Food & Wine Festival - Reviews

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

I figured it might be good to put these all in one place.

Here are some I found elsewhere but please feel free to add your own - pics are even better!

From AllEars...

Tequila Lunch Pairing

Review by Debra Martin Koma

Senior Editor, AllEars.Net

Sunday, October 2, 2011

1 p.m.

at La Hacienda di San Angel

Mexico Pavilion

Presenter

Hilda Castillo

Menu

Welcome Rosita Margarita

Ceviche Verde

Scallops marinated in salsa verde, served with avocado and crispy shredded carrot

-- Paired with Milagro Select Barrel Silver Tequila

Sope de Chilorio and Empanada

Chile ancho marinated shredded pork and black beans over a sope. Empanada stuffed with traditional Mexican cheese, topped with cream and salsa verde.

-- Paired with Centenario Reposada Tequila

Grilled Tilapia and Pork in Mole Negro

Adobo marinated tilapia over grilled vegetables. Pork with home-made mole negro sauce over esquites (roasted corn)

-- Paired with Chinaco Anejo Tequila

Tamal de Dulce

Sweet tamal filled with guava, topped with strawberry coulis

-- Paired with Agavero Tequila Liqueur

One of the things I enjoy the most about Epcot's annual Food and Wine Festival is the chance to step outside my culinary comfort zone and try things that I otherwise might avoid or ignore. Whenever there's a new festival offering, I sign up right away, as I did this year for the festival's new Tequila Lunch Pairing, set in the beautiful waterfront restaurant in the Mexico pavilion, La Hacienda de San Angel. The official description said only that this new program would be a tequila tasting that would "complement a selected Mexican regional cuisine," so I wasn't sure quite what to expect. I assumed that it would be similar to the tequila tastings offered inside the Mexico pavilion at La Cava del Tequila, but with the addition of food. My guess was both right and wrong. The tasting portion of the experience WAS similar to the Tequila Tasting (see my review from 2009 HERE), but was made so much more enjoyable with the addition of wonderful dishes prepared by La Hacienda's Chef Ernesto and his team.

I arrived at La Hacienda a bit early for lunch, and was greeted cheerfully, checked in, and told to return about 10 minutes before the 1 p.m. start time. When I came back at 12:45, I was allowed to enter the restaurant's lobby to wait in the air conditioning, then was welcomed with one of the restaurant's signature margaritas, the Rosita, which is made with El Mayor premium silver tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, rose infusions, and served on the rocks with a hibiscus Himalayan salt rim. As pretty to look at as it was delicious to drink!

We were eventually directed to take our seats in the beautiful dining area, overlooking World Showcase Lagoon. Seating was for 53 that day (I was told capacity for the program would have been 54) and I felt we were a little too tightly packed in -- which in fact led to me knocking over a glass of the pre-poured tequila as I attempted to take a photo. (How embarrassing! I hadn't even had a drink yet!) Servers quickly came to my rescue, however, and poured me a fresh glass, so that I wouldn't miss out on any of the tasting.

The tables were accented with plates of aromatics, which I knew from the tequila tasting I'd attended previously we'd be using as we sampled each of the three tequilas in front of us: Blanco, also called Silver, aged no more than three months; Reposado (Rested), aged two months up to a year; and Anejo (Aged), aged generally up to three years, but sometimes even longer. Also at each place setting were a small bottle of water to help us clear our palates in between each drink, and a shot glass filled with what I later learned was a tequila liqueur.

Presenter for this session was Hilda Castillo, who is not only tequila expert, but is actually from Tequila, Mexico, where, she claims, they have 23 different distributors of the potent drink. As she did when I attended her tequila tasting two years ago, she walked us through a brief history of the liquor, describing the differences among the three types of tequila, and how it varies from its close relation, mezcal, which is most famous for featuring a worm or scorpion in the bottom of its bottle.

With each of the tequilas, Hilda instructed us on the proper way to taste -- first by observing the color, then by swirling it in the glass to note its body, then by smelling in three different sections of the glass: at the edge closest to you, then in the middle of the glass, then at the edge farthest away. We were then directed to take one of the aromatics (first lime with the Blanco, then cinnamon stick with the Reposado, then coffee beans with the Anejo) to get the scent of what we should be detecting in the tequila. After tasting each tequila, Hilda then brought out Chef Ernesto, who briefly described the accompanying course that as Hilda explained, would represent, "like Mickey and Minnie, the perfect union between food and tequila."

