EPCOT'S Food and Wine Festival

Despite my hectic work schedule, I was able to make it to the food and wine festival at EPCOT this weekend. Juice Newton was the featured musical act for the Eat to the Beat concert series. Although I am a huge music fan, I was not familiar with her, so we didn't stop to listen. Had I gone 2 days earlier, I would've been able to see Little Richard. I LOVE Little Richard! I suppose there is always next year.



I was able to sample what I thought to be quite a bit from the festival, though I was sharing portions with two other people. One or two small bites of each was fine by me.



Here is a rundown of the dishes we got to sample (In the order we sampled, we went counter-clockwise as always):

Dominican Republic

Mofongo - This was mashed yuca (which is a starch root similar to the potato) with pork cracklings served with grilled shrimp. This was one of the best things I tried all day. Great way to start off the day. I highly recommended this item.
Coconut Flan - If you've never had flan, it's basically a sweet, creamy, caramel flavored baked custard. Flan by itself is very good, but the coconut gave it a little extra something. This was another favorite of the day.

Peru

Cause de Cangrejo - This is a cold yellow potato and crab salad. Though the crab was pretty good, I didn't really enjoy this dish very much.
Arroz Con Pato - This is a duck dish with cilantro rice. It was actually pretty good. Not my favorite, but I liked the flavor pairing between the duck and cilantro. I don't recommend this if you don't like peas!
Tabernero Cabernet Sauvignon - This red wine was full bodied and very peppery. A little too strong for me since I prefer mild table wines, such as Chianti. If you like very tannin-stimulating full flavored cabs, give this your best shot.

Greece

We skipped Greece because we live in an area populated by many Greek people and Greek restaurants. It would be really hard to reproduce some of the amazing Greek cuisine we've had so close to home. Although, I had overheard many people saying that the food in this pavilion was very good.

Canada

Cheddar Cheese Soup - What would the food and wine festival be without having this?? Every year it is the same as before. Rich, hearty and full of flavor. If you are a fan of cheese or bacon, this is highly recommended. It was warm out, but not too warm for a cup of this soup!
Maple Custard with Almond Crumble - The almond crumble complemented the maple custard so well. I had this last year, but I don't remember it having the almond crumble on the top. Maybe I am losing my mind. It was very yummy. I love anything almond flavored, so this is right up my alley.

New Zealand

We weren't big fans of this booth last year, so we skipped it this year.

Great Beers of the World

Skipped as well. NOT that I am not a beer fan. We came back to this stand a later at night.

Iced Tea Fusion

Skipped

France

Escargot Persillade en Brioche - Everyone except me tried this dish. I just wasn't in the mood for snails I suppose. Not that I don't like it, I've tried it a few times before, I just didn't want any.
I hear the Pomegranate Kir is delicious!

Oklahoma -Three Sisters' Cafe

Seared Buffalo with Scalloped Wild Onions - We came back for this before we left for the night because it looked delicious. If you are a beef lover, this is for you. Cooked perfectly,melt in your mouth delicious!

Oklahoma - Rose Rock Diner

Native Peach Buckle - This was so tasty. It is kind of like a cake in a tart shell with fresh peaches and pecans. Very yummy, I highly recommend this!

Morocco, Australia, Japan, USA

Skipped x4. What can I say? We can eat, but we just couldn't eat it all. Oh wait I lied... We tried the grilled lamb chop with caramelized onions in Australia. It was good wonderfully and was very tasty!

Hops & Barley Market

New England Crab Cake with Barley-Lentil Salad - For me this is a signature F&W Festival dish. I had it last year, I had to have it this year. And what a better to wash it down, then with a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat beer? The lentil salad is light and refreshing with the hearty crab cake. This is highly recommended by me.

Poland

Skipped

Italy

Lasagna Al Forno - One of the best lasagnas I've ever tasted. The spinach pasta in this lasagna is a nice change from the usual semolina pasta. I don't usually eat lasagna that has meat in it, but this one was really good.
Cecchi Chianti Classico - I'm just beginning my excursion into the wide world of red wine and I prefer chiantis and merlots for the time being. This is a very nice everyday chianti.
Peroni Beer - Light with a full flavor. I would have to compare this to Stella Artois. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no expert, that's just what it reminded me of.

Germany

Skipped

Turkey

Pistachio Baklava - I hate to say I was disappointed with this item. I love baklava, but this just had nothing special to it.

South Africa

Durban Spiced Chicken on a Skewer - I must be the only person on the planet who isn't overly excited about this dish. Maybe because I got the fatty piece, who knows. The flavor was just odd and the item that accompanied the chicken was just icky.
Goats do Roam Red - This was a nice smooth red wine. Very different flavor then the reds I'm used to drinking, but I really liked this.

India

Skipped. Although, I heard the curried butternut squash soup was very good.

