The world as we know it would not be half of what it is today without Black history. From the traffic lights in the streets to the potato chips in your pantry, innovation is Black history.
There’s no better time to honor these contributions and their enduring legacy than in February during Black Heritage Month. And no better place than at Universal Orlando Resort, where we celebrate by sharing flavors and stories representing Black heritage across the globe.
As a Black woman myself, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about Black heritage (I mean, it’s literally my life), and one of the most important facets of our culture is food. The chefs at Universal Orlando are no stranger to this notion — check out how they threw down in the kitchen last year in our article here — and this year, they’re cooking up even more so you can get a little taste of what Black heritage is all about.
Confisco Grille
Much of Black American heritage starts in the South, and Southern Banana Pudding is one of many delicious Black Southern American staples. Handcrafted by Chef Antwan, this fruity banana pudding is topped with a light, airy meringue and sweet vanilla wafers. This treat, which was inspired by Chef Antwan’s mother, is yours to indulge in at Confisco Grille in Universal Islands of Adventure all Black Heritage Month long.
Voodoo Doughnut
Desserts truly go triple platinum in the Black community, which is why I couldn’t be more excited for the Coconut Cream Pie doughnut coming to Voodoo Doughnut in Universal CityWalk this Black Heritage Month. Voodoo senior cooks Briana Paul and Mika Rivera put their minds together to craft a doughnut fit for the occasion, and once you hear what it’s got going on, you’ll be booking it to CityWalk! Relish the taste of coconut cream pie filling encased in a yeast doughnut shell while decadently dressed in vanilla icing, graham crackers, and a coconut velvet topping.
Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
If there’s one thing the chefs at Universal Orlando Resort value the most, it’s authenticity. That’s why Chef Carlton Hull at Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom in Universal CityWalk took it upon himself to recreate a dish that reminds him of both home and his Black heritage: Jamaican Fish Tea. Made with fresh seasonal vegetables, bammy (traditional Jamaican cassava flatbread), and a steamy red snapper broth cooked with Scotch bonnet chili peppers for a spicy kick, this dish transports you straight to Jamaica.
Chef Carlton felt like bringing Jamaican Fish Tea to Bob Marley’s not only paid homage to the Rastafarian culture that Bob Marley hailed from, but also to his own childhood back in Kingston, Jamaica.
“Not to sound cliche, but this is a true recipe that I had as a kid growing up,” he says, adding that he used to watch his older brother and his friends dive into the ocean for fish to cook up into Jamaican Fish Tea right on the Kingston shoreline. “To see that, 25 to 30 years later, I could come into an establishment as established as this and replicate that is a good feeling, because that’s exactly to a T how they do it back home.”
VIVO Italian Kitchen
Even more tantalizing flavors await in CityWalk at VIVO Italian Kitchen with its Braised Beef Short Ribs, specially made by VIVO Senior Chef Nahum Flerzile. As if the tender braised beef wasn’t mouthwatering enough, this dish features a mole cola reduction and is served with a savory side of popcorn polenta with ham hock and braised mustard greens. I already snuck a taste of this dish, and as a self-proclaimed greens enthusiast, trust me when I say you don’t just need this dish — this dish needs you!
Bigfire
I can’t take you back in time to my family dinners, but I can invite you to Bigfire to get a taste of what that nostalgia looks like for me by ordering the Broiled Half Chicken. Even more sensational than it sounds, this tender chicken is incomplete without a side of hatch green chili cornbread, creamy three-cheese mac and cheese, and tasso ham collard greens.
Where will you kick off your Black Heritage Month dining ventures at Universal Orlando Resort first? Let us know in the comments below!
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