Quotable Talk: Dalia Colón

Dalia Colón is a multimedia journalist and author of The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook. She’s the executive producer and host of The Zest, a food podcast from the NPR Network; she writes the Heritage Kitchen column for Forum, the magazine for Florida Humanities; and she has served as a judge for the James Beard Awards. Dalia is also associate producer and co-host of WEDU Arts Plus on Tampa Bay’s PBS station. Dalia lives in Tampa Bay, and she never leaves home without a snack.

Following the talk, enjoy a tasting of Dalia’s Roasted Beet Hummus which is featured in her new book, The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook, available for purchase in the Museum’s SHOP. Dalia will also be available to sign copies of the book.

About the Book

With year-round harvests and incredible seasonal variety of crops, Florida offers a wealth of homegrown foods that make it easy to cook local and fresh. Food journalist Dalia Colón is your guide to discovering flavorful dishes that showcase Florida’s bounty of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and grains. The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook includes more than 100 recipes using local ingredients as distinctive as oranges, tomatoes, and watermelon and as interesting as sugarcane, peanuts, cabbage, squash, and cantaloupe. Colón inspires readers to try new twists on classic recipes such as her Spanakopita, a satisfying entrée that pays homage to the Greek restaurants of Tarpon Springs; her sweet-and-spicy Game Day Buffalo Cauliflower that will win over any potluck party; and her Chocolate-Dipped Avocado Paletas that combine creamy avocado, zesty lime, and sweet dark chocolate for a refreshing treat in the summer heat. Colón’s recipes are accompanied by 12 essays that offer the stories behind some of Florida’s most cherished food traditions. Topics include the origins of the Florida Strawberry Festival, the rise and decline of Florida’s citrus industry, the importance of corn for Florida’s First Peoples, and more. Crafted for home cooks seeking to lean into a plant-based lifestyle, this cookbook includes tips on how to plan meals around seasonal fruits and vegetables, using local farmers markets for fresh produce, and exploring the cuisines of different cultures. Colorfully illustrated with simple step-by-step instructions, this book will take you on a delectable journey through the many ways that vegetarian and vegan foods are woven into Florida’s history and culture.

Host or Publisher Sarasota Art Museum