Featuring

Food Network’s own retro rad diva,

Emily Ellyn COOK LIKE A CHEF Sharpen your skills in the kitchen with some delicious recipes. 2014

WHERE SHOULD WE EAT? January Style readers sound off on their favorite local restaurants.

The

Issue

JanuaryJJaJannuauaruarary 2014201202014010144 I 1 contJanuary 2014 // VOLUME 11 NUMBER 3 Featuring MIXING IT UP WITH EMILY ELLYN 36 Emily Ellyn is the home economics teacher you wish you had in school. She may be known as a fi nalist on Season 8 of Food Network’s “Food Network Star” but she’s been blazing her own trail in the culinary world. Talking about everything from her retro rad style to her skills as chef, Ellyn sat down with Style to dish about her life, her food, and her future. STORY: SHEMIR WILES 42 COOK LIKE A CHEF Everyone has a dish that’s near and dear. Five local “chefs” hit the kitchen to prepare and share favorite recipes that may soon fi nd their way into your personal recipe book. STORY: SHEMIR WILES 48 WHERE SHOULD WE EAT? Instead of telling you about the hottest places to dine in Lake and Sumter counties, we turned the tables and allowed you, our readers, to be the authorities to tell us your favorites.

LADY LAKE: TOWN OF LAKES AND SUNSHINE 56 From a stagecoach stop to the birthplace of The Villages, Lady Lake has weathered many changes. Keeping its own identity hasn’t always been easy, but it still retains its small town charm. And no history of Lady Lake can be complete without mention- ing The Villages. STORY: MARY ANN DESANTIS

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LAKE & SUMTER EDITION VILLAGES EDITION On the cover On the cover MODEL: EMILY ELLYN MODEL: DR. KIM IRELAND DIRECTION: JAMIE EZRA MARK DIRECTION: JAMIE EZRA MARK PHOTOGRAPHY: FRED LOPEZ PHOTOGRAPHY: FRED LOPEZ PHOTOSHOP: JOSH CLARK PHOTOSHOP: JOSH CLARK HAIR: BRIANNE CONNELLY, CAL’S BARBER AND BEAUTY, SPANISH SPRINGS SQUARE MAKEUP: MARY MACMILLAN, ESTEE LAUDER AT BELK’S, LEESBURG

January 2014 I 13 MIXING IT UP WITH EMILY

ELLYNWith her infectious personality and unique style, it’s no wonder Emily Ellyn captured the hearts of viewers when she appeared as a fi nalist on season eight of Food Network’s “Food Network Star.” Since that time, she continues to use her platform as a way to share her love for taking traditional dishes and remixing them — Retro Rad style. Between events, Emily made the haul over from Orlando and talked with Style about her life, her food, and her plans for the future.

STORY: SHEMIR WILES PHOTOS: FRED LOPEZ+PROVIDED

36 I lakeandsumter .com Lake & Sumter Style: Emily, thank you so much for participating in our food issue. We consider it an honor.

Emily Ellyn: It’s no problem. I’m happy to be a part of it.

Style: A lot of people may know you from Food Network’s “Food Network Star,” but many might not know much about you as a person. Tell me a little about where you grew up.

Emily: I grew up on a Christmas tree farm in the small town of Mantua, Ohio. Along with my sister (and constant childhood companion), we explored and experimented our way through our country childhood — raising chickens, turkeys, pigs, cows, donkeys, and horses. We also learned to plant, pick, process, and pickle at an early age. Each year we hoped to beat the previous years’ preserving records, and in fact, last year was a record year. My sister and I canned and froze more than 800 quarts of produce.

Style: Wow! That’s impressive. I would imagine raising your own animals, planting your own produce, and making your own preserves as a child had a major infl uence on your love for cooking.

Emily: It did. My family grew and raised nearly everything we ate. We cooked nearly every meal and would sit down around the dinner table together to celebrate the food we grew and harvested. As a result, I know where things come from — I lived and breathed the process from seed to table! As a toddler on the farm, I would follow the Christmas tree planter and stomp the soil around the baby tree saplings. I teethed on spring onions from the garden. I could kill and dress a chicken by the age of 5. I am what I

