Epcot’s 19th annual Food & Wine Festival is in full swing serving up authentic dishes from six continents paired with wine, beer and cocktails from over 60 wineries and 40 breweries worldwide, including local craft beer operations.
The Food & Wine Festival is believed to be the largest of its kind in the world and did not disappoint this year. I have been lucky enough to attend several times since it first began in 1996 and was able to share it with my husband for his first time. I have to say that I think this year was the best one yet. The food was outstanding (most of it anyway), the drinks were paired perfectly and aside from a lot of rain, we truly had the time of our lives, sans child.
Come along on a two day journey with us as we taste our way around the world. Yes, it took 2 days to eat all of this. We made an attempt to get something from every one of the countries represented but missed a few mainly because we were so full that we couldn’t eat another bite.
We were staying at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, which made it very easy to come in through the International Gateway and start eating immediately. Of course, the first day we spent the morning in the Animal Kingdom playing like two children and worked up quite an appetite before we went to Epcot at lunch time. So, here we go – our first day of the Food & Wine Festival, armed with our Discovery Passports and our wristbands, first stop was Ireland.
Ireland: Situated right in the middle of the United Kingdom pavilion, Ireland aimed to please….and that they did. My husband’s first taste of the festival was the Lobster and Seafood Fisherman’s pie. It was creamy, cheesy and 
chock full of seafood. Being the cheese lover that I am, I chose the Kerrygold Cheese selection which consisted of a Reserve cheddar, Dubliner with Irish Stout and Skellig. The chutney was made of apples and raisins in a sweet sauce that went perfectly with the cheese selections and the Guiness Draught. Delish! What’s next?
Canada: Our friends in the great white north offered up one of Le Cellier’s signature dishes, the filet mignon. For the festival, the chefs paired this Canadian beef tenderloin with a wild mushroom combination finished with a truffle butter sauce. It was outstanding! Of course, my husband thinks that it needed salt, but he puts salt on everything. He paired his with a Moosehead lager and I went with the recommended pairing of the Mission Hill Family Estate Syrah. It was the perfect combination of flavors. I wanted to add the Canadian Cheddar Cheese soup but I figured since I have had this before and can make it at home, I better leave some room for the other countries that offered something new and different. Next stop…Greece.
Greece: We are big fans of Greek cuisine, especially Saganaki. Since this kiosk didn’t have our favorite flaming cheese dish, we tried the Chicken Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce and paired it with the Tzatziki Martini. The gyro was super with the chicken flavored perfectly and just the right amount of garlic, dill and cucumber in the tzatziki sauce. The true surprise at this kiosk however was the martini. It was like nothing we have ever had before. The combination of the cucumber vodka, the natural yogurt liqueur and the splash of Simply Lemonade made this our favorite cocktail by far. It was refreshing and delicious and one we had to return to have again. This is definitely something we are going to recreate at home.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico is new to the festival this year and had such a wonderful selection of dishes to try. We chose to try the tostones – the fried green plantains with mayo ketchup. It really wasn’t the best choice for us – it was good but not great. We shared this dish and both were of the same opinion that perhaps the Ensalada de Carrucho (Caribbean Conch Salad) or the Carne Guisada would have been a better choice. Aside from that, my husband and I both agreed that the Gasolina Sangria Cocktail was divine and very different from other Sangrias we have had. Next stop….
Hawaii: I remembered Hawaii being a favorite from last year and I was right. The Kalua Pork slider with sweet and sour pineapple chutney and spicy mayo is so good. My husband wasn’t a fan of it, but I think the pineapple chutney made it complete. It was sweet, salty and spicy all at once. We combined this with the Kona Brewing Company Big Wave Golden Ale. I’m not even a beer drinker but it went very well with the slider. Oh my goodness….I’m starting to get stuffed. But wait, what is that I see next? Austrailia…yes, mate!