China, Ireland & Spain

Skipped

Mexico

Chilaquiles - Yet another one of the most delicious things we tried all day. Chicken, tortillas and a spicy tomatillo sauce. Definitely try this item. It is so good that I bought the recipe book and made it yesterday. It came out just as delicious as I remembered it

Argentina

Spicy Beef Empanada - If you like surprises, try this! It's like a gourmet hot pocket. The beef in this item is organic and very fresh.
Grilled Beef with Chimichurri Sauce - Just as good as it sounds. Try this!!
Dulce de Leche - Similar to flan, but creamier and without the burnt sugar taste. (Which is basically what caramel is) Loved it!

Chile, Champagne

Skipped both



So there you have it, yes we sampled a LOT, but mind you, we didn't have breakfast, lunch or dinner. We just noshed from 11:00am until 8:00pm. We shared everything and had a bite a piece, if that. The only thing we all had a whole portion of was the cheddar cheese soup. That is just NOT shareable. If you go or plan on going to the F&W Festival, be sure to pick up a copy of the recipe book. It is well worth it! I already made the chilequiles and it hasn't been a week since we went. It's a great investment, makes the memories seem to last and last and would even be a great gift for someone who didn't get the chance to go this year. Remember, the Festival runs through November 11th, so you still have time to get in on the fun! I'm sorry we couldn't do every country's booth, but it was just too much food! Not too mention we ended up indulging in dole whips at the Magic Kingdom after EPCOT closed. Take care everyone and talk to you soon!

What were some of your favorite/least favorite dishes? Disagree with my opinions on the items? Do you do any of the seminars or Party for the Senses? I'm dying to hear how they were, so let me know! I'd love to get all of your opinions as well.


-Jackie O.

(2 days until the ToT Marathon!)

Let's try this again....

Sorry about the pics guys. Try this link, I hope you enjoy. Any and all feedback would be appreciated!! New blog coming soon!!


http://www.flickr.com/photos/7884804@N07/sets/72157602439341408/

Argh...

I just wanted to let everyone know I was made aware of the trouble with the pictures in my last entry. Of course, the time I actually post some decent pictures, photbucket decides to start charging for photo hosting. By Friday evening, I should have this problem solved. Again, I apologize. Keep your eyes peeled for a new blog this weekend which may or may not have something to do with Disney. Have a great weekend, everyone!

-Jackie O.

The EPCOT Thing & Pictures

It's hard to believe it has almost been a week since The EPCOT Thing. If you haven't already listened to the podcast at http://www.magicaldefinition.com/, Today I'll be talking all about the wonderful weekend I had at WDW.








Like I said in my previous entry, I got to WDW last sunday and did my thing at The Magic Kingdom for a little while before checking into my hotel. Nathan, Linda and Tim picked me up around 6:00pm to head over to Raglan Road to start setting up for the Shandy Gathering. We had the whole music room to ourselves for the meet. The three of us grabbed a bite to eat before people started to arrive. I had a really yummy portobello mushroom sandwich. Soon after eating, people began to arrive. We met so many wonderful people. It didn't get too hectic luckily, so we had the chance to really chat with some of the listeners and friends of the show. I hope everyone had a wonderful time, I know I did. Afterwards, April, Jon, Tim, Kate and I went to The Adventurers Club. We had a great time (which isn't out of the ordinary).

Since Tim, Kate and I stayed at The Adventurers Club for quite some time, I only got about 4 hours of sleep until I had to get up the next morning for the Coffee Meet at the Boardwalk. Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the coffee meet. Mainly because I had to pack everything up and load it into my car that morning, so I met everyone at the back entrance of EPCOT. As soon as they dropped the rope, we made a mad dash to the Fountain of Nations. It was about 9:00am and it was already sweltering out. It might have felt that way because I was running around like a mad woman, I'm not quite sure. April, Jon and I went to get some coffee and breakfast. By the time we came back, the park was filling up. Shortly after we returned, the Ceremony began. What a tear jerker. It was an amazing site to see. Being able to see Marty Sklar in person was something I will never forget. Here is a man who embodies all that Walt Disney wanted and dreamed and he wasn't even 100' away from me. The ceremony was wonderful and was a great tribute to the park and Walt's vision.

After the ceremony, everyone went on their separate ways for a little while. April, Jon and I walked around the World Showcase and sampled some of the food and wine snacks. Around 12:00pm, we headed to Club Cool to prep for Beverlyfest. This was so exciting! I'm so glad Nathan kept those 25 shots down because I would've cried if he didn't. For those of you who don't already know, Beverlyfest was a battle between my co-host of MDP, Nathan and his friend Robert, to see who could get 25 shots of the digusting italian apertif, Beverly, down first. The janitors seemed to be anticipating the worst, but all was well in the end. Robert beat Nathan. Luckily, there were no "reversals" in this competition. For beverlyfest footage, click this link. Afterwards, a couple other individuals decided to take it upon themselves to partake in their own Beverlyfest. Why they wanted to do this, I will never know. Regardless, it was thoroughly entertaining.

