Categories
Recipes

Delicious Disney: Flying Fish Cafe’s Crab Cakes

These delectable crab cakes have been on the menu since Flying Fish Cafe’ opened on the Disney Boardwalk in 1996.
Disney’s Flying Fish Cafe’s Crab Cakes

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Makes 28 small crab cakes

These smaller sized crab cakes are perfect for nibbling before a meal.  If you’d rather serve them as the main course, just make the crab cakes larger.  You’ll be able to serve 4 to 6.

The crisp peach flavors with bright citrus components of Eroica Riesling from Washington State is the perfect drink paring.
Ingredients:

6 cups soft fresh bread crumbs, divided
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
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1/2 cup each, finely chopped: red onion, red and green bell peppers, scallions
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1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 poblano chili, trimmed, seeded, and minced (have Prince Naveen do this for you I hear he is getting pretty good at mincing)
4 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
1. In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of the bread crumbs, the crabmeat, red onions, red and green bell  peppers, scallions, mayonnaise, poblano chili, egg yolks, lemon juice, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon  salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper and cayenne pepper.
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2. Form 28 crab cakes, using about 2 tablespoons crab mixture for each and shaping to about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
3. On a plate, stir together the flour and the remaining 1 teaspoon  salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. In shallow bowl, with fork, lightly beat the eggs. Place remaining bread crumbs on plate.
4. Dip each crab cake into  flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, shaking off excess, and  finally into bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Place cakes on wire rack.
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5. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil over medium-high  heat until hot but not smoking. Add the crab cakes, in batches, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until  browned and crisp. As the crab cakes are cooked, remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels;  keep warm. Repeat to cook the remaining crab cakes, adding more oil as necessary.
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6. Serve hot with the chili remoulade.
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Chili Remoulade:

Makes 2 cups

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
2 teaspoons water
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles
2 tablespoons drained capers, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped  flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1. In a small bowl, combine chili powder  with water and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine chili mixture with  mayonnaise, red onion, dill pickles, capers, parsley, tarragon, chives, lemon  juice, salt and cayenne pepper.
3. Use immediately or store, covered and chilled for up to one week.
From “Delicious Disney”  The Disney Chefs and Pam Brandon
Categories
In the Parks Photography

Main Street Electrical Parade

Earlier this year, I put together a slideshow of the Main Street Electrical parade. I always buy royalty-free music for the slideshows I put in the shop, but because ‘Baroque Hoedown’ is such a vital part of this parade, I decided to go ahead and use the music and share the link publicly in case anyone wanted to put a QR code in their scrapbook. I spent quite a bit of time splicing together several soundtracks I found online, and matched my own photos to the music. I think it came out pretty well, but I was really hoping to make ‘a million diamonds SHINE’ (i.e. make the jewels in the dwarfs mine train ‘sparkle’). Well, I couldn’t figure out a good way so I put the project away for six months. Then an idea hit me – I tried implementing it and I was pleased with the results. I liked the twinkling effect so much I went back and added it to most of the photos in the show. Unfortunately the ‘enhanced’ version is not viewable on a mobile device, likely because of the copyrighted music, so it won’t work for your scrapbooks. You can, however, link to the version I uploaded back in April, if you wish.

Here is the ‘twinkling’ version. I hope you like it!!

If you wish to create a QR code to my original version, note that YouTube may take away the ability to view it on a mobile device (at the moment it may be ‘grandfathered’ in to an old policy, or maybe they just haven’t found it yet). So just keep it in mind that it may not always be available to view. You may want to add the QR code to a paper tag and slip it inside your book. Here is the link to the original version: http://youtu.be/eYI_PRTTJt4

Categories
In the Parks WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Frontierland (Part Three – Rivers of America vs. Rivers of the Far West)

Whilst it has been made clear which rivers are referred to in the name of WDW’s Rivers of America (the Potomac, the Rio Grande, the Columbia and the Mississippi), it is as yet unstated which ones the Paris equivalent (Rivers of the Far West) is themed to, although the Mississippi and the Missouri are the two referred to most often by Imagineers in this context.

Rivers of America encompasses Tom Sawyer Island, whilst there are several islands within Rivers of the Far West. One of these is the home to Big Thunder Mountain, one separates Smugglers’ Cove (the load/unload area for the former Keel Boat attraction) from the rest of the water and several of the others make up Wilderness Island (where a “Lil’ Big Thunder” was once considered).

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A detail from Smugglers’ Cove.

As well as the Keel Boats (and Cast Member-only motorized skiffs), other vehicles sometimes visible on the Rivers in Florida include rafts and canoes. Whilst Disneyland Paris has never had the former, nor the need for them, the latter operated in France for the first two years of the park’s existence until being discontinued due to the waterways being considered too busy.