January 2014 I 37 eat and understand food pack up a carry-on suitcase ice creams, stinky tofu, while I was a great student as being a fundamental and fl y off to an unknown fried chicken, and noodles. and chef, I should be out part of life. I understand country. By the time I left And the food stalls in the of the kitchen and in the raw ingredients and how home to attend the Culinary shopping centers are really “front of the house” where to prepare them so it is Institute of America, I had interesting with shops I would be working directly now more interesting for visited and eaten my way specializing in teas, candies, with the people. I was also me to teach that part of the through 13 countries. noodles, dried meats and continually encouraged to go process and focus on some You are always trying fi sh, and spices. I could into teaching. of the other elements like something new to eat when seriously eat six meals a creatively remixing recipes. you travel, so of course this day and snack nonstop in Style: Do you think your had some infl uence on my between. experience as a teacher’s aide Style: I also understand cooking and taste. at CIA also made you want traveling with your family Style: So it seems like to teach? was also a major infl uence Style: Out of the 13 between your traveling and on your cooking. countries you visited, which home life, working with food Emily: Totally! I really was your favorite? seemed to be your destiny. felt like I was good at it. I Emily: My parents knew I was inspiring my believed that traveling was Emily: I have to say I Emily: From the time I students and it was easy and an essential component really enjoyed Taiwan. The could fi re up the stove, I was satisfying to share in my of education and life. street food is divine with cooking, planning parties, greatest passion. Plus, it was Therefore, every year, each fresh produce, interesting and taking care of the an extension of my natural member of my family would seafood, mile-high soft serve seemingly endless parade desire to help people. of people that trooped through our kitchen. Not Style: Now let’s switch surprisingly, this fueled the gears and talk about idea that I was destined to appearing on “Food Network be in the hospitality industry Star.” How did that come from birth. about?

Style: You earned your Emily: Well, I was working bachelor’s degree in at Sublime Doughnuts restaurant management in Atlanta at the time to at the Culinary Institute help expand the doughnut of America (CIA) in New shop into an international York. Then you went franchise. I walked into on to earn two master’s the shop at 4:30a.m. one degrees — one from the morning and everyone Academie Internationale was standing around with de Management in Paris Cheshire cat grins on their and one from University faces. They handed me a of Central Florida’s Rosen packet of papers and said I College of Hospitality and was going to Washington, Management in Orlando. D.C. I quickly responded, Now I hear you’re fi nishing “I’m not going to D.C. to your Ph.D. in food service deliver doughnuts. I’m a education. What has been terrible driver and they the biggest thing you’ve won’t make it there!” Then learned while in school? they all said, “You’re not going to deliver doughnuts, Emily: What really you are going to D.C. to resonated with me because become the next Food I heard it so often was that Network star!”

