If
she were not a chef, Trude Knutson would probably be an artist, working in
pastels or sculpting clay. Fortunately for visitors to Walt Disney World® Resort,
Trude chose a culinary career path and now serves as Chef Assistant at the
Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot® at Walt Disney World® Resort. In
these kitchens, she created her imaginative Peanut Butter [and Honey] Playdough
for the 2002 Epcot® International Wine and Food Festival gourmet entertainments.
Her fanciful rendition of Disney’s iconic Mickey Mouse captivated the
junior gourmands who participated in the hands-on culinary activities offered
to families by the park. A simple assembly project, the tasty dough is transformed
into a palate-pleasing Mickey with a few rolls of the palm and some artfully
placed garnish. What true Disney fan can resist such a treat?
Born and raised in Lockport, Illinois, Trude’s varied culinary education began in bakeries and pastry shops in Wisconsin, Washington, D.C., and London, England. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Fine Arts degree, she discovered she could combine her technical experience with her artistic training at Walt Disney World® Resort. In her work at Disney, she’s had the privilege of meeting and working with world-renowned chefs, as well as participating in classes and seminars to continue learning about the ever-expanding world of food styles. Recently, she attained the first level Sommelier certification to add the ability to pair food and wine to her list of accomplishments. Her most notable jobs at Disney include opening the California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the Kona Café at Disney’s Polynesian Resort.
Trude defines her culinary style as "juggling.” She likes a balanced menu, offering light to rich choices. “I also like to juggle individual elements, like honey, within a dessert,” she says. In fact, one of the dessert trends she predicts for the millennium is the discovery that dessert doesn't just mean sugar.
Trude credits the team at Walt Disney World® Resort for exerting the greatest influence on her culinary career. She sites the Disney tradition of employing the best people and setting cutting edge standards for excellence and creativity for inspiring new depths of creativity within her and for giving her a new perspective on her environment. Maybe that’s why her culinary passion is “giving people the opportunity to experience the familiar in a new, perhaps unfamiliar, way.”
Peanut Butter Playdough
1 |
lb. peanut butter |
3/4 |
lb. powdered sugar |
7 |
oz. honey |
1/2 |
oz. vanilla extract |
Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until “dough” comes together. Do not over mix. Store at room temperature.
Assembly or presentation
Mini chocolate chips
Pretzel sticks
Mini-marshallows
Vanilla wafers
Rainbow sprinkle