The first course, Ceviche Verde, was a delicious blend of tender scallops marinated in salsa verde, with crispy shredded carrot on the side for us to garnish the dish to our taste. The spice in the salsa brought out the spiciness of the Blanco tequila, which also had a distinct citrus note, especially when tasted after handling the lime rind. Interestingly, when sipped alone the Blanco virtually set my mouth on fire, but when tasted along with the ceviche it seemed much tamer, perhaps a result of the calming avocado in the dish.

The Ceviche was followed by two tapas-sized appetizers, a Sope de Chilorio and a cheesy Empanada. The shredded pork on a sope was a bit too big to pop into your mouth in one bite, yet was also difficult to cut, making it hard to eat. I didn't care for it as much as its dish-mate, the empanada. Made with traditional Mexican cheese (manchego), and topped with cream and salsa verde, this savory little morsel brought out the cinnamon, and even vanilla, notes of the reposada tequila nicely. Of the three tequilas, I found this to be my favorite.

Our following course actually featured samples of two La Hacienda entrees: Grilled Tilapia and Pork in Mole Negro. The tilapia, which had been marinated in adobo (a sauce usually made of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar), was served over grilled vegetables. It was moist and flavorful, and had none of the aftertaste I often associate with that fish. The dish went well with the smooth, amber-hued Anejo tequila, but it was the pork with mole that really tickled my tastebuds. I'd enjoyed this dish when I first dined at La Hacienda back in May, and it was every bit as good as I remembered it. The rich chocolate taste of the savory sauce really brought out the coffee accents of the Anejo tequila -- I'd call this pairing a definite success.

I hadn't really expected a dessert course, but sure enough, we were treated to one. Chef Ernesto brought out a colorful Tamal de Dulce -- a very sweet tamal filled with very sweet guava, topped with a peachy-pink strawberry coulis. This course was paired with a tequila-flavored liqueur called Agavero. For me, it was all just too much sugar, so I couldn't finish either the tamal or the liqueur, but others around me seemed to enjoy both. In any case, it was a nice finishing touch, and while I might have preferred a different dessert, it was definitely a nice way to end the program, which wrapped up just after 2 p.m., even though it was billed as having a 2:30 p.m. end time.

Yes, that's right, I said 2 p.m. The entire session had lasted just over an hour, which brings me to my only real complaint. The whole experience crammed far too much into too short a time. I for one did not drink all of my margarita, nor all the tequila samples, nor the liqueur, but those who had, had consumed quite a lot of alcohol in a very concentrated amount of time. In addition, we were really whisked through the courses, which was a shame, as the food was very good and I would have liked to have savored it a bit longer. I really think that if the pairing had been allowed to continue for the full 90 minutes, it would have been a much more enjoyable experience... plus we would have time to absorb all that alcohol a bit more before being rushed out again into the bright Florida sun.

But that is my only negative criticism of the lunch. Overall, I found the Tequila Lunch Pairing to not only be quite informative, but a terrific value at $65. The tequila tasting over at La Cava costs $45, whereas at La Hacienda for just $20 more you are treated to the same three tequilas, along with four very nicely prepared courses, plus your welcome margarita and your after-dinner liqueur. Quite a bargain. Should they offer this program again next year, I will definitely consider trying it again (I just hope that now that I've pointed out what a bargain it is, they don't increase the price!).

VITAL INFO

Mexico Tequila Lunch

These tastings will complement a selected Mexican regional cuisine, and offer Festival guests the opportunity to learn more about tequila and spirits.

Where: La Hacienda de San Angel, Mexico Pavilion at Epcot

When: Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 2:30 p.m. - October 22 SOLD OUT

Price: $65

http://allears.net/t...quila-lunch.htm

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Also from AllEars...

Mixology Seminar

by Debra Martin Koma

Senior Editor, AllEars®

Festival Center

Saturday, October 1, 2011

6 p.m.

$12 (tax included)

Presenter

Eric Hay, Beverage Development Manager at Wirtz Beverage

Menu

Xante - a Pear Cognac

Pear X Mango Mojito

Walk the Plank

Skeleton Horse

As someone who considers a gin and tonic the ultimate mixed drink, I have never really explored the mechanics behind what makes a good cocktail. Daiquiris? Manhattans? Fuzzy Navels? I'm rather fuzzy myself on what exactly goes into them, much less how you prepare them. So with the addition of daily Mixology Seminars at this year's Epcot Food and Wine Festival, I figured I had to attend at least one session -- just for "research," of course! I'm so glad that I did.