After Beverlyfest, we all headed to Spaceship Earth for a guided tour of EPCOT's Past hosted by Jim Hill, Jeff Lange and the original Dreamfinder, Ron Schneider. After a brief interview with Ron, the tour began. We started under Spaceship Earth and ended at the American Pavilion. What an awesome tour of the park. I found out so many interesting facts about EPCOT. Though it was just a tad warm out, it was worth it to hear some of the things these guys knew. For instance, did you know right behind the Imagination Pavilion, you can see Figment's name written in cement? Or, that the cast that filmed Impressions de France can be seen in the film itself?

After the tour, some of us went on The American Adventure and some individuals went to do their own thing for a little while. Boy, do I wish I was following behind Tim at this point. He got an interview with Marty Sklar!! After The American Adventure, we headed to our dining destination, Rose & Crown. We all had another wonderful chance to mingle and chat during dinner. The only downfall to the meal? The sudden downpour following it! We were all very worried at this point that they wouldn't launch the 25th anniversary fireworks, but we kept on truckin'. We all collected inside one of England's giftshops and then headed over to the American Pavilion to get a spot for the fireworks. Despite another sudden downpour, the fireworks went on as scheduled. I have no words to describe these fireworks. They showed illuminations, of course, but immediately after, they had a 25th anniversary fireworks spectacular. I was amazed at how beautiful this show was. Talk about a dedication, this was one for the record books and I was so glad to be there. Despite the fact that I had to head home, staying late was well worth it!

I had a blast and I'm really looking forward to the NEXT MDP gathering on the evening of the Tower of Terror Run at the end of this month. Thanks again to everyone who contributed to this event and those of you who attended. You truly made our day that much more special! Until next time... Take care!


-Jackie O.

*EDIT* Look for a more recent post with the link to the flickr album!

An enormous Thank You!!

Hi Everyone! I'm back from The EPCOT Thing and all I have to say is... WOW!

I had an absolutely amazing weekend and I just want to thank everyone who was able (and willing, lol) to attend. I feel so incredibly lucky to have met so many wonderful people. The conversations, the faces and the memories, I couldn't have had a better time celebrating EPCOT's 25th. Honestly, thank you all so very much for joining Tim, Nathan and I. Thank you all so very much for your support, it means so very much to me. It was a weekend I will not soon forget and I hope to see you all very soon!

A blog all about my weekend will be released this coming sunday along with a new episode of The Magical Definition Podcast. In the meantime, I just HAVE to talk about The New Haunted Mansion. So, this is a warning, if you have NOT been on the new version and do NOT want to be spoiled... STOP READING NOW...








When I got to Walt Disney World on Sunday afternoon, I had the chance to roam the parks on my own. I immediately headed over to The Haunted Mansion. The wait time was 25 minutes and it was pushing 95 degrees outside. I was so nervous that my favorite attraction just wouldn't be the same. The line wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated. My anticipation began to build as I headed through those big, gloomy doors into the stretching room. I was spellbound and I wasn't even halfway through the attraction yet. The new sounds in the room stretching and the "Ghost Hosts" voice echoing all around the room gave me chills. The fresh coat of wallpaper was an added bonus. Of course, I was in just the right spots to race through the line before the masses.

This new version has so many wonderful changes and upgrades, I can't begin to name them all. The first hallway with the pictures while in the doom buggies isn't quite the same, but the changes here are very cool. They added some windows to the left of the pictures and there are new pictures on the right hand side. When the lightning flashes in the windows, the pictures change to new creepier images! (Oooh Ahhh!) Also, the suit of armor right next to the endless hallway now moves. As a kid, I'd convinced myself it already did this, but I really like this new addition. One spot in the attraction that is brand new is the stair labyrinth (which you would know was actually meant to be a part of the revamped Journey Into Imagination ride if you were at The Epcot Thing park tour, hehe!). This used to be the old staircase and giant spider scene. The new scene is definitely a thrill for the eyes because there is so much to look at. The floating Madame Leota in the seance scene is very cool and the new bride scene at the end gave me "hot and cold running chills!" I was ACTUALLY creeped out. I have never been afraid of this attraction and riding it by myself and witnessing the new bride was definitely took my breath away. She is now on the opposite side and is very life like. Her audio track is so eery, but I love it. I really wanted to go on the ride over and over again. I suppose I could've, but the line was now up to 40 minutes and the heat was lingering. I figured checking into my hotel room for a nap was a good trade off.


I cannot wait to tell you all about The EPCOT Thing 2007. In the meantime, head over to www.themagicinpixels.com, www.magicalmountain.net and www.explorethemagic.com for pictures, stories and more of this event. A big thank you also to the sponsors of the event, as well as our tour guides Jeff Lange, Ron Schneider and Jim Hill.

I simply cannot wait until we can all get together for another awesome event at the parks. Until then, Take care!


-Jackie O.