Thank you Gina Buell, owner of City Fire, for supporting Villager Eats by allowing me to advertise on your walls in the outside bar area at Lake Sumter Landing and Brownwood. It was nice to spend time with Jenny on Monday who has worked for City Fire over 12 years. The villagers are as excited as I am about the website and very supportive.

Villagers….It is time to get out their and reclaim your life as it was. The restaurants miss you and need your support during these trying times.

CONGRATULATIONS RUBY TUESDAY for servicing The Villages for 18 years. Ruby Tuesday is located on Main St. in Spanish Springs. Check out their loyalty program and be sure to try their Burrito Bowls starting at $8.99.

It is time to get out there and support your local restaurants.

Labor Day is usually a sign that summer is coming to an end. For some, it may be the last chance to turn the flame on the grill and get cooking. I wonder how many hot dogs and hamburgers will be eaten this weekend.

It is believed that the very first hot dog – once called ‘dachshund sausages’ – was sold by a German immigrant out of a food cart in New York in the 1860s. Around 1870, a German immigrant by the name of Charles Feltman opened the first hot dog stand on Coney Island. He sold over 3,600 frankfurters (in a bun) that year.

You may have heard that Hamburg, Germany is the home of the first hamburger. While the inspiration for the hamburger did come from Hamburg, the sandwich concept was invented much later. In the 19th century, beef from German Hamburg cows was minced and combined with garlic, onions, salt and pepper, then formed into patties (without bread or a bun) to make Hamburg steaks. These early burgers were considered gourmet and were quite pricey, given the quality of Hamburg beef. When German immigrants began arriving in New York and Chicago, many earned a living by opening restaurants. Menus frequently featured Hamburg steak, an Americanized version of the German offering. It was often the most expensive dish on the menu. During the Industrial Revolution, factory workers were served Hamburg steak from food carts. They proved difficult to eat while standing, so one creative cook sandwiched the meat patty between two slices of bread (the culinary innovator’s name has sadly been lost to history). The Hamburg sandwich was born, an evolution that boosted this food’s popularity all over the country.

Take a trip to Leesburg and visit Great Chicago Fire Brewery & Tap Room. They offer craft beer that is brewed in house. They are known for their Chicago Dogs and Chicago Thin Crust Pizza. My husband ordered the flight which is 4 samples of different beers. Now he has a favorite. I was there for THE PIZZA. I’m a Michigander, a neighbor of Chicago. I have to admit, I have finally found “my pizza place”. In my opinion, it is always about the sauce. We topped our pizza with pepperoni, peppers and mushrooms. We watched the pizza being made by scratch. The sauce was plenty and had so much flavor and the cheese was delicious. Every bite kept me going back for more. The staff and patrons were very friendly and everyone I met was from Michigan. It felt like home.

Take a trip outside the bubble. You won’t regret it!

I thought it would be fun to go down memory lane. Answer these three questions:

What was your first job/position?

What is your current job/position?

What is your favorite or funniest memory?

My first job was working at McDonalds in East Lansing, MI.

My current job, besides Villager Eats, is a Hospice Nurse.

My funniest memory was during my first nursing job at a psych facility. A co-worker asked me to give him something for an upset stomach. I meant to give him Mylanta (update stomach) and I gave him milk of magnesia (constipation) instead. Needless to say, It was a long night.

Located at 16770 S. US Highway, Suite 608, Summerfield, FL. Mon-Sun 11am-9pm.

WOW! I just discovered all of the specials that Francesco’s has to offer. They offer daily dinner and lunch specials. The best deal yet is their takeout specials.

Take Out Specials

 EVERY DAY
“Pazzo Pazzo Special”

Buy 1 Pasta get 1 Free

Choice of Pasta: Angel Hair, Spaghetti or Penne
Choice of Sauce: Signature, Marinara, Alfredo or Bolognese
Includes oven baked garlic rolls & dip  $11.50

Buy 1 Calzone get 1 Free

Toppings additional for only $1.00 each (pepperoni, Italian sausage-salami-garlic- onions or green peppers-black olives-mushrooms)
Only $9

Buy 1 Pizza get 1 Free

All Gourmet & Build your own at menu price, toppings additional. Equal or lesser value free.

FRANCESCO’S RISTORANTE

Villager Eats is now accepting food and non-food business advertisement on villagereats.com. Villager Eats will soon be the hottest website in The Villages and surrounding areas. See your business grow by reaching out to thousands of potential customers. Do not wait, the season is coming soon. Please contact me by phone or email address which is located at the bottom of villagereats.com’s home page.

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Keep logging on to villagereats.com to view upcoming labor day weekend specials.

Now more than ever, give thanks to all of the hard working people who make life in The Villages what it is today.

Bless the rain and all that grows. Are you relaxing at home while the rain is nourishing our earth? Now is a good time to visit villagereats.com and plan your week of delicious meals and great spirits.

I know this isn’t about food but it is always good to share information. I met Rob Mangiamele of Community Collision in Leesburg today while visiting a sign shop. He has a new beautiful building located at 105 W. Magnolia St. in Leesburg. Community Collision is family owned and has been servicing our area for years. Next time you don’t make it through a roundabout, you know who to call. Visit their website at https://cccleesburg.com/. Well it is kind of about food. Community Collision is next door to Magnolia’s Oyster Bar. You know we have to check them out.