Unusual Breakfast at Steakhouse 71 is “Culinary Genius”

 by Beth Keating and Ray Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 16, 2023

 

We’ve been to Steakhouse 71 at Disney World’s Contemporary Resort before. In fact, we were there just after they opened post-renovations from the former “The Wave… Of Contemporary American Flavors.” As the hot new restaurant debuting in town, we couldn’t get anywhere near dinner reservations at the time. We could, however, get early morning breakfast reservations, so we decided to give it a try. 

And we liked it. (Check out the DisneyBizJournal review here.) But despite that fact, we still hadn’t returned for breakfast since that original visit. We have hit up the Steakhouse 71 Lounge a few times for the best-burger-at-Disney-World Stack Burger, however. (See DisneyBizJournal’s take on Disney World lounges here.)  This week, we decided to give the spot another go for the early morning hours, and oddly, still didn’t really end up with “breakfast foods.”

It was in the 8:00 a.m. hour, eyes barely open, when we were seated at the table in this modern-spin-on-mid-century décor dining room. But rather than the more typical eggs, pancakes, oatmeal or fruit plate offered on the menu at Steakhouse 71 (okay, there was espresso involved… we aren’t complete savages), we opted for the Florida Eggs Benedict ($19.00).  While that sounds breakfast-y, it was actually a crab-cake-based dish.  

 

Yes, I said crab cake. For breakfast.  You know, that savory, seafood delight that one usually scarfs up for dinner?  And it was AWESOME!  What a way to start the day!

 

The entrée included two-poached eggs atop a crab cake with Hollandaise sauce, all perched on Canadian bacon and a toasted English muffin.  A scoop of breakfast potatoes added a few more carbs to fuel the day. It was, as Shawn and Gus have proclaimed on Psych, one of our all-time favorite TV shows, “a flavor seizure.”

 

The crab cakes were of ample size (always a question when it comes to crab cakes), and the crab wasn’t minced, but instead offered in plump pieces. The breading on the cakes nicely served the crab, rather than dominating it. All of that would have been enough, but combining the crab cakes with poached eggs (done perfectly), Canadian bacon, and on an English muffin turned out to be culinary genius. Yes, this is a highly recommended breakfast.

Steakhouse 71 serves breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Then they reopen for dinner from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.   (If you don’t feel the need for dining table space, you can squeeze in a visit to the even more casual Steakhouse 71 Lounge, which stays open from noon straight through until 11:00 p.m.)

Named for the year Disney’s Contemporary Resort first opened, you enter Steakhouse 71 through a long hallway adorned with black and white photos of the construction of Walt Disney World, setting the stage for this tribute to Walt and to the park’s founding.  Many of the dishes at Steakhouse 71 are inspired by some of Walt’s (and Lillian’s) favorites, including Walt’s Prime Rib Hash ($18.00), also available for breakfast.  Seasonal pancakes ($15.00), omelets ($17.00), and a unique take on avocado toast ($13.00), served on a toasted sourdough bread with onion jam, are some of the other selections up for grabs.

 

If you are heading to the Magic Kingdom, you may discover that Steakhouse 71 is a great way to start your visit with Mickey, whether you make breakfast a sweet, or even a savory, choice. It’s just a quick monorail ride away. And don’t pass up the crab cakes when beginning your day.

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are their own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. Here are 18 books in the series now with the latest being Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel and For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

EPCOT’S Shiki-Sai Opens Early!

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 15, 2023

 

Calling all sushi fans… your wish has been granted.  Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, the new sushi bar and grill in EPCOT’s Japan pavilion, has opened early!  (How often does that happen at Disney?)

Courtesy of Disney World website

Sushi, sashimi, Izakaya classics, grilled dishes, noodles, and sake and other cocktails will be featured at this much anticipated table-service spot, with great views of the World Showcase Lagoon. (Will this become a favorite spot to view the nighttime spectaculars?)  Shiki-Sai will also showcase the chance to see fresh sushi being made behind the counter in the restaurant, with selections rotating with the flavors of each season.