Austrailia: Austrialia was also a favorite from last year. I don’t eat lamb and I especially can’t deal with the combination of lamb and mint…bleh! As a matter of fact, I would rather go hungry than eat lamb, but the shrimp here is fantastic. Ahhh, Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, a hint of 
lemon and rapine myrtle is worth standing in line for. The shrimp were cooked perfectly with the right hint of spice and flavor from the lemon myrtle. Paired with Coopers Brewery Pale Ale, this was quite the treat. Even the duck sitting in front of us was begging for a slight taste. Sorry ducky, this is a little too spicy for you!
Phew….we really should take a break from all this eating! We have been eating and drinking for hours now and my husband and I are stuffed to the gills and laughing at all the things we just put in our mouths! We just sit down on a nice bench in the shade to people watch and, in true Florida form, here comes the rain. We take refuge in the building that used to be the Odyssey Restaurant years ago only to find that it is the Craft Beer venue. Bonus! My husband refers to it as “a stroke of luck”. Off he goes to make his selections….
Craft Beer: Last year the Craft Beer was set up in a kiosk around the promenade. This year, it is a wonderful set up indoors that offered a comfy place to rest, shelter from the rain and some pretty awesome beer. As I watch my husband teeter over towards me with a flight of beer and some more snacks (please, no more snacks) we set up camp inside and enjoyed the flavors they had to offer. I have mentioned before that I am not really a beer drinker but this place may have changed my mind. The flight of beer consisted of Sierra Nevada’s Kellerweis, Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, Spoetzel Brewery Wild Hare Pale Ale and Abita Brewing Purple Haze. I have to say that the Punkin Ale and the Purple Haze were the best ones we tried. We paired it up with the spicy pimento cheese dip which lived up to its name. It was ok – just ok – the spice kind of overpowered the cheese flavor. I wouldn’t order it again as it was far too spicy for my liking even though I love pimento cheese.
Mexico: I really can’t believe that I even have the desire to eat one more thing, but Mexico was my absolute favorite kiosk from last year and I had to have another Shrimp Taco. It didn’t disappoint at all and once I bit into it, I remembered what I loved about it so much. Lightly battered shrimp with pickled habanero peppers and onions on a flour tortilla and topped with this amazingly delicious sauce that made my taste buds dance. Yes, yes, yes! Last year, I tried it with a tequila flight but this year I opted for the Sangria. It wasn’t as good a Puerto Rico’s Sangria but it was still delicious, fruity….and large! Definitely worth the money.
Day 2 of feasting…yes! Here we go! We spent the morning at the Magic Kingdom in the pouring rain and once again are starving by the time we reach Epcot at lunch time. Bellies ready, we are off and running and ready to stuff ourselves once again! First stop this time….
Scotland: I love Scotland! Mainly because I am a connoisseur of fine scotches. I have just suffered an injury in the Magic Kingdom when my husband crushed my ribs against the train on a curve Big Thunder Mountain and I am in some pain. Self-medicate! Bring on the scotch…18 yr please! The Vegetarian Haggis with 
Neeps and Tatties piqued my interest. What exactly are Neeps and Tatties? Well, Haggis is a griddled vegetable cake served with rutabaga and mashed potatoes and it was differently delicious. The veggie cake had a nutty flavor to it and while I am still not certain whether or not the rutabaga is a neep or a tatty, it was surprisingly wonderful. My 
husband gushed over the Potato Pancake with Smoked Scottish Salmon and an herb sour cream sauce. I will take his word for it as I refuse to eat salmon. It’s not for me. Being a beer guy, he paired his salmon with a Innis & Gunn Oak Aged beer. Ok, what’s next? Wait…let me grab just one more 18 yr Glenfiddich for the boat ride across the lagoon. Happy girl!
Belgium: We have decided to cross the lagoon now to see what goodies we can find on the other side. What great luck to find Belgium as soon as we get off the boat. My husband and I have decided in order to taste everything we want to today, we better start sharing our dishes. We shared the Potato and Leek Waffle with Beer Braised Beef. One word comes to mind here…..Yum! The beef was tender and flavorful but the Potato and Leek waffle was the best part. The Hoegaarden was a pretty light and refreshing beer as well but I only had one sip since I was still savoring my 18 yr old scotch…ok, hoarding it is more like it.
