Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
New Restaurant Brings European Flair to Outdoor Dining
The Peach and Pepper features outdoor dining in a sheltered courtyard in the heart of downtown.
With beautiful autumn weather ahead, it's an ideal time to check out the Peach and Pepper in downtown Lake Wales. The new casual-dining restaurant on East Stuart Avenue offers a creative fusion menu in a bright and airy garden.
The outdoor dining is the perfect place to enjoy the truly-creative "tropical-Italian fusion" flavors on the menu, which includes delights such as a "breakfast banana split" with cottage cheese and fresh fruit, and toasted brie, served with brambleberry butter.
The sausage and peppers is one of the popular offerings at the new Peach and Peppers restaurant in downtown Lake Wales.
Lunch features items ranging from traditional caprese skewers to chicken adobo and pancit, a popular Filipino specialty.
A Walesbilt Salad, a twist on the traditional Waldorf version, includes mixed salad greens and spinach, tomatoes, grilled chicken, olives, egg, walnuts and peaches served with a warm muscadine grape pour.
Creative ham and turkey sandwiches, and a variety of coffees, teas, and other beverages are offered.
Gina D'Ambrosio Hass, who was learned her unique recipes while growing up in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, presides over the kitchen at the Peach and Pepper. She grows fresh herbs to accept many of her dishes.
Owner Gina D'Ambrosio Hass credits her own cultural heritage for inspiring the delicious combinations offered in the courtyard setting, screened by fences and flowers from the sidewalk.
"My mother was Filipino, and my father was Italian," Hass said, while giving plenty of credit to her dad. "He just liked to cook," she says, admitting having been "brought up cooking."
Hass said the European-style setting, reminiscent of cafes found across that continent, helped inspire her "penchant for food and flavors" that would help create an international feeling for the location.
Hass says she realizes the challenge of operating the small kitchen herself, given uneven demand. "Some days everybody wants muffins, and some days nobody wants muffins," she says.
She is also creating specialized menus on demand for parties and events while offering catering services. "Everybody has been very welcoming," she says.
A toasted brioche is served with mascarpone cheese, peaches, and crushed pistachio .
Although presently only serving breakfast and lunch, Peach and Pepper is set in the courtyard of Preserva Therapy Wellness, a health-care clinic and spa, and the two businesses plan to do cooperative evening events featuring dinners with wine.
Peach and Pepper is located at 105 East Stuart Avenue, and can be reached at 407-968-2843, or at https://thepeachandpepper.com/.
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