The Food Review

Of the 29 booths at the 17th Annual Food & Wine Festival, we hit 23 of them in our short 3 day visit to EPCOT; however, that statistic is somewhat misleading considering certain booths received our dubious attention 2, 3 or maybe even 4 times.  

29 booths in the World Showcase at EPCOT

Some booths just didn't excite me. Did I really need to eat a vegan meal just because it was offered? I decided no. I wanted to try the Beef Empanada at Argentina, but quite often the line was extremely long at a time when my belly was also full. I skipped the drinks at the Fife & Drum booth because, well, I just didn't think I needed the calories...or probably the alcohol. For some reason, we didn't sample anything at the Florida or Singapore booth even though Jeff said we needed to give the Singapore Sling a second chance after we couldn't even finish it in 2010. Again, I didn't feel the need to spend money on something I didn't think would meet my taste requirements. And finally...Japan....No thank you. I cannot convince myself to eat anything raw. No sushi for me!

Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce

 For years, we've tried to get into a dinner reservations at Canada's Le Cellier. For years, we have been denied. When we saw the Le Cellier Beef Filet on the Food & Wine Festival Passport, I made a beeline straight to the booth. Needless to say, I now understand what all of the buzz is about. Yes, you can taste the truffle butter sauce melted into the beef. This small taste was definitely THE BEST thing I tried all weekend and also the best beef I've ever had. Thank you, sir, may I have another? And I did...again and again and again.

Ireland: Lobster & Seafood Fisherman's Pie with Chocolate Lava Cake

Our favorite combination of the weekend was the Lobster & Seafood Fisherman's Pie followed up by the Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Ganache. How can you beat seafood and chocolate? Now, personally, I am not a chocolate person. I can survive without it; however, the creamy fisherman's pie followed up by the sweet taste of dessert was a perfect pairing and one which we greatly enjoyed.

France: Escargot & Creme Brulee

My most daring sampling of the weekend was escargot. Snails. Really? I ate snails. The good thing was they were covered by the breading so I really couldn't tell you if I like them or not. Naturally, the creme brulee was delicious. Was that really a question?

Australia: Shrimp on the Barbie 

In Australia, we tried the Shrimp on the barbie paired with Rosemount Estate Chardonnay Semillion.

Germany: Roast Bratwurst in Pretzel Roll & Apple Strudel

The line in Germany was always extremely long, but you can't complain when all of their offerings sound so incredibly good. While we were tasting the food at Germany, Jeff decided he didn't like my scent and decided to pour an entire beer on my arm. OK, maybe it wasn't the entire beer and maybe it wasn't because he didn't like my scent, but I spent the rest of the smelling beer anyway.

Morocco: Kefta Pocket and Baklava

At Morocco, we were very excited to dive into the baklava, sangria and decided to try a Kefta Pocket. Unfortunately, the beef in the kefta pocket was not thoroughly cooked and while I did like it, we decided to just dump it and move on. We might as well leave room for my food!

A 2nd go around at Ireland: Guiness & the Cheese Selection 

Did I mention how we visited some booths multiple times? One of them was Ireland. Not only did Jeff love the Guiness as much as I loved the Bunratty Potcheen Chilled Irish Coffee, we sampled just about everything on their entire menu.

Italy: Cannoli al Cioccolato

Italy: Ravioli di Formaggio all'Emiliana

The ravioli from Italy was a small slice of heaven with its melted cheese center. I found it hard to share in between sips of the Moretti Beer.

Poland: Kielbasa & Potato Pierogie

In Poland, we tried the pierogie.

Desserts & Champagne: A dessert trio 

For some reason, I had a craving for champagne. Ok, and maybe some dessert. We decided to go for the gusto and get the trio: Yogurt Panna Cotta with Orange Cake, Raspberries and Pomegranate, Lemon Custard Verrine with Blueberry Compote, and Dark Chocolate Mousse with Chili and Salted Caramel. My favorite of the three was the Yogurt Panna Cotta.

Scandinavia: Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries

The Swedish Meatballs with lingonberries from the Scandinavian booth were quite a tasty surprise. I was not sure what a lingonberry was, but in combination with the sauce for the meatballs the tapas offered a unique combination of savory and sweet.

China

The line at China matched the line in Mexico and Germany. With three entree selections, we couldn't decide which to chose - so we choose them all! Mongolian Beef in a Steamed Bun, Pork Potstickers, Chicken Satay with Spiced Peanut Sauce and Pickled Vegetables.

My Favorite Drink of the weekend

My favorite drink of the weekend was not a part of the Food & Wine Festival, but a staple at the World Showcase. The Grand Marnier Orange Slush. Unfortunately, I have to limit myself to 2. They tend to slide right down and could really get me into trouble. Maybe, now that I've found the recipe, I'll have to make some for the holidays.

The food and wine festival was absolutely fabulous. Returning home from Disney to my own cooking was a brutal slap in the face. I wish I had the patience and skills to create half the fabulous meals offered at Disney, but I think it's important we all recognize our own strengths and weaknesses. Cooking, for me, is a necessary evil. Enjoying delicious meals at the Food & Wine Festival, however, is definitely something I will continue to enjoy for years to come.

Grand Marnier Orange Slush - France Drink Kiosk Epcot 
3 cups Grand Marnier
1 cup *Orange Fruit Smoothie from Florida Natural Flavors in Casselberry, FL
Ice if making in a blender

Mix Vodka and *Orange Fruit Smoothie from Florida Natural Flavors It helps to chill the mix before putting in a slushie machine. Add the required amount of water for your machine (generally for 1 liter alcohol you use 1 ¾ gallon or 28 cups water.) If making in a blender use enough ice to produce the slushie effect. *If substituting the Orange Fruit Smoothie try for something with an orange dreamsicle taste.

Recipe from the TalkDisney forums:
http://www.talkdisney.com/forums/disney-recipes/44154-grand-marnier-orange-slush-drink-kiosk-france-epcot.html#.UKacfYfAeSo