” out into theaters on April 2nd. So what’s up with that?

Was this because “Home on the Range” was a dog? Hardly. From what I hear, “HOTR” had reportedly performed extremely well during all of its test screenings. Audiences seemed to really enjoy this animated comic western. So much so that it was suggested that — were Walt Disney Pictures to put together a fairly innovative promotional program for this soon-to-be-released feature (I.E. something similar to that clever teaser campaign that the Mouse’s marketing department mounted for Disney’s June 2002 release, “Lilo and Stitch”) — “Home on the Range” could easily turn into the company’s next animated blockbuster.

Yet Disney didn’t do that. They opted instead to go with a fairly low key campaign. No clever ads featuring Maggie the Cow (voiced by Roseanne Barr) interacting with classic Disney characters. Instead, we got Disney’s garden variety promotional campaign for “Home on the Range.” No extra effort. Your standard bells and whistles.

Which — to a lot of people working in Feature Animation — gives credence to the whole Disney’s-deliberately-sandbagging-“Home-on-the-Range”-in-order-to make-“Chicken-Little”-look-really-good theory.

Particularly troubling to many WDFA staffers was Disney’s decision not to press McDonalds into offering a “Home on the Range” themed Happy Meal during the film’s domestic release. Which — these days — is absolutely crucial if you want to get the word out among parents and kids alike that you have a brand new movie out in theaters that you’d like them to see.

Of course, to be fair, I should mention that — when I pointed this out to someone in Disney’s marketing department earlier this week — their response was:

Jim:

“Home on the Range” is a motion picture that stars heroic cows. Hamburger, as you know, is made up of ground beef. Which — of course — comes from cattle. Both male cattle (bull) and female cattle (cow).

McDonalds nixed our idea of doing “Home on the Range” Happy Meals because they were concerned that kids — as they were playing with their Maggie the Cow toy — might suddenly realize that beef comes from cows, and then refuse to eat their hamburgers.

Yes, it was a disappointment when they opted not to do HOTR Happy Meals. And — as for why we didn’t approach any other fast food chain to do a “Home on the Range” promotion — we have a long term, exclusive deal with McDonalds that prevents us from approaching any other restaurant chains.

When I forwarded this note to a friend who had actually worked on “Home on the Range,” I got this somewhat frustrated reply:

What’s maddening about this whole situation was that — as we were making HOTR — we were told time and time again by WDFA management that we couldn’t say that Maggie, Mrs. Caloway and Grace were going to end up being slaughtered. We could say that Alameda Slim was rustling cattle. We could say that he was selling 5000 cows to Mr. Wesley. But we could never say that any of the cattle depicted in the film were headed to the slaughter house.

Why? Because the people in Disney’s marketing department were desperate to get McDonalds’ help in promoting “Home on the Range.” Particularly to get toys that were based on the film’s characters placed in those Happy Meal boxes. So we did all that hard work — deliberately steering HOTR’s story away from the whole slaughter house angle — for nothing.

And what really makes me crazy about this whole situation is how inconsistent McDonalds has been. Do you know what their most successful promotion last year was? When their restaurants were selling those “Finding Nemo” Happy Meal toys. Of course, given that McDonalds doesn’t sell a kids meal that features its “Fillet O Fish” sandwich, I guess that company execs weren’t all that concerned about children finding Nemo served up with a slice of cheese on a Sesame seed bun.

And what about when they sold all of those “Toy Story” Happy Meals? Don’t they think that some kids — as they were snarfing their French Fries — got upset when they found a Mr. Potato Head toy at the bottom of their box.

It’s just so maddening … and disappointing. Having McDonalds on board would have really helped raise “Home on the Range”‘s profile. Made more people aware that our movie was out in theaters. Now … Well, I guess we’re going to have to wait for DVD and hope that more people rediscover the film then.

Of course, having “Home on the Range” released just seven days before Disney’s delayed “Alamo” movie didn’t help matters either. Given that this meant that the Mouse House’s marketing staff now had to divide its time, staff and resources between two major productions that were rolling into theaters within a week of one another …

But — again — there are a lot of people (who — admittedly — used to work in traditional animation at the Walt Disney Company) who think that the Mouse deliberately didn’t do everything it could to insure that “Home on the Range” was a success. The folks that I spoke with in Marketing disagree, of course. They point to Disneyland’s “Little Patch of Heaven” petting zone as well as the windows on Main Street U.S.A. They also point to the “Home on the Range” themed float that leads off the daily parade at WDW’s Mgic Kingdom. As well as the piles of HOTR merchandise currently on sale at your local Disney Store.

“Believe me, Jim,” said one unnamed Disney promotional official. “We did everything that we could with ‘Home on the Range.’ We all liked this movie. We believed in this film. That’s why we did everything to help get the word out about this movie. It’s sad that so few people have turned so far. But give the movie time. Maybe it’ll get its second wind later this month. Hey, it happened with ‘Groove.’ Maybe it will happen again here.”

Still other folks who work at WDFA aren’t quite as convinced. “They missed so many obvious opportunities to promote this picture, ” said E . Xcutive. “And Disney’s marketing staff has been publicizing our feature length cartoons for decades now. So those guys obviously know how to do their jobs. And yet they suddenly bobble the campaign for ‘Home on the Range’ … and we’re just supposed to think that that’s a co-incidence.”

“It’s clear to me that the upper levels of Disney management didn’t really want ‘Home on the Range’ to be all that big a success. Not a flop, either. Just a medium-sized success. Something that ‘Chicken Little’ would have no trouble topping,” E. Xcutive said in conclusion. “Again, I think it’s sad that this picture didn’t get the sort of promotion that it needed, the kind of marketing that it deserved … all because of someone’s agenda in the Team Disney building.”

It’s kind of interesting to get both sides on this issue, don’t you think?

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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