The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Stephen Fries: Quiet Lake County awaits
Howey-in-the-Hills, Mt. Dora need exploring
In the lakeside town of Howey-in-the-Hills, the Mission Inn Resort & Club makes for a great getaway.
It’s hard to believe this is the seventh iteration of “Hidden Gems of Florida,” just in time, as you might be planning respite from winter’s weather.
Clearly, you know Orlando is on the radar with its internationally renowned theme parks. A hidden gem, located about 40 minutes from the hustle and bustle, is Lake County and the towns of Howey-in-the-Hills and Mt. Dora.
Nestled among the rolling hills in the quiet, almost nonexistent lakeside town of Howey-inthe-Hills, the Mission Inn Resort & Club (missioninnresort.com, 800874-9053) makes for one enchanting getaway. It boasts 36 holes of golf on two acclaimed courses — El Campeon is revered as one of Florida’s finest, ranked in the top 10 in the state and one of the oldest courses (99 years) in the country. Along with its sister course, Las Colinas, they hold a 4-star rating and have been recognized as “Best Places to Play” in North America by Golf Digest.
The Spanish Colonial architecture of the sprawling resort, breathtaking vistas, manicured flora and the grandeur of old-world charm make for an oasis where you can retreat in paradise. Not into golf? There is tennis, a trap and skeet shooting range, jogging and bicycle trails, volleyball courts, outdoor pool and hydrospa, fitness center and a marina offering fishing, powerboat and eco-touring.
Spa Marbella is a sanctuary offering a complete menu of treatments. The food-themed therapies on the “menu” during my visit were intriguing to the foodie in me — sweet pumpkin bliss facial, farmhouse fresh massage, brandy pear melt-away, chocolate soufflé nail special and sweet tea surrender pedicure.
And speaking of food, at La Hacienda, majestic golf and Spanish colonial plaza vistas offer the perfect backdrop for breakfast, lunch or lavish Sunday brunch. Nicker’s, located in the clubhouse, serves lunch, dinner and a Saturday night prime rib and seafood buffet. La Margarita Lounge is ideal for casual fare. La Chiquita Cabana is a poolside refuge serving tropical beverages and lunch fare.
El Conquistador, overlooking Plaza de la Fontana, is where I enjoyed several dishes from an extensive culinary repertoire. The bread service included a duck liver pate, whipped butter and olive oil with garlic and rosemary. To start the feast was El Conquistador Salad (mixed field greens, tomato, Bleu cheese crumbles and roasted walnuts tossed with orange shallot vinaigrette). The cooked-to-perfection Chilean Sea Bass with a duo of mango chutney and tomato coulis was beautifully presented. The sweet ending, a fried banana cheesecake, is on the top of my list of desserts I have ever eaten (and as you know from previous columns, I have tried too many).
I ventured to nearby Mt. Dora, with its forested hills and majestic lakes. It is the most unique region of Florida I’ve ever visited; think New England meets the South. Here, one can relax and enjoy simple pleasures, sequestered from, yet convenient to, the very best Orlando has to offer. It truly is someplace special.
Mt. Dora flanks the Eastern shore of Lake Dora, where rolling inclines meet canopies of giant Cypress trees, fully draped with Spanish moss. The town is quaint and charming. Downtown is completely walkable, with myriad eclectic shops and diverse food establishments. There are seaplanes and sunsets to be enjoyed.
From the historic and tranquil beauty of The Lakeside Inn, the oldest continuing-operated hotel in Florida, to the outside deck at Pisces Rising, Mt. Dora offers visitors “Something Surprising.”
Whatever your craving might be, you can find it in town. The Goblin Market Restaurant (thegobblinmarketrestaurant.com, 352-735-0059) was one of the recommended restaurants by several locals, so a visit was made. The whimsical décor and book-lined dining rooms give it a cozy feel. I sat in the bar area where both the light fare and full menus were available.
The Irish Whiskey Onion Soup, chock full of caramelized onions in a Jameson’s Irish whiskey broth with homemade croutons, Swiss and mozzarella cheese ... a meal in itself. Being a fan of grits, I ordered the Idaho Rainbow Trout crusted with Tallahassee grits with a local pumpkin-pecan butter and smoked apple. House-made cheesecake was smooth and not too sweet.
Every town seems to have a cupcake place, and Mt. Dora is no exception with Cupcake Delights (cupcakedelights.com, 352-383-2200). Owner Judy Owens said she aims to have her key lime and coconut cream pie and other pie-themed cupcakes taste like you are eating the actual pie. They sure did! With over 100 flavors in her repertoire, 20-24 are beautifully displayed each day. Red Velvet is her best seller; the raspberry truffle won an award at a local competition. She prides herself in having the best coffee in town.
Another place for your sweet tooth is Le Petit Sweet (lepetitsweet.wix.com, 352-729-2453), where owner Brittany Baker (how apropos is her last name?) creates bitesized treats, ice cream, as well as custom cakes. You won’t be able to have just one of the lavender honey cookies, one of her signature items.
The croissant biscotti, drizzled with chocolate and topped with almonds, makes creative use of dayold croissants and is addicting. And Baker’s hot cocoa isn’t just any old hot cocoa; it’s prepared with chocolate ganache, allspice, ginger and cinnamon, and to add a bit of heat, if you like, cayenne pepper.
Breeze Way Café & Bakery (352-702-7898) is a hidden gem, tucked away in the Renaissance building (411 N. Donnelly St.), serving up homemade pastries, soups and breads. Open for breakfast and lunch, Lisa Vance’s daily specials won’t disappoint. It is no wonder why her mushroom soup is so earthy; she goes to the local mushroom farm to purchase the main ingredient.
At only $4.95, the El Grande breakfast burrito (scrambled egg, cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream and bacon in a grilled tortilla) is a delicious hearty meal to start off the day. The deep dish double dark chocolate brownies are a chocoholic’s fix.
Jeff Herbst, owner of Mount Dora Brewing and the Rocking Rabbit Brewery (mountdorabrewing.com, 352-735-1111) is no stranger to beer. Photos on the wall show a picture of his grandmother with the caption, “during Prohibition, Jeff’s grandma made beer in her bath tub. She continued to make beer well into the 40’s.”
In 2010, Jeff, a woodworker and furniture restorer by profession and homebrewer by hobby, became a master brewer and opened the brewery and restaurant. The funky space has remnants of his woodworking days with old tools and collectibles in the rafters. Beer aficionados will enjoy the sampler tray for $8 — six 5-ounce glasses of their fresh brew, including Beauclair blonde ale, inspired by nearby Lake Beauclair; full flavored, filtered, made with organic malt with light brown sugar overtones.
I sampled several beer-inspired menu items — Bavarian pretzel sticks with beer cheese (soft warm pretzel bread, perfect for dipping into creamy, warm homemade cheese flavored with Jeff’s beer); beer-battered O’ Rings (hand cut onions coated with homemade Rocking Rabbit beer batter, fried to perfection and served with dipping sauce); and the Beer Cheeseburger (8-ounce Angus beef, piled high with beer-braised onions and mushrooms, then smothered in homemade beer cheese).
Pisces Rising (piscesrisingdining.com) contains a fully intact 1920s bungalow within its modern-day structure. From the menu to the cocktails to its three distinct atmospheres, this is one place not to miss, whether it be for lunch, dinner or a happy-hour cocktail where the stage is set for a perfect sunset over Lake Dora.
Start with a creative cocktail like the micro basil and grapefruit martini (St. Augustine vodka, grapefruit juice, splash of Patron, locally grown micro basil and a touch of ginger). The light and crispy Cubana Mix Spring Rolls (mojo-marinated pulled pork, ham, Swiss, mustard-pickle dipping sauce) was the starter. The colorful and beautifully presented Autumn Salad (red beet poached in red wine and allspice with fig, heirloom tomato, mozzarella, ricotta, cinnamon-carrot crouton and poppy seed vinaigrette) had great texture and an interesting flavor combination that surprisingly worked.
Mussel and Clams Gandia (mussels, Cedar Key clams, garlic, white wine, butter, red onion, andouille sausage and shallots) was perfect to dunk the warm bread into. The shrimp and grits (shrimp, baby spinach, andouille sausage, onions, bell pepper, chef’s wine cream sauce and Anson Mills organic grits) was comforting on the unseasonably cool evening. Looking for a lighter dessert after the richness of the main course, I chose the poached pear (cranberry spice pear, crunchy cinnamon puff pastry, honey cheese mousse and caramelized cranberries).
For the chef in you, pay a visit to KaDee Kay (kadeekay.com, 352-3833600) for gourmet kitchen products and gadgets; for spices and tea, The Spice & Tea Exchange of Mt. Dora (352-729-6762); for olive oils and vinegars, Mt. Dora Olive Oil Company (mountdoraoliveoil.com, 352-735-8481).
There is even a food emporium for dogs — Piglet’s Pantry Dog Bakery (pigletspantry.com), a shop that bakes a large variety of all-natural dog treats for your four-legged friend.
A few-mile drive from The Mission Inn brought me to the town of Yalaha, where Yalaha Bakery (yalahalabakery.com, 8210 County Road 48, 352-3243366) had a line of customers waiting to buy German breads and pastries. And that wait is well worth it with 20-plus different breads, all hand shaped as well as beautifully crafted cakes and pastries. The Vollkornb-rot was one of the best rye breads I have eaten. Breakfast and lunch is served. Make an afternoon of it with music and entertainment on the weekends.
Next door to the bakery is Blue Bayou Farms (bluebayoufarm.com, 352324-4069), an organic blueberry farm where you can pick your berries, purchase homemade jams and jellies, fruits and vegetables and buy homemade pies. Make sure you try the tomato leek pie and the ABC pie (apple, blueberry, cranberry). Owner Doug McCormack recently started to produce blueberry whiskey. It wasn’t ready during my visit, so I will be back to sip on some and try the Dutch apple pie filled with caramel.
In researching the area and the town of Eustis, I read about The Great Pizza Company (thegreatpizzacompany.com, 23 East Magnolia Ave.). The information said they make their dough with New York water. Curious, I stopped by. If you like flatbread-style pizza topped with homemade sauce and no skimping on the toppings, you will enjoy Sandy Johnson’s creations like chipotle chicken or Thai basil pizzas in addition to the more traditional pizza toppings.
On a return visit to Mt. Dora, I stayed at the historic Lakeside Inn (lake-side-inn.com), the oldest continuously operated hotel in Florida. To learn about this experience, visit bit.ly/1Rj7hXE. For more on Mt. Dora, visit mountdora.com and whattodoinmtdora.com.
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