38 I lakeandsumter .com It was an open casting call. I walked the “Fan Favorite” episode featuring in, put my name on the list, read over Lance Bass from ‘N Sync. The cool twist the paper work, and before I knew it, was I joined with her to assist in her my name was called and I was sitting third-time win. in front of one of the talent scouts. I was We fl ew to Los Angeles and asked within fi ve minutes to come back competed in a show that airs for one the next day with a cooked dish and episode. Amazingly, they had us build demo. I did and they said I would be a set, create specialty cupcakes using called back, which I was to interview secret ingredients, and then for the with Food Network personality Alton fi nal challenge we had to bake 1,000 Brown. And the rest is history. cupcakes. I still have a little P.T.S.D. when I see a cupcake. We worked hard Style: That must have been an amazing for that win! feeling to be picked for such a widely FROM SOUP TO NUTS popular show. What was it like being on Style: Sounds like it. Now Since your such a highly competitive show? time on Food Network, you have been FULL NAME: Emily Ellyn doing a lot of traveling attending trade SPECIAL NICKNAME: My family calls me Emily: Fifteen adults living in tight shows, performing cooking demos, quarters, not sleeping much, asked to and hosting special events. You also Emsey. do a lot of challenges that involved have been promoting your Retro Rad FAVORITE SPICE: Cardamom. I always have extreme circumstances with time brand. What got you interested in the apples growing out of my ears, and I love that limits, secret ingredients, and camera 1950s/1960s era? challenges… it was intense. However, the slight citrus notes of cardamom enhance it was also mentally stimulating, and I Emily: Oh, I started with Retro Rad at the apple, making them taste more intense. loved having my creativity challenged. a very young age. My aunt made me a IF YOU WERE ON DEATH ROW, WHAT WOULD I will say my favorite challenge was the poodle skirt when I was in grade school BE YOUR LAST MEAL: Thanksgiving dinner New York Fashion Week episode where and I wore it until the poodle ran off! fi nalists were asked to makeover a dish. I also would beg my mom to draw cat with lots of fresh veggies from the garden. Since taking classics and updating eyes on me with eyeliner. SIGNATURE DISH: Short (cooked) ribs. For them is my specialty, I took the tired At about age 10, my mom said it her recipe, visit lakeandsumterstyle.com. ham steak, pineapple, and Maraschino was time to learn about the entire era, cherry classic and gave it a makeover. I not just the cool fashion pieces, so she FAVORITE FOOD PERSONALITY AND WHY: then made a fried ham, dried pineapple, bought us a matching pair of saddle Julia Childs. She was the female pioneer for and spicy pickled Maraschino cherry shoes and took me to a real 1950s diner. all of us. She made this opportunity possible ham hat fascinator for my head and I fell in love! for me. Plus, she was smart, beautiful, and every plate. It was a hit with judges and It resonates with me when I put on composed while keeping a great sense of viewers alike! humor in tough, awkward, and stressful Style: I’m sure your quirkiness and situations. likability is what helped you become THREE THINGS PEOPLE DON’T that season’s fan favorite. Now I know you didn’t win “Food Network Star” but * KNOW ABOUT YOU: you did come back to Food Network to 1. I know how to play the tuba. win “Cupcake Wars.” Tell me a little bit “From the time 2. I always wanted to be an opera singer and about that experience. I could fi re up the stove, took voice lessons. I was cooking, planning Emily: “Cupcake Wars” was a neat 3. I love giving gifts and I make the majority parties, and taking of my Christmas gifts. I usually start around experience. Hollis Wilder, owner of Sweets by Holly! in Orlando and care of the seemingly August crocheting scarves, and then I bake Jacksonville, was already a two-time endless parade of and can goodies to give. “Cupcake Wars” champion and was people that trooped voted back to compete a third time on through our kitchen.” my cat-eye glasses and last call and the only things vintage dresses. It transports open are tattoo parlors and me to times when things bars? Are you ready to watch were easy and perfect, where all of your peers’ marriages perfect homes were effortless end and work in extreme like “Leave It to Beaver.” conditions where you are As a result, I have burned, cut, and yelled at embraced this Retro Rad constantly? Do you want to persona and encourage experience all of that while everyone to dig through their creating amazing food and mom’s recipe box, dust off accomplishing unexplained their pressure cookers and instant gratifi cation as you crockpots, and embrace the work a line cranking out old in a new and rad way. hundreds of dishes a day? Do you want to create dining Style: So besides making experiences for the masses, the Retro Rad brand a make the world’s special household name, what other occasions memorable, and projects are you working open new establishments on that our readers should that will foster these watch for? memories? Do you want to experience the closest Emily: I am continually friendships ever bound by cooking up new projects like the love of the craft, sweat, If you’re still feeling festive after New Year’s Eve, make these my new super cute Emily and tears? tasty treats and bring them in to share with the offi ce to ring a Ellyn apron line, which can If after all of that, you ‘rad’ New Year. be seen on my website www. are still interested, I emilyellyn.com. I am also suggest trying it out fi rst working on completing a before making a lifetime couple of book projects, and commitment. Just see if you there are some television have what it takes. You may Festive Champagne opportunities I’m looking need to work a summer into pursuing. Of course, my in a hot basement kitchen POP CUPCAKES Recipe Courtesy of Emily Ellyn, Retro Rad Chef. More at www.EmilyEllyn.com ultimate goal is having my peeling 80,000 potatoes and own television show. washing pots and pans until YIELD: 24 MINI CUPCAKE pans with paper liners and spray with oil. your skin is scoured off INGREDIENTS: 3. Sift the fl our, baking soda, baking powder, and Style: Well Emily, thanks before you really know. 2 ½ cups cake fl our salt into the bowl and set aside. again for sitting down Then if you still love ¾ cup all-purpose fl our 4. Using a mixer fi tted with the paddle attachment with us. To leave off on an it, do it! Work in it, fall 1 tablespoon baking powder beat the butter and shortening in a bowl on inspirational note, what deeply in love with the 1 teaspoon baking soda medium speed until creamy, three minutes. ¾ teaspoon salt Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium would you say to someone business, and then work 1 stick of butter until fl uffy, three minutes. out there who is thinking of your way through school. ½ cup vegetable shortening 5. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg and a culinary career? Get a degree so that when 1 ¾ cups sugar egg whites, and beat until incorporated. you can barely walk from 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 6. Turn the mixer to low. Add the fl our mixture, Emily: I would say go for it! standing on concrete fl oors 1 large egg, room temperature alternating with the cold fl at Champagne, in Now, of course I would and picking up heavy pots 1 ½ cup Champagne or sparkling wine, cold and fl at three additions, beginning and ending with the also ask the following all day, and your hands 3 large egg whites, room temperature fl our mixture. Scrape down the bowl, and then questions: Are you ready to are so arthritic you can mix on low. work hard, long hours with barely grip your clever, you DIRECTIONS: 7. Fill cupcake liners ¾-full with batter and bake little money, not see your “retire” into management, 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. for 30 minutes, or until baked through. Cool the friends and family for weeks, teaching, or owning your 2. Line two two-dozen mini-cupcake or muffi n cupcakes completely. and leave work when it is own business. RAD TIP: If Champagne is not fl at, simmer on stove until fl at and then chill. To complete these cupcakes with Champagne pastry cream fi lling and Champagne frosting, see the recipes on lakeandsumterstyle.com

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