The most iconic vehicles to travel the Rivers however are much bigger. Florida has the Liberty Belle, whilst Paris has the Mark Twain and the Molly Brown, although a maximum of one of the two in France will operate on a given day. All three feature onboard audio. Like the Liberty Belle, the Mark is a sternwheeler, whereas the Molly is a sidewheeler.

An advert for the Mark Twain which can be found on DLP’s Main Street.

The Paris boats are better covered from the elements and their equivalent of Riverboat Landing loads Guests into the bottom story rather than the second floor. The view from all three includes animatronic animals, live ducks, the Railroad and Old Joe, the fisherman.

Whilst most of the visuals along the Rivers of America are thematically manmade (such as the Native American village), on show for those touring the Rivers of the Far West are more nature-inspired features, such as a geyser –which, due to frozen pipes, no longer erupts- and a mock-up of a natural rock bridge, in reality fabricated of steel and concrete.

In both Florida and Paris, the Riverboats are travelling along I-beam tracks and take just under a quarter of an hour to complete a tour of their respective River. In Florida, this round trip takes place in a clockwise direction; it is counter-clockwise in France.

DSC01242 DSC01241The Molly Brown in dock in the early evening, in front of Phantom Manor (left) and Big Thunder Mountain (right).

 

 

The photos below were taken onboard the Molly in Oct 2013.

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All photos courtesy of Hugh Allison. Please do not use without permission.

Categories
In the Parks WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Frontierland (Part Two – Shops, Restaurants, Theatres and Shows)

In Florida, Frontierland has six very distinct shops (Big Al’s, Briar Patch, Frontier Mercantile, Frontier Trading Post, Prairie Outpost & Supply and Splashdown Photos) whereas there is really only one store in the Frontierland of Disneyland Paris. This is the Thunder Mesa Mercantile Building, although it is split into three separate parts: Bonanza Outfitters, Eureka Mining Supplies and Tobias Norton & Sons. To the untrained eye (e.g. mine) the three sections seem interchangeable, except for having different entrances, but perhaps the differentiation is to help out those who work in the park’s sales department…or maybe it is a cynical ploy to get more potential customers to visit/revisit the store.

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Thunder Mesa Mercantile Building at dusk. October 2013.
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Interior of Thunder Mesa Mercantile Building. Spot the obvious Hidden Mickey. October 2013.
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Interior of Thunder Mesa Mercantile Building. Two of the store’s many decorative mannequins which originated in the nearby Legends of the Wild West. October 2013.

Arguably there is another sales point of sorts in DLP’s Frontierland: Big Thunder Photographer. As well as this being where one can purchase the on-ride snaps from Big Thunder Mountain, it also sells T-shirts, bottled beverages and plush toys, albeit currently only of Woody and Jessie.

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Big Thunder Photographer – Photo taken in May 2013, when shop was undergoing refurbishment.

In terms of restaurants, Disneyland Paris hasn’t got anything too similar to any of the three eateries currently in WDW’s Frontierland: Golden Oak Outpost, Pecos Bills Tall Tale Inn and Westward Ho.

What Disneyland Paris does have however is the Silver Spur Steakhouse, a restaurant which once featured various watercolors, etchings and oil paintings by the likes of Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902), Edward Borein (1872-1945) and Charles Russell (1864-1926) so as to set the scene of “lavish Victorian ambience…accentuated with masterpieces of western art”. In 1994 however, these were removed and replaced with printed copies.

Whilst the Silver Spur Steakhouse is a table service restaurant, the other eateries in the Land are all generally considered to be “Quick Meal” experiences: Cowboy Cookout Barbecue (“Western style” food, and frequent live music and/or characters), Fuente del Oro Restaurante (Mexican food), Last Chance Café (Tex-Mex) and The Lucky Nugget Saloon.

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Although looking slightly shabby now, this Aztec golden fountain sits in the forecourt outside “Fuente del Oro”. The restaurant name translates as “Fountain of Gold” which refers to this fountain. However, Fuente’s other meaning, source, means the eatery’s name is also a reference to the backstory of Big Thunder Mountain, which has its entrance opposite this fountain. backstory. October 2013.
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A detail from the heated terrace added to the Last Chance Café in 2009. Many people are against this terrace as it spoils the view of the Land, and goes against the restaurant’s original theming. October 2013.
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A seasonal addition above the Lucky Nugget. October 2013.

The Lucky Nugget Saloon is (in many ways) France’s answer to WDW’s The Diamond Horseshoe, although it is perhaps closer in design and atmosphere to Anaheim’s The Golden Horseshoe.

When I visited The Lucky Nugget last month, it was featuring shows by The Sun Flower Spooky Trio and The Thunder Mesa Band, with nearby performances by The Riverboat Halloween Band. Other shows at The Lucky Nugget over the years have included Lilly’s Follies, The Lucky Nugget Christmas Trio, The Lucky Nugget Revue and Rosie & The Rebels.

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The Thunder Mesa Band performing inside The Lucky Nugget. May 2013.
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The Riverboat Halloween Band, standing in front of Rivers of the Far West with part of the BTM track in the background. Some of these guys have been known to perform in other bands throughout the park. October 2013.

Now that WDW considers The Diamond Horseshoe as being in Liberty Square, Frontierland has no theatres aside from Country Bear Hall. Conversely, France’s Frontierland has a 1,350-seater called The Chaparral Theater, which opened in 1995.

The Chaparral is currently showless, although extravaganzas which have appeared at this open-air theatre over the years include Goofy’s Summer Camp, Hill Billy Hoedown, Mickey’s Winter Wonderland, Pocahontas: Le Spectacle and The Tarzan Encounter.

 

All photos courtesy of Hugh Allison. Please do not use without permission.

Categories
In the Parks New Releases Site News and Events Store News

Introducing MouseScrappers slideshows for scrapbooks

Earlier this year, I came across a post in our forums that pointed to an intriguing YouTube video.  The video showed how scrapbookers could include a link to videos in their scrapbooks by making use of something called a “QR” (square) barcode.  In a nutshell, a person uploads a video to the internet, creates a scanable QR code and puts that code in their scrapbook. Viewers of the scrapbook then scan the code on a mobile device to quickly and easily watch the video.

But what if I don’t have any video???  I feel so left out!

I think the concept of including video is very cool… it is a way to instantly bring your scrapbook to life by including elements that appeal to your sense of sound in addition to your sense of sight.  But, I hardly have any video footage from my trips, so I feel a little at a disadvantage for not being able to bring that level of interaction to my scrapbooks.  Then, I was hit with an idea… what if MS provided something stock that scrapbookers could use to supplement their layouts?  So I came up with the idea to create slideshows set to thematic music.  When thinking about the first place to start, it was easy… an iconic ‘must do’ attraction that hardly anyone has photos from:  Spaceship Earth.  When you look through our Spaceship Earth forum, you will notice that almost all of the 150+ layouts only have photos of the outside… but what about the inside?   How will your spouse (who is a Disney fan by marriage) remember what is inside the attraction?  How will you describe the ride to grandma? The reason so few people have photos inside is because it is extremely difficult to capture photos inside – the lighting is low and not only does your vehicle move, but so do the figures and displays.  I’ve tried, but if my photos aren’t blurry (which most are) then they are grainy.  While a steady hand is helpful, you really need a high-quality camera and lens to get a decent photo.  One person who has incredible photos from inside is Mark Barbieri, so I asked him if I could use his photos to put together a slideshow for scrapbookers.  He agreed and I’m happy to report that he was pleased with the final product.  I found the perfect music to accompany the photos – a piece that is both futuristic and triumphant. Here is a 30-second excerpt from the video:

photo courtesy Mark Barbieri
photo courtesy Mark Barbieri

So imagine your child sitting on the couch with grandma, showing her the scrapbook you made from your Disney vacation. When your child picks up your phone and scans the code in the book and shows grandma the video, won’t grandma be amazed?  Oh so that’s what’s inside!

I created this with a program called ProShow Producer which is packed with features and yields a higher quality video than other programs I’ve tried.  It also has a number of expansion packs with (addictingly) exciting effects and transitions that I couldn’t pass up.  What is nice about this technology is it doesn’t matter whether you are a traditional or digi-scrapper, anyone can use it.  I have put a copy of this video in the MS store.  Buyers will receive a copy of the video so that they may upload it to their own personal accounts (this way you are not dependent on the lifespan of someone else’s account).  Also included in this package is a little PSD graphic template I created to display your code.

Here is an example of the QR code incorporated into a layout

Layout by Fiona
Layout by Fiona

 

For a limited time, this video is on sale for only $5.  Click here to go to the MOUSESCRAPPERS STORE

I’ve already created several of these videos.  One that I’m anxious to share with you is Expedition Everest – I included some appropriate sound effects. 🙂  I also have a special freebie that I’ll give away at a later date, so stay tuned. What I’d like to do for other attractions are to host ‘challenge’ type events.  If you allow me to use one of your photos of an attraction, you can have a copy of the finished video for free. Sound fair?  Once I work out the specifics I will post the details.

For help uploading a video to the internet and creating a QR code, click here: http://mousescrappers.com/wordpress/?page_id=4441

 

Note:  all photos used in this video are personal and/or used with permission from the photographer(s).  You may download the images for personal use – see store description for more details.  Music was purchased from a royalty-free site.

Use a slideshow in your Disney scrapbook