Originally scheduled to open August 30, 2023, the remodeled restaurant on the second floor of the Japan pavilion quietly opened today (August 15) for walk-up guests.  The venue appears to be taking only walk-up diners until August 28, when advanced dining reservations are popping up on the My Disney Experience (MDE) app.  In fact, as of this writing, the Disney website and the MDE app are still listing the restaurant as “Opening Soon.”  Shiki-Sai will be serving from 12 noon until 9:00 p.m., at least for the current calendar schedule.

The new menu has been posted online, dishing up everything from $7.00 Avocado rolls; $16.00 Spicy Tuna rolls; and $28.00 Dragon rolls; to a $300 Chef Special “Boat Presentation” Fune serving 4-6 guests with a premium selection of sushi and sashimi. Tempura, okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes), skewers and more round out the restaurant’s offerings. Shiki-Sai will be serving some interesting options for the pint-sized travelers in your group as well, including kids’ bento boxes ($20.00) and the Temaki Sushi Set ($18.00), a “create your own” hand-rolled sushi.

 

Disney says, “Create unforgettable memories inspired by the spirit of Japan’s vibrant seasonal festivals. A cultural representative from Japan will guide you through each unique festival experience, one bite at a time. You'll participate in Tanabata festivities during the summer, savor moon-viewing dumplings in the autumn, and so much more.”

 

Since this restaurant is inside of EPCOT (in the former Tokyo Dining spot), you will need valid EPCOT park admission (and potentially park reservations, depending on your dates and times) to get to your meal.

   
If you are a sushi fan, head to the My Disney Experience quickly to grab a dining reservation at this sure-to-be-popular location, and be among the first to try it out before everyone else realizes it’s opened early!

 

__________

 

Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

2023 ESPN Events Invitational Announces Team Matchups for Thanksgiving Men’s College Basketball Tournament at Disney

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 12, 2023

 

Most visitors to Disney World never step foot on the sprawling facility known as the “ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.” Well, basketball fans will have a reason to do so this Thanksgiving.

 

Despite the many fields and amenities located at the complex, unless your team is down in Orlando participating in league play or a competition such as cheerleading, softball, soccer, or dance, you likely haven’t even driven past the gates. Many guests don’t know the place exists. Yet there are 11 baseball and softball diamonds, 17 outdoor fields, and more than 700,000 square feet of playing space, and even a few dining options.

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

But if you are a basketball fan, or just want to check out the offerings at the ESPN complex, this may be your chance. First round matchups have been announced for the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational, and the showdowns will be taking place November 23-26, 2023, at the ESPN Complex at Disney World.  So, if you’ll be in the Orlando area and are craving a little basketball with your Thanksgiving meal, tickets are on sale now through ESPNEvents.com, and you can join your fellow sports-fans at the 5,000-seat State Farm Field House Thanksgiving weekend.

This year features four games on Thanksgiving Day: Penn State vs Texas A&M; Florida Atlantic vs Butler; Iowa State vs Virginia Commonwealth; and Boise State vs Virginia Tech. (Disney has pointed out that “six of the teams in this year’s field played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament including FAU which made it all the way to the Final Four for the first time in the school’s history.”)

 

The Thanksgiving winners will move on to the semifinals the following day, Friday, November  24, with the championship game taking place Sunday, November 26.

   
Available tickets include both single-session tickets and all-tournament tickets. which get you into every game. Fans who purchase “Early Bird” all-tournament tickets by September 8 will receive a $15 discount. Additional single-session tickets will go on sale on October 2.

And as if claiming title to the matchups wasn’t enough, the winners will also get to pose with Mickey Mouse, alongside the ESPN Events Invitational trophy.

 
Need more information?  Go to ESPNEvents.com.

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

The Apple-Disney Fantasy

 by Ray Keating

Analysis/Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 10, 2023

 

Wall Street is an industry awash in often wild rumors. Hollywood also is a sector saturated by gossip. So, no one should be surprised when speculation verges on fantasy about publicly traded companies operating in Hollywood.

 

Just consider the ongoing rumors that Apple could buy Disney.

