Bringing Back the Age of Wonder

Visiting Disney World in Orlando was way down in the bottom of my to-do list in my family’s five day visit to Florida. 

Unlike my 9-year old niece, who had her heart set in meeting as many Disney Princesses, mine was set on catching up with cousins and family.  Of course age is a factor in the difference of priorities.  I felt I was pass being enthralled by make-believe characters and could do without the adrenaline rush or heart attack I could get from a roller coaster ride.

In the course of the five-day visit, I found myself being captivated by non-Disney characters (besides my relatives) in easy-to-find locations. And the best part was: there was little or no need to pay for tickets to have close encounters with them.

First off were the sea creatures found in the saltwater aquarium maintained by P-- my cousin's husband.  There were a pair of "nemos" and a couple of colorful fish darting in and out of a rock formation in the center of  with tiny living corals thriving around it. There were spider and hermit crabs, shirmps and even a sea cucumber.  Here was a tiny view of the ocean minus a wet suit and oxygen tank.

Some creatures showed up in my cousin's garden.  While taking a swim in my cousin’s pool, I spotted several.  Darting among the flowers in the garden were the tiniest humming birds.  They just were too flighty for me to capture on film.  Then there were small lizards that looked like miniature dinosaurs. They were quick to dash off into their hiding place in the bushes when I came too close.  A check with the internet told me they were brown anoles.

Brown Anole 

The other facinating and somewhat creepy creatures were spotted in near-by parks, boardwalks and gardens.  

While on a stroll with my sisters and mother in a wooded area, we came across masses of grasshoppers.  They were so unlike anything I have seen back at home.  They were all over the place and it really freaked me out.  My sisters, seeing how scared I was, decided to play a trick on me.  One of them walked right behind me and quickly run a blade of grass on my neck.  Boy! You should have heard the yell I gave out.  It was enough to scare the critters.  I was jumping and brushing my neck.  My sisters were in stitches.  I made sure I walked behind them after that.

Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

There were some grunting behind some bushes and I was told it was a wild pig.  In the Philippines, a wild pig is prized for their meat.  The pig must have known I was Filipino and took cover.

A short distance coming down a tree was a squirrel.  But I reminded myself, they're just rodents in cute disguise. 

Gray Squirrel

And not to far away was a shy marsh rabbit.  It froze long enough for me to take several pictures before it hopped away.

Marsh Rabbit

Along waterways and ponds we passed during our walks, there were birds galore.  Some, I was lucky enough to get a photo of. Using the website on Florida fauna and flora, I was able to identify these birds. Click on the name to know more about them.  

Tricolored Heron 

Anhinga

Double-crested_Cormorant

On a visit to Lake Eola, we lingered awhile looking at more water birds in and along the lake.

Moorhen

White Ibis

Mottled Duck

And I was surprised to see so many white and black swans (!)   I suspect they were visitors like me (may I see your passport please?)

 And don't let me get started on trees-- live oak as compared to a dead one (har har), flowers and insects.  

Suffice to say, there's more to Orlando than resorts and prancing mascots.   Why, I just had to look up at a beautiful sunset to bring back a child-like delight in the world around me.   

-----xoxoxox-----

In one of our outings, we decided to visit the Henry P. Leu Gardens, a botanical garden that sadly lacked the consciousness of being one.  I shrugged off the initial disappointment and decided to enjoy a lazy stroll along pathways surrounded by lots of plants inherent to Florida weather.  A tip for those curious to visit:  go when the weather is not oppressively humid. 

It was close to noon when we piled up into our van, this time in search of lunch.  With my nephew as our guide, we soon found ourselves hungrily walking up a row of restaurants in uptown Winter Park. After reaching a group consensus, we walked into Pannullo's.   If you want to beat the crowd and the noise of most amusement centers, this is a good choice.  The coolness of the place was just right after a humid time in the garden.  There was no crowd, no lines and the service was friendly and helpful. And when our orders were placed on the table, we were soon blown away by how delicious everything was.  Most memorable was the Jeofredo's Famous Alfredo Pizza-- a pizza smothered in Alfredo sauce and topped with mozzalera cheese and grilled chicken. 

I was so enjoying myself at Pannullo's I totally forgot to take the usual pictures for sharing.  I will make it up by sharing this Italian dish I recently prepared.  

A bite could bring back the age of wonder.  ( I wonder why .....(Minnie fell for Mickey)....)

CC's Chicken Cacciatore (4 Cs)

Ingredients

6 chicken quarter (leg- thighs)
salt
ground black pepper
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine (may be omitted and chicken stock can be used instead)

1 t sugar (add only if using wine)
1 can diced tomatoes with juice (400 grams)
3/4 cup chicken broth

small can of sliced button mushrooms, drained
3 tablespoons drained capers (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
some coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves for garnish

Directions

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

In a large heavy pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown.  Cook in batches. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, sugar, broth, capers and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Transfer the chicken to a platter. If necessary, boil the sauce until it thickens slightly. Or you can add a cornstarch slur ( 2 t cornstarch stirred into 1 T water) to thicken the sauce.  Simmer until sauce is to desired consistency.  Spoon off any excess fat from atop the sauce.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the basil and serve.