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!)