The Hollywood Reporter weighed in on this in an August 9 article. It was noted that…

 

“…a veteran Hollywood executive mused to The Hollywood Reporter on the possibility of a deal that would rock the industry: Apple buying Disney. It’s an idea that keeps being discussed, even though many top executives have scoffed at it and many still do. Apple doesn’t want to buy a studio, they say, and there’s no way the feds would allow a huge deal like that to go through.” (Emphasis added.)

 

Nonetheless, the position of the authors and publishers of this piece, and many others, seems to be the following: Hey, don’t let any of these realities get in the way of speculating in an undisciplined manner.

 

Here’s one of my favorite parts of this Reporter piece: “There clearly is no buyer like Apple, which is sitting on $62 billion in cash and cash equivalents and has a $2.8 trillion market cap. And while it may be very true that Apple doesn’t want to buy a studio, maybe it would want to buy this studio – the one that, despite the challenges of the moment, has a vault full of priceless IP and remains the most valuable brand in entertainment.”

 

Um. Okay. So, Apple, which is mainly a phone and computer hardware/software company, has a lot of money and its own streaming service, but isn’t interested in purchasing a studio; nonetheless, it’s somehow a likely acquirer of a company that is a movie/television/streaming studio and an operator of the largest and most successful theme parks on the planet? Does this make any sense? Hmmm.

 

The Reporter pointed to where many of these rumors might have begun. In his 2019 memoir, The Ride of a Lifetime, Disney CEO Bob Iger wrote about his friendship with Steve Jobs, and asserted, “I believe that if Steve were still alive, we would have combined our companies, or at least discussed the possibility very seriously.” That comment was based on a relationship – both personal and business – specific to Iger and the late Jobs.

 

On yesterday’s Disney earnings call, Iger was asked about the possibility of Disney being bought in total, specifically by a tech company. While saying that he didn’t want to get into future possibilities for the company, Iger’s response was pretty clear. He mentioned the international regulatory climate (read between the lines: it wouldn’t be friendly to such a deal), and pointed out that this is “not something we obsess about.” 

 

Again, this Apple-buys-Disney idea is far more about fantasy, than reality.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, the Alliance of Saint Michael novels, and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. Here are 18 books in the series now with the latest being Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel and For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Disney Earnings Report and More: A Mixed Bag

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 9, 2023

 

In its third quarter earnings report today, Disney beat expectations on some measures, while missing on others. This came across as the definition of a “mixed bag.”

 

Two points beyond the actual earnings report warrant attention. On the earnings call, Kevin Lansberry, Disney interim CFO, reiterated that a recommendation would be made to the board by the end of this calendar year to reinstate a “modest” dividend. 

Also, Disney announced assorted streaming price increases. Those include commercial-free Disney+ going from $10.99 per month to $13.99; a 20 percent increase in Hulu without ads to $17.99; and the Disney bundle of Disney+ (no ads), Hulu (no ads) and ESPN+ (ads) increasing from $19.99 to $24.99. All three with ads will increase $2 per month to $14.99. These price increases will go into effect on October 12.

 

The Disney stock price immediately reacted positively in after-hours trading to these two announcements.

 

As for adjusted earnings per share for the quarter, Disney came in at $1.03, which beat market expectations of $0.95. However, it was down from $1.09 in the prior year quarter.

 

Regarding revenues, Disney earned $22.33 billion in the third quarter. That actually came up short of market expectations, which ran at about $22.5 billion. However, revenues were up by 4 percent compared to the same quarter last year.

 

Streaming

 

Streaming (or DTC) losses continued in the quarter, but the loss of $512 million was smaller than the market expectation of $759 million.

 

Disney+ subscriptions registered 146 million, which came in lower than the expected 151 million, and down from 157.8 million in the previous quarter. However, Disney+ Core (which excludes Disney+ Hotstar) subscriptions increased from 104.9 million to 105.7 million. ESPN+ and Hulu subscriptions were flat.

 

Streaming profitability continues to be expected by the end of fiscal year 2024. Iger pointed to a recent “reset” of the whole business “for sustained profitability.”

 

For good measure, Iger continued to make clear Disney’s enthusiasm regarding sports, noting once more that ESPN was destined to go fully streaming at some point. He said, “We believe in the power of sports.”

