Port of Entry

About a month into our “new normal” of 2020, those long weeks of social distancing days blurred together. The day, the week, even the time no longer held much meaning. It got dark outside our windows. It got light again. Over and over it went, but mostly my world was lit by the soft glow of an electronic screen.

We had spurts of activity. There were weeks of regular exercise, followed by weeks of icing the knees. The downstairs gym seemed too far a distance to traverse. Delayed home improvement projects also took a turn as the center of attention, but once we painted our rooms a lovely shade of golden yellow and rearranged furniture, again we fell into a listless stupor. We organized and discarded our belongings, always hopeful we would again belong in our outside community soon.

In my frequent Facebook scrolling, I came across an event. The WDW Adults Only group created a “Drink Around the World” event running 12 weeks. Once a week we’d all “visit” a country, (starting in Mexico because we’re not savages*), and in the safety of our own home, toast to that country with some regional food and drink.

Disney, drinks, and dining! I was 100% in! Thursday was about to become my favorite day of the week.

In July 2020, we completed our Drink Around the World challenge. Once again, despite our world opening up more, we felt the emptiness of Thursday. We longed for the weekly anticipation of an evening meal; the family gathered not just to eat but to celebrate another week together, another week of being alive, another week of laughter and tears.

So now, we again pick up the weekly themed meal. Although Thursday is not our day anymore, not with work and school and lessons and all the things, Thursday is still the day I sit and make the menu, write the grocery list, and let myself fill with the anticipation of another week well done.

*There are two types of people in Disney World, those who start in Mexico (right) and those who start in Canada (wrong).

The Engineer and me enjoying a pre-meal cocktail. Also joined by a very dusty table. He opted out of the Bourbloon.

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This week we visit the Port of Entry at Islands of Adventure in the Universal Orlando Resort. It’s a mishmash of appetizers borrowed from the Confisco Grille with a dessert nod to Croissant Moon. There wasn’t a reject among the group! If I did this again, I’d have more patience with the spinach artichoke dip. I threw it all in my food processor and it turned to mush…tasty mush, but not a classic dip. The cream puffs were the long shot and surprise hit of the night. We should’ve taken pictures of us eating them…they were a delicious mess.

Menu:

Hummus topped with Feta and Kalamata Olives and served with Baked Pita Chips

Spicy BBQ Chicken wings

Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with Baked Pita Chips

Design Your Own Nachos

Chicken Quesadillas

Cream puffs filled with either Whipped Cream or Vanilla Custard

Recipes:

Spinach Artichoke Dip : https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/spinach-artichoke-dip/