I went to this program, which is held in Epcot's Festival Center, on Saturday, October 1, only the second day it had been offered. Our host for the evening was Eric Hay, Beverage Development Manager at Wirtz Beverage, which was featuring one of its products, Xante, a cognac-based pear liqueur.

In my experience, the presenter is often the key to a program's success or failure, and happily, Hay was both entertaining and informative. Going beyond simply preparing three cocktails for the seminar attendees, he shared some basic cocktail-making tips and explained the uses of a number of tools of the mixologist's trade. In addition, he riffed a bit on his favorite types of liquor and demonstrated a genuine concern for and pride in his craft. His enthusiasm for the subject and what he called "the resurgence of craft cocktails," made me want to learn how to make a proper mixed drink. I followed his presentation intently, surprised at how much I came away with.

It didn't hurt that his main ingredient, Xante, a pear-cognac liqueur originating from Sweden, was mighty delicious. Similar to Gran Marnier, which is also a cognac-based liqueur (only with an orange flavor), Xante is well-known throughout Europe and is just making some in-roads here in the US. We were given a small sample of Xante straight, and Hay spoke a bit about its properties and uses -- on the rocks, with club soda, over ice cream, in champagne, just to get you started. I found it to be sweet, but not overly so, and easy to sip slowly. I think I'd like it even better over some ice or with a splash of soda.

As we enjoyed the Xante, Hay began to prepare the first cocktail of the evening, the Pear X Mango Mojito. As he worked, he made sure we understood several basic concepts: 1) Always start by adding your least expensive ingredient first, so if you make a mistake and have to throw out the drink, you won't be wasting expensive alcohol. 2) When you shake a drink, shake it vigorously (not slowly) for 8-10 seconds to achieve the right amount of dilution from the ice. 3) When a drink calls for "muddling", such as the crushing of mint required for a mojito, only do it gently for a short time, otherwise you will bring the bitterness out.

The second drink, called Walk the Plank, featured Xante mixed with rum, several juices, coconut cream and Angostura bitters. Again Hay shared some background on the ingredients, particularly bitters, which he called "a bartender's salt and pepper." It was this sort of insight that made this session so much more than just "some guy up there making three drinks."

The final cocktail Hay prepared featured a liqueur made by the same company as Xante called Cherry Heering, a key ingredient in the popular Singapore Sling. The beverage also included the bitter Italian aperitif Campari, as well as brandy and lemon and orange juices, which Hay insisted should always be fresh squeezed, not bottled, for a quality cocktail. Otherwise, as he noted, "why bother?"

Below is a few minutes of Hay mixing the final drink, his own creation, called a Skeleton Horse.

After he'd finished mixing the last drink, Hay took questions, and the engaged audience had many, which he was only too glad to answer. In fact, the session, which should have run about an hour, ran over -- to the point where cast members were urging him to wrap it up, and I had to leave for dinner reservations. I could have easily stayed longer, though, it was that interesting!

I thoroughly enjoyed this seminar, and felt it was more than worth the money -- although I'll admit that Hay played a large part in making it as interesting as it was. Hopefully, future presenters over the course of this year's festival will approach the subject in the same way -- and hopefully those seminars won't be sold out, so that I'll be able to experience them for myself!

VITAL INFO:

Mixology Seminars – $12 ($10 for Tables in Wonderland members, Mon-Thurs only). Theme Park admission required.

It's Happy Hour time. Watch a skilled mixologist demonstrate the art of preparing new and classic cocktails and sample the prepared concoctions. Cheers!

Daily: 6 p.m. Schedule HERE. Online booking HERE. Or call: 407-WDW-FEST for reservations

Recipes

Pear X Mango Mojito

Ingredients:

1-1/2 oz. Xante Pear Cognac

3/4 oz. Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum

3/4 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice

3/4 oz. agave syrup

1 oz. fresh mango puree (or 6 chunks muddled)

8 mint leaves

Tall Collins Glass

Crushed Ice

Build:

1. LIGHTLY muddle mint leaves in a tall Collins glass and set aside.

2. In a shaker tin add mango puree or muddle mango chunks. Add all other ingredients with ice and shake hard for 8 seconds. Strain over fresh ice in the minted Collins glass, top with soda and stir gently.

3. Garnish with slapped mint sprig and a skewered mango chunk.

Walk the Plank

Ingredients:

1 oz. Xante Pear Cognac

1 oz. Dos Maderas 5 + 5 Rum

4 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice

1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 oz. coconut cream

1 dash Angostura bitters

Tall Collins glass

Crushed Ice

Build:

Pour all ingredients in a shaker tin, add ice and shake hard for 10 seconds, pour over fresh crushed ice. Top with ground cinnamon and nutmeg then decorate with an orange wheel, pineapple spear and a cinnamon stick.

Skeleton Horse

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy

1 oz. Cherry Heering Liqueur

1/2 oz. Campari

3/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 dash Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters

Cocktail Stem glass

Build:

Pour all ingredients in a shaker tin, add ice and shake hard for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a Luxardo Cherry.

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw11/2011-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-mixology-seminar.htm

[gramme 2]

Pure T Crazy and I want to do this. We are thinking this starts at 6 then eat ( or drink) our way to the Eat to Beat Concert.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

This one is from the Disney Food Blog...

Review: Epcot Food and Wine Festival Beer and Pizza Tasting Event

Oct 11th, 2011 by AJ.

Beer lovers beware! Beer and Pizza Tastings at Via Napoli in Epcot’s Italy is a new event being offered at this year’s 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

We got a chance to head to the very first one last week, and we really enjoyed ourselves! Here are the specs on these new-this-year events:

When: Tuesdays from 2-4pm

Where: Via Napoli, Italy, Epcot

Pricing: $50, plus tax. Gratuity included.

All beers

Atmosphere

We checked in for this event at the regular podium at Via Napoli and were then escorted into the side room at the restaurant (the side room had recently been enclosed — it was all open to the elements last year when the restaurant opened).

Room Display

place setting

This side room was filled for the event (I know that the event was sold out), and I’d bet there were about 100-150 people there. It didn’t feel intimate, but it didn’t feel like the event was too large either. In the end, it didn’t really matter all that much how big the event was, however. The presenters didn’t actually do much by way of actually discussing the beers or the tasting pairings.

In fact, the tasting felt more like a luncheon than anything else. The day’s presenter — in management at Via Napoli — welcomed us to the event and noted that we would be sampling four different beers during the tasting. He then introduced us to the mask painter in the Italy pavilion and discussed a bit about Carnivale in Venice (I’m still not sure why this was part of the tasting). …And that was pretty much it!

Nobody came forward to describe the beers or why they were paired with the food in front of us. There was no Q&A session. It was as though these folks had never been to one of the many tastings and pairings that have gone on at the Food & Wine Festival for 15 years.

Presenter

At the end of the meal, the Chef came out to thank us for coming, but there was no discussion of the food or why certain items had been chosen and paired with the beers.

chef

Usually I go to tastings and pairings at the festival so that I can learn more about the food and the beverages. I’m not trained in beer pairings, and I know pretty much nothing about Italian beer. It would have been really nice to have a little background on what I was drinking, what flavors I was supposed to be looking for, and what beers I should pair with food at home.

My guess is that the beer and pizza tastings will change significantly in the future. Food & Wine Festival patrons are quite often looking to be educated when they attend things like this, so I’m hoping that message will get through and a few changes will be made.

That said, the food was incredible! Definitely what we’ve come to expect from Via Napoli, which is one of our favorite mid-priced restaurants in Disney World.

Eats

The menu at the tasting included four distinct courses — an appetizer, pizza, entree, and dessert — so this really was more of a full lunch than just a tasting. Four beers were to be poured throughout the event: one with the appetizer, one with the pizza, and two with the entree.

Menu for the day - click image for larger version

Appetizer and Birra Moretti

The appetizer, a vegetable croquette, was served with Birra Moretti lager. Each patron received a half-bottle of beer per pairing, and the servers were happy to top off your glasses if you liked a particular brew.

We weren’t too impressed with this particular beer; it lacked flavor and didn’t have much oomph to it, but we’re not beer-masters, so don’t take our word for it!

pouring

Moretti Beer

We thought this was particularly generous of them, and the amount of food and beer we received made the event reasonably priced. Again, it would have been worth more had there been an educational component to it; I might have been able to order the same amount of food and beer in the restaurant for a similar price point.

The vegetable croquette appetizer was delicious! Veggies were tucked into ricotta cheese, fried, and paired with marinara and salad for this course.

Vegetable Croquette

Veggie Croquette inside

Pizza and Birra Menabrea 1846

This Menabrea 1846 lager was better-loved than the first Moretti. Another light lager, this was one of my favorites from the event. It wasn’t as bitter as the others, and had a lighter, fruitier taste.

Menabrea Beer

We were pleased to see during this course that each patron received his or her own individual pizza, which had been topped in three different ways. One section was margherita, one section was artichoke, and one section was melon and prosciutto. As a whole, it paired nicely with the 1846.

Pizza

We really enjoyed tasting the different flavors on the pizza (different cheeses were also used) with the beer. It was like having three tasting courses in one.

Veal Parmesan, and Menabrea Ambrata and Moretti “La Rossa”

The Ambrata was largely a forgettable beer compared to the La Rossa, which is the featured beer at Via Napoli right now. Both darker brews and slightly bitter, the La Rossa has a stronger flavor — many will taste caramel and possibly even coffee flavors.

Ambrata Beer Pour

Ambrata Beer

La Rossa Beer

The darker beers paired well with the phenomenal veal parmesan entree. This dish screamed flavor from the very start, and it smelled wonderful.

We don’t ever order veal when we’re in a restaurant, but we were really surprised by the gorgeous flavor of this dish.

Veal Parmesan

Coppa Amarena Dessert: the Ugly-But-Good Sundae

This sundae is one of Via Napoli’s great dishes. While it’s not what we would normally have ordered, we really enjoyed it. It definitely lived up to the hype I’d heard when reading reviews of the restaurant!

The vanilla gelato was extremely creamy — much more so than I was expecting — and the whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate shards were great accompaniments! Yum!!

dessert

Overall

Like I said in the intro, we had a really good time at this event and thought that the price wasn’t too far off the mark based on how much food and beer the patrons received.

All beers

That said, I do wish there had been an element of education to the tasting. I think that bringing the Pizza and Beer tasting concept to the Food & Wine Festival is a fun, daring addition; I know that people are interested in learning about beers — especially foreign and craft beers — and I really don’t understand why that background wasn’t added to the event. It would have been an easy, cheap way to make this one of the most popular events at the festival.

Again, I hope this changes as this year’s festival goes on! If you go to one of the upcoming Beer and Pizza tastings, keep me updated!

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/10/11/review-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-beer-and-pizza-tasting-event/

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From AllEars...

2011 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

September 30 - November 13, 2011

French Regional Lunch

BORDEAUX

Sunday, October 9, 2011

noon - 3:30 p.m.

Bistro de Paris

Epcot

PHOTOS BY LAURA WICKELL

Menu

Amuse-Bouche with Chateau Bonnet Blanc, 2010

Cream of artichoke, truffled brioche, parmesan emulsion with Chateau Bonnet Rose, 2010

Lamb rack "Perigourdine," mashed potatoes "surprise" with Chateau Tour de Segur, 2007

Comte, Cheese with Chateau Cruzeau, 2006

Pear poached in red wine, chestnut cream with J. Vidal-Fleury, Muscat Beaumes De Venise, 2009

We'd love to hear your thoughts if you attend a French Regional Lunch this year -- please leave your comments on our Food and Wine Festival Rate and Review page HERE.

VITAL INFO

French Regional Lunches

Discover the cuisine and wine from a different region in France on selected Fridays and Sundays. Lunch will be prepared by the chefs from Bistro de Paris at the France Pavilion at Epcot® with wines presented by a visiting winery principle.

Where: Bistro de Paris, France Pavilion at Epcot

When: Select Fridays and Saturdays from noon until 3:30 p.m.

Price: $99

Date Region Winery

Presenter September 30 Bordeaux Chateau Larose Trintaudon & Friends

Mark Diamond October 7 Tour de France Georges Duboeuf, Andre Lurton, Sauvion Vidal Fleury, Pierre Sparr Jose Hernandez October 9 Bordeaux Andre Lurton Sold Out Jose Hernandez October 14 Cotes du Rhone Jean Luc Colombo Sold Out Lydia Tremble October 16 Cotes du Rhone Jean Luc Colombo Lydia Tremble October 21 Burgundy J.C. Boisset Sold Out Gregory Patriat October 23 Burgundy J.C. Boisset Gregory Patriat October 28 Alsace Maison Pierre Sparr Sold Out Bernard Sparr October 30 Alsace Maison Pierre Sparr Bernard Sparr November 4 Champagne Nicolas Feuillate Pascal Boye November 6 Champagne Nicolas Feuillate Sold Out Lori Barranon

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw11/2011-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-french-regional-lunch.htm

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From AllEars...

Discovery of Chocolate

Sunday, October 9, 2011

6:30 p.m.

Festival Center

Epcot

Review by Coleen Bolton

AllEars® Guest Columnist

Hi, my name is Coleen and I am a chocoholic!

When Disney announced the new Discovery of Chocolate program for this year's Food and Wine Festival I was so excited! All three dates sold out quickly, but I was lucky enough to get a spot in the very first one. The price was $70, which I thought was a little steep, especially since the description of the event was a bit vague, but I figured, "It's chocolate! How could it be bad?"

This seminar is being held in the Festival Center. Waiting on our table when we arrived was a plate with four small cups filled with different chocolate drops, a glass of red wine, and a shot of cherry chocolate liqueur. The room smelled like chocolate, and it was so tempting to just pop some of the chocolate into my mouth.

The Master Chocolatier for our October 9 session was Jean Pierre Wybauw. It was a 90-minute seminar, and more than half of that time was spent explaining how chocolate is harvested and ends up as a finished product. Jean Pierre also talked about cooking with chocolate. I really felt too much time was spent on all this talking when we were here for tasting. My guess is that most guests were fellow chocoholics and already knew enough about where chocolate comes from.

We finally got to the chocolate on our table. Each cup had chocolate with a different percentage of cacao. There was a 40 percent chocolate, which was milk chocolate. The 64 percent, which was my favorite, was classified as "extra bittersweet." The other two cups were considered dark chocolate, one with 72 percent and the other 75 percent. It was suggested that we sip the wine, a Sterling Meritage, while tasting those latter two. I didn't find anything special about that pairing, or the chocolate in general.

Then it was finally time for Jean Pierre to cook something. The idea was that we would get a savory dish and a sweet dish, both made with chocolate. The savory dish was chicken with a healthy oriental chocolate sauce. Jean Pierre explained that he was using a product called Mycryo, which is cocoa butter in a powder form. It sounds like a neat product, but as of now it is only available to chefs. The chicken was good, but nothing that unique.

The sweet dish was Orange Mousse, and I have to admit I was very disappointed. I was really hoping for an amazing chocolate dessert. To me, mousse is generic and very underwhelming, especially with the $70 price tag on this event. To make things worse the mousse we were served was not made correctly. We had just watched Jean Pierre make this recipe live and listened to him explain how to do it right, so it was clear that ours wasn't made the right way. When Jean Pierre saw what we were served he seemed upset and was quick to say that obviously he didn't make what we were being served. He then showed us his version alongside the one we had and they didn't even look close to being the same thing. I just assumed that the guest chef was the one who would have made or at least supervised what were being served.

We were supposed to pair the "crave" chocolate cherry liqueur with the mousse, but since the mousse wasn't that good I didn't think too much of the liqueur. I am not a big fan of chocolate-covered cherries either, though.

Personally I was expecting more tasting of chocolate, such as comparing chocolates from other countries or something really unique. I was also hoping for some more unusual pairings with chocolate as well.

Hopefully Disney will improve on this for the next two dates.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Do you disagree? Or did you feel the same? We'd love to hear your thoughts on The Discovery of Chocolate if you attended -- please leave your comments on our Food and Wine Festival Rate and Review page HERE.

= = = = = = = = = = = =

VITAL INFO

= = = = = = = = = = = =

Epcot's 16th Annual International Food and Wine Festival runs daily through November 13, 2011. Admission to the festival is included with your park admission, but there are several dining events that are an additional charge. To make reservations for events such as Party for the Senses, contact 407-WDW-FEST. Some reservations can also be made online. Visit Disney's official site at www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw11/2011-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-discovery-of-chocolate.htm

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From AllEars...

Kitchen Memories

Friday, October 7, 2011

10:30 a.m. - noon

Festival Center

Epcot

Guest Chefs

John Stewart and Duskie Estes

Zazu in Santa Rosa, CA and Bovolo in Healdsburg, CA

Winery

Castello Di Querceto

Joe Tracy, Representative

Menu

Ribollita, a Tuscan Bread and Bean Soup + Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Castello de Querceto Chianti Classico

Slow-Roasted Balsamic Pork Shoulder + Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Castello di Querceto Chianti Riserva

King + Queen of Pork Bacon in the Batter Waffle Maple Gelato and Black Pig Bacon Toffee

Castello di Querceto Vin Santo del Chianti Classico

Review by John Bowers

The 2011 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is off and running. For many years there has been a Friday lunch series during the Festival. Over the years, the series has gone through a number of name-changes, but the format has stayed essentially the same. This year the new name is Kitchen Memories. The guest chef(s) relate interesting or funny stories about their culinary careers, while demonstrating how to prepare the three-course lunch that everyone is served. The cost is $110-$150 per person plus tax. The event is held in the former Wonders of Life Pavilion, which serves as the Food and Wine Festival Center. While we await some autumn weather in Orlando, the Festival Center is an oasis, filled with fun things to buy, seminars, meals, and demonstrations. It's easy to spend an entire morning or afternoon in there.

On Friday, October 7, the guest chefs for Kitchen Memories were John Stewart and his wife, Duskie Estes. John and Duskie own a farm in Sonoma County, California. They also own two restaurants, Zazu in Santa Rosa, and Bovolo in Healdsburg. When they originally moved to the farm from Seattle, they grew grapes and made some outstanding wine, good enough to be served at the French Laundry. But Duskie said that Pierce's Disease destroyed their vines, and she cried as they were forced to pull it all up. John had always been a fan of all things pork, but Duskie had been a vegetarian for 22 years. John suggested they turn their former vineyard into a "Pig Palace," where they could raise pigs, chickens, turkeys, and rabbits.

Love won out, as Duskie relinquished her vegetarian ways, and the Pig Palace was born. Now they raise animals, including Heritage Breed Pigs, in beautiful pastureland where the animals have healthy, well-cared-for lives, and as John said, "only one bad day. But they don't even see it coming."

John and Duskie produce a range of products from their animals. One of the most well-known is their bacon, which is available at blackpigmeatco.com. They are also involved in a national traveling culinary competition called Cochon 555, dedicated to sustainable farming of Heritage Breed Pigs and (of course) cooking delicious pork dishes. The website is www.cochon555.com. John and Duskie were recently crowned "2011 King and Queen of Porc" for taking first place in the Grand Cochon competition in Aspen, Colorado.

Castello Di Querceto, the well-known Italian winery, was the featured winery for our lunch. Castello di Querceto is located in the northeastern side of the Chianti Classico area, in a small valley in the commune of Greve in Chianti. Joe Tracy, the winery representative, brought along a Chianti Classico, a Chianti Classico Riserva, and a terrific dessert wine known as a Vin Santo. Robust Italian wines and two chefs who love pork. Let's eat!

Our first course was Ribollita, a Tuscan Bread and Bean Soup + Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (The recipe is HERE.) A delicious and savory, truly rustic soup of white beans, kale, and day-old bread chunks, the soup is finished with a spoonful or two of olive oil floated on top. Duskie said if you're cooking with olive oil, it's economical to use a less expensive oil, but if you are adding it to food right before serving, or maybe using it for dipping, go with the best you can find.

The soup paired nicely with the chianti. Good chianti always has that dark cherry, blackberry, and smoky oak flavor pattern which tends to soften and open up after it has been in your glass for a few minutes. You could hear people scraping their soup bowls with their spoons to get every last delightful bit. On those chilly autumn evenings (that we only hear about in Orlando!), the Ribollita and a juicy soft chianti would be a homerun pairing.

Back to the food! Our second course was Slow Roasted Balsamic Pork Shoulder and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes. (The recipe is HERE.) Simple as can be to prepare, juicy and tender pork cooked with caramelized onions and served with mashed potatoes. So simple, in fact, that John said he wasn't going to show us how to make mashed potatoes, he figures everyone can make those. It was served with several leaves of escarole, if you look at the picture the escarole is the green leafy things that you see.

Chianti Classico Riserva was served with the pork shoulder. And it was nicely chilled a bit, bravo to Disney! Sometimes red wines are served a little too close to room temperature. Joe Tracy said that room temperature in parts of Italy can be about 65 degrees, whereas room temperature in Florida is 90! That got a laugh. A knowing laugh, of course.

The Classico Riserva was darker and richer than the Classico, and once again it was so good it made your mouth water. Fruity, soft, blackberries, dark cherries, wow. I believe Joe said the Classico retails for about $18, and it's $25 for the Classico Riserva. Well worth it.

Our dessert gave John and Duskie a chance to show off a little bit. Having been crowned 'King and Queen of Porc' (yes, the Cochon people spell it with a 'C'), we were served "King and Queen of Pork Bacon-in-the-Batter Waffle" Maple Gelato and Black Pig Bacon Toffee. The recipe is HERE, and this one would be a challenge. The small waffle was in the shape of a Mickey head, naturally.

When you're making the waffle, you stick a bacon strip on top of the batter before you close the waffle iron. Gelato looks pretty easy to make, but of course you can also buy it! And the 'black pig bacon toffee' is stuck into the top of the gelato in the photo. The recipe notes that you can substitute a Heath bar for the toffee.

Our dessert wine was a Vin Santo, a wine unfamiliar to me until now. Two grapes go into the wine, malvasia and trebbiano. The grapes are dried for 2-3 months which concentrates their sugars. The wine matures in small barrels for five years, and the result is a beautiful golden, sweet dessert wine. Dessert wines don't get as much attention in the wine world as plain old reds and whites. Maybe they should, because they are usually a lovely surprise when paired with the right dessert.

All in all, another nice event at the Food and Wine Festival. It's clear that both John and Duskie enjoy their Pig Palace, even though it meant Duskie had to give up being a vegetarian, and go "over to the Dark Side," as she said. I'm sure their two restaurants in Sonoma County would be exciting places to visit.

We'd love to hear your thoughts if you attend a Kitchen Memories this year -- please leave your comments on our Food and Wine Festival Rate and Review page HERE.

VITAL INFO

Kitchen Memories (formerly Celebrating Family & Friends in the Kitchen)

This delightful three-course lunch touches upon the joyful memories we have "cooked up" in the kitchen. A celebrated chef will demonstrate how to prepare an appetizer, main course and dessert. A notable winery representative will pair each course with a selection of their wines.

Where: Festival Welcome Center

Price: $110 or $150 per person, plus tax, gratuity included – Theme Park admission required.

September 30 $110 Scott Hunnel, Victoria & Albert's and Erich Herbitschek, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa October 7 $110 John Stewart & Duskie Estes, ZAZU Restaurant October 14 $110 Alan Wong, Alan Wong's Restaurants October 21 $150 Robert Irvine, Robert Irvine's Eat! SOLD OUT! October 28 $110 Charles Mattocks, "The Poor Chef" (Cat Cora has cancelled.) November 4 $110 Art Smith, Table Fifty-Two November 11 $110 Suvir Saran, Devi Restaurant

For additional coverage of this year's Food and Wine Festival, be sure to visit our friends over at the Disney Food Blog.

RECIPES

Ribollita, A Tucsan Bread & Bean Soup + Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh shell beans (or dry white beans)

2 bay leaves

4 cloves peeled garlic, divided

2 stalks celery

2 carrots, peeled

1 onion, peeled

1 leek, white part only

good quality extra virgin olive oil

1/2 savoy cabbage, cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade)

1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and cut into chiffonade

6 cups water

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 loaf day old rustic bread, crust removed

Method:

1. If the beans are dried, cover the beans with water and soak overnight.

2. Cook the beans with the bay leaves and 2 of the garlic cloves until soft, about 1 hour. Strain, reserving 1 cup of the liquid to add to the soup.

3. Process the remaining 2 cloves garlic with the celery, carrots, onion and leek until very fine, but not wet (still with tiny pieces of the vegetables, not a puree)

4. Saute' the vegetables in about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil on medium-low heat until fragrant and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the beans and their cooking water, cabbage, kale, and water. Let simmer approximately an hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Crumble the stale bread into chunks and place a handful of the bread in each bowl. Ladle soup over and let sit a few minutes for bread to soften and broth to be absorbed.

7. Finish each bowl with more extra virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

Slow Roasted Balsamic Pork Shoulder + Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Servings 6-8

Slow Roasted Balsamic Pork Shoulder:

1 pork butt

4 onions, peeled and julienned

4 cloves garlic, peeled

1/3 cup olive oil

2 and 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously season the pork butt with salt and pepper.

2. In a large oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat, sear the pork butt on all sides, until browned, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove from the pan and add the olive oil, onions, and garlic, lower heat and caramelize onions, about 20 minutes.

4. Return the pork to the pan on top of the onions, pour in the balsamic, cover with foil and cook in the over for 3 and 1/2 to 4 hours, until tender.

5. To plate, scoop a spoonful of mashed potatoes (see below) into each bowl. Top with a tong of pork, a mound of onions, and a ladle of the balsamic jus.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes:

(serves 4)

1-1/4 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks

1-1/4 pound yukon gold potatoes, not peeled, quartered

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Bring a pot of the potatoes and salted cold water to a boil until soft, about 25 minutes. Drain and food mill.

2. With