 

Parks

 

Strength in theme parks was noted for the international parks and in Disneyland. “Softer performance” was highlighted for Walt Disney World, though “well above pre-Covid levels,” according to Iger. He also mentioned strong demand for annual passes.

 

In the third quarter, the Parks, Experiences and Products division saw revenues increase 13 percent versus the same quarter last year, and operating income up by 11 percent.

 

Lansberry said the company expected some moderation of attendance at domestic parks in the near term. At the same time, though, Iger was very bullish on the company’s cruise line business.

 

Movies

 

Regarding the film business, Iger pointed to it as a key source of future growth (along with the parks and streaming). He was pleased with the results from Avatar: The Way of Water and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but noted that other results were “disappointing,” and that was something “we don’t take lightly.” The Disney CEO emphasized a move to “better economics” on the studio front, including reducing costs per title.

 

Regarding overall cost-cutting efforts, Iger said that Disney was on track to exceed the goal of $5.5 billion in savings.

 

Iger assessed, “While there is still more to do, I’m incredibly confident in Disney’s long-term trajectory because of the work we’ve done, the team we now have in place, and because of Disney’s core foundation of creative excellence and popular brands and franchises.”

 

_________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. Here are 18 books in the series now with the latest being Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel and For Better, For Worse: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

• Order The Weekly Economist II: 52 More Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Kindle editions and paperbacks via Amazon here and signed books here. And don’t forget the first book in this growing series, i.e., The Weekly Economist: 52 Quick Reads to Help You Think Like an Economist. Signed paperbacks at RayKeatingOnline.com or paperbacks, hardcovers and Kindle editions at Amazon.com.

 

• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

• The Lutheran Planner: The TO DO List Solution combines a simple, powerful system for getting things done with encouragement, inspiration and consolation from the Christian faith.

 

• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

•  Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know is available at  Amazon  in paperback or for the Kindle edition, and signed books at  www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life Offers a Way to Relax During a Busy Park Day

 by Beth Keating

Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 3, 2023

 

On a recent trip to Disney, we found ourselves facing longer than usual wait times at a number of our favorite rides. It was a hot and humid day, and we just weren’t feeling it in terms of standing in a 60+ minute line, and as annual passholders, we generally don’t spring for the cost of Genie+, because if we don’t ride this time, we’ll try it another day.  Shelling out up to $30 for Genie+ just doesn’t make sense for us, unless we have out-of-town guests with us who are trying to squeeze every last drop of the fun out of a park day.

We have found, though, that forgoing Genie+ forces us to slow down and explore some of the other offerings the parks have on tap.  At Animal Kingdom, we’ve taken the train over to the Affection Section at Rafiki’s Planet Watch to pet the goats; slipped into a drawing class at the Animation Experience at Conservation Station; and spent time exploring the pathways of Discovery Island, where there were far more creatures lurking about than we’d seen before. We even watched the animal caregivers taking care of some of the critters along the way.

 

Perhaps one of the most relaxing discoveries, though, was strolling through the Tree of Life Garden, the meandering byways that take you below the branches of the  Tree of Life.  (The entrance to the pathways is near Creature Comforts.)

Most guests have certainly spared a glance for the Tree; after all, it is the most recognizable icon of the park, drawing you in toward the center of Animal Kingdom.  More than a few PhotoPass photographers are positioned in front of the Tree, waiting for guests to take some truly memorable family photos.

If I had to guess, though, it’s a good probability that most visitors never venture into the winding paths below the Tree of Life to take a closer look at the artistry carved into the bark of the tree. (We’ve rarely encountered more than 2 or 3 travelers on our explorations.)  If you’ve ventured into the theater nestled into the subterranean root system of the tree to catch the It’s Tough to be a Bug! show, you might have caught a glimpse of a few of the creatures silhouetted on the bark of the tree, but many people heading into this 8-minute, 3-D movie starring Flik and Hopper from A Bug's Life probably race on by the carvings to get into the cooled theater to wear their bug’s eye glasses. 

At 145 feet tall, the massive tree looks real, but it is actually made from the skeleton of an oil rig, built to withstand the rigors of Florida’s hurricane season.  Ten artisans worked to carve over 300 animals into the shell of the tree, sometimes having as little as six hours to carve their artwork before the plaster hardened.  It took 18 months to get all the critters where they needed to be. The trails coil around the base of the tree, allowing guests a close-up view of the animal carvings, and sometimes even a glimpse and a splash from a cooling waterfall.  The 8,000 branches support leaves in five different shades of green to help give the tree its realistic appearance.

It is well worth the investment of time to slow down and take a closer peek at these works of art.  Along the way, you’ll also be treated to a variety of live animal habitats, including lemurs, flamingos, kangaroos and Galapagos tortoises. We even unexpectedly came across a hidden character meet-and-greet location one day, with no one on line, so we were able to spend as much time with the characters as we wanted.

 

Among the animal carvings are eagles, giraffes, ants, lions, elephants, gazelle and more.  Search for your favorites, or make a game of finding David Greybeard, the chimpanzee named after primatologist and researcher Dr. Jane Goodall’s favorite chimp. (She was there when Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, and David was added to the tree in her honor.)  Here’s a hint if you are having trouble locating him: You’ll have to make your way down to the theater to find David.

 

As is always the case with Disney, the Tree of Life has its own backstory.  The story starts with a small ant (you can find him by peeking through the viewing holes toward the bottom of the tree), and that little ant planted the original seed for the Tree of Life.  He hoped to grow a tree that would welcome more animals to the land, giving them a safe place to shelter. 

 

As he planted the seed, he made a wish that more animals would come. The Tree of Life began to grow tall and strong, providing a cool oasis, and soon animals began gathering at the nearby water. As the animals bent over to drink, their reflections bounced onto the tree, magically leaving their images behind.  

If you are lucky enough to be at the park during the time of year where it gets dark before the park closes for the evening, you’ll also be treated to “Tree of Life: Awakenings,” a beautiful and colorful rendering of short stories projected onto the trunk of the tree. And not a bad way to end a relaxing park day.

 

Photos courtesy of Beth and Jonathan Keating

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

Puffed French Toast from The Crystal Palace

 by Beth Keating

Lifestyle

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 1, 2023

 

It’s been many moons since we’ve been to The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom. The kids were still little, and we were there for the Hundred-Acre Wood breakfast with Winnie The Pooh and Tigger.  I’d like to blame our absence from the restaurant on the fact that our kids are now adults, and not so anxious to see Pooh anymore, but it really is more a function of the fact that we can’t bring ourselves to go back to buffets post-Covid. 

 

A few weeks ago, I was eavesdropping on a family sitting behind me on the Disney World Railroad, and overheard them bemoaning the fact that they hadn’t seen The Crystal Palace’s puffed French toast on the buffet. They were remembering the dish fondly from earlier trips to the Magic Kingdom, and suddenly, I, too, was transported back in time to that particular plate of deliciousness.  Lo, and behold, when I was flipping through my trusty copy of Cooking With Mickey: Gourmet Mickey Cookbook Vol. II last week, joy of joys, there it was!  Now I could avoid the buffet, and have my French toast, too!

Friends, let me tell you… this French toast was just as good as I remembered, even though it was being made at home and not being served with a side of pixie dust.  My son said to me, “This isn’t breakfast, this is dessert!”  Whatever you want to call it, it is scrumptious, and worth your caloric investment!

 

Ingredients:

2 whole eggs

2 ½ tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups milk

1 cup flour

2 ½ teapoons baking powder

12 slices Texas Toast (or other thick-sliced bread of choice), cut in half diagonally

Cinnamon Sugar topping (recipe below)

Maple syrup or fresh fruit for topping

 

Directions:

Mix eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and milk until well blended. Slowly add flour and baking powder and mix until smooth.  Dip bread slices in batter, allowing any excess to drip off. Fry in a hot skillet with 1 inch of oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on absorbent paper towels. While toast is still warm, roll in cinnamon sugar topping (recipe below).  Serve immediately with maple syrup or fresh fruit topping.  

 

For Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

3/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons cinnamon

 

Mix together the 3/4 cup sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon into a shallow glass dish. Stir well and set aside.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.