Here are some quick tips for fun food events this week, including Easter Dining, Brews Around the Zoo, and more.
The Spring print edition of Edible Orlando is out now and available for free in all the usual places! The cover story is all about Florida blueberries, featuring Clermont’s Southern Hill Farms and including a cookie recipe to help you use up all the berries you pick yourself.
There are so many fun food events in Orlando each week, but no worry. We don’t expect you to keep track of them all yourself. Edible Orlando writer John Graham is on the (Easter egg?) hunt for what’s new and cool. Here’s five best bets for the week ahead, Saturday to Friday.
Zoo Brews, Easter Dining, Cooking Class
Sanford’s Central Florida Zoo is closed during the day on Saturday to gear up for the annual 
Brews Around the Zoo benefit that night, 5 – 9 p.m. The 21+ outdoor event is a chance to walk around the grounds, visit some of the animals, and enjoy 15 beer stations plus wine, hard seltzer, and live music. Food and branded light-up mugs will be available to buy. General admission tickets are $50. Early access tix that get you in at 4 p.m. are $70. VIP tickets are $150, or $250 for two, and get you access to a private area with exclusive cocktails and food. Proceeds go to the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens.
Sunday is Easter, one of those days to gather the family together for a big meal – but who says you have to stay home? Dozens of Central Florida restaurants are planning Easter brunches, lunches and dinners with everything from ham and lamb to crab quiche or steak tacos or a big chocolate egg. Check out Edible Orlando’s Easter Dining Roundup to plan your family feast.
Wednesday, Edible Orlando Editor Katie Farmand will be in the Nutrition Theatre at Winter Park’s Center for Health & Wellbeing. Katie’s cooking class, 6 – 7:30 p.m., is all about reducing food waste by using every part of the ingredients and inventive ways to use up leftovers. You’ll learn to cook – and then sample – chicken curry laksa with broccoli and spinach, Caesar-style broccoli stem salad with black pepper breadcrumbs, torta di pasta with carrot-top pesto, and fast and easy pickled vegetables. Tickets are $30.
Seafood Boil, Sideline Wine and Dine
Mills 50’s Quantum Leap Winery is planning a night of seafood on Friday, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. 
Centered around a family-style seafood boil and four wine pairings, the meal from Chef Jamie McFadden of Cuisiniers will also include tuna nachos, panzanella (bread salad), clams and mussels, lobster mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts slaw and strawberry shortcake. Tickets for the food and wine pairings are $65 per person.
Also on Friday night, more than 50 local restaurants, bars and brands will take over Camping World Stadium’s clubs and suites for the annual Sideline Wine and Dine fundraiser, 7 – 10 p.m. At this fun Orlando food event you can sample wines, beers, and small plates while raising money for the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation‘s K-8 educational work in The Communities of West Lakes (near the stadium). Tickets start at $115 per person. If you upgrade to the $150 VIP pass, you also get early admission, access to a VIP lounge with full liquor open bar and a gift bag.
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