Brazil: As luck would have it, Brazil was right next to Belgium and another one that I was looking forward to after loving it last year. We had a hard time deciding what to eat at this venue so we just decided to have several. Boy were we glad we did! The Crispy Pork Belly with black beans, tomatoes and cilantro was so pleasing to the palate and went wonderfully with the recommendation of the Xingu Black Beer. I mean honestly, who doesn’t LOVE bacon? The cilantro flavor wasn’t overpowering and the pork belly was cooked to perfection and was incredible. We also tried the Pao de Queijo – the Brazilian cheese bread. It was cheesy, gooey and delicious but my husband was of the opinion that it was undercooked. It’s supposed to be that way….more for me! We both however, were big fans of the Cocada – the Brazilian Coconut candy. It’s sugary sweet, loaded with coconut and was the perfect finish to our international snack.
Ut-oh! There’s that stuffed feeling again. We better slow down and take a rest on a bench for a few minutes. But wait, where is my husband? As I am looking around for him I see him coming towards me…with more food in his hands. Where did he go?
Morocco: Apparently the sweet Cocada at Brazil was not enough to satisfy his sweet tooth. Here he comes and puts this Baklava in my face. Want a bite? Ok, sure! It’s light, flaky and sweet and loaded with nuts. Personally, I prefer the Greek type of Baklava but this isn’t bad. Would I get it again? Probably not. Do I want more than a small bite? No, especially since I know we are coming up on bigger and better bites as we make our way around the World Showcase.
Block & Hans: A fan favorite and also located on our home turf! I remembered the Beef slider from last year at Florida Local and was happy to find it once again at Block & Hans. We have already established that I love pimento cheese and this little slider is fantastic. Paired up Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat for me and a Leinenkugel Seasonal Shanty for my husband, it is the perfect little bite of 
cheesy and beefy goodness. But wait, they also have the Baked Lobster Alfredo? What’s a girl to do? You guessed it – get both! The Baked Lobster Alfredo was unbelievably good. It’s loaded with big chunks of lobster in a creamy alfredo sauce and topped with panko bread crumbs. This Florida girl is in heaven!
Italy: Moving on to Italy, slowly I might add, I have to have something here as I have Italian blood running through my veins. Last year, Italy was at the top of my list with the Salsiccia Napolitani (sausage on ciabatta). This year….not so much. I tried the Filetto di Pollo con Funghi al Marsala. I love marsala sauce, I love mushrooms and I love chicken…perfect, right? No. This dish was very disappointing. The chicken was rubbery at best and the marsala was a wee bit watery. Two bites of this and it found itself in a trash can where it belonged. I had so hoped to have 
something wonderful in a country where my family hails from to no avail. Ok, one last shot, let’s try the Ravioli alla Caprese. This was much better than the chicken dish but I can make this myself at home. Cheese ravioli with tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and basil. Good not great….the chianti was the best thing I ordered from Italy.
Poland: After the disappointing food at Italy, my husband insisted on Poland as this is part of his heritage and his favorite international cuisine. The Kielbasa & Potato Pierogi with caramelized onions and sour cream was perfectly delicious and my husband’s favorite dish of all. The Keilbasa was grilled to perfection and the pierogi was one of the best I have ever tasted as well. He paired it with a Moretti Italian lager and gloated the whole time he ate it that his country was better than mine. I hate to admit it, but Poland did put out a better dish than Italy, but don’t tell my husband I said so. Nostrovia!
Germany: I have never really been a fan of German cuisine so I decided to skip this kiosk. My husband, however, tried the Roast Bratwurst in a pretzel roll. The pretzel roll looked delicious but there wasn’t a Chinamen’s chance I was trying a sausage that rendered that color. I don’t mean to offend anyone as I know this is a favorite among millions of people….but that color? Ummm, no thanks! It sure didn’t look appetizing to me. He swears it was delicious and I will have to take his word on that. I did however help him enjoy his beer flight from the Brewers Collection.
Brewer’s Collection: What can I say here….it’s nothing but beer. Good beer! Beer Flight #2 consisted of Altenmunster Oktoberfest, BraufactuM Roog, BraufactuM Darkon and BraufactuM Progusta IPA. I have to say that after a taste of all of them, the Oktoberfest was the best one. It was hearty, smooth and not bitter. I still can’t get past the color of that Bratwurst though. Can we roll on over to use our Fastpasses for Maelstrom, please?
Farm Fresh: It doesn’t matter how full or how tired you are, it is impossible to walk past Farm Fresh that exudes the smell of bacon and not stop. It grabs you immediately and reels you right in. Like I said before, who doesn’t LOVE bacon? This dish was absolutely outstanding and one that I could eat right now. The Nueske’s Pepper Bacon Hash with sweet corn and potatoes covered in Hollandaise sauce and topped with pickled jalapeños is hands down, my favorite dish this year. The combined flavors are perfection and pure culinary genius. Surprisingly, it paired very well with a refreshing margarita from Mexico – maybe it was the jalapeños. This is a dish that I will attempt to recreate at home for Sunday brunch.
So, I know what you are thinking…..they’re still eating. Yep, we are still eating and if I really took the time to think about how much we ate I might have been mortified. Neither one of us are thinking on this level at this point, we are just thinking about what we are eating next. Oh look, New Zealand….we haven’t tried New Zealand yet.
New Zealand: As I stood before this menu with a disappointing snarl on my face, there is nothing here that I am interested in eating. I don’t like mussels, I loathe lamb and venison renders a big NO WAY from me as well. Hmmm….perhaps a glass of wine is in order. I try the Kim Crawford Pinot Noir. It’s pretty good….not too heavy considering it’s hot out and I just want a little taste and a nice bench to relax. My husband, on the other hand is thrilled with the choices here and goes with a Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney. It looks good…but the smell is all lamb. No thanks! He went on and on about the combination of flavors. Again, I take his word for it. He definitely has a different palate than I do.
Patagonia: Just when I thought I couldn’t eat another bite, we approached the other kiosk that was new to the festival this year and I just had to have an empananda. I love empanandas – good empanandas – and the Beef Empananda at Patagonia did not disappoint. It was hot, fresh, perfectly seasoned and paired exceptionally well with the Terrazas Reserva Malbec. And as luck would have it, the cripsy ends were perfect to share with the duck friend we made the day before. Here he was with his cute little face staring at me. He sure doesn’t look malnourished and I guess if I was a duck, I would live in Epcot too. Here’s little bite, buddy. I am pretty sure I heard him say “thanks”.
So, after 14 hours of being in the parks today, first Magic Kingdom and the remainder of the day in Epcot, we decide that we will find a place to rest and wait for IllumiNations. We have now made our way back towards the United Kingdom and we’re lucky enough to find a table outside of the Rose & Crown pub where my husband can relax with a cold beer and wait for the magnificent show to end 
the day. It’s my favorite part of a long and fun day in Epcot and one he is looking forward to as well, even more so since we have a table at the ultimate viewing spot around the lagoon. Much to my surprise and after all the eating we have done, my husbands gets up and heads over to the Yorkshire County Fish Shop only to return with a full helping of Fish & Chips. Where is he putting all of this food? Seriously, more food? Wow!
Now that we have sat resting for over an hour, my sweet tooth starts to call to me. Hmmm…..what’s close by? Ireland…yes! I guess I must have inadvertently saved the best for last because the Warm Chocolate Pudding with Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur was incredibly sinful. It was like a chocolate lava cake that was doused in a rich Irish Cream. It was the perfect delight to end the night. My husband and I shared this chocolate goodness as we watched the magic of IllumiNations and celebrated the last evening of our anniversary trip.
So long Food & Wine Festival, until next year! If you are thinking of attending this year, I highly recommend it. What I don’t recommend is getting on the scale when you return home after eating and drinking around the world. I am pretty sure I heard mine say “One at a time, please.” That’s ok, it was worth every pound, every last bite and every moment that I shared with my husband for his first Food & Wine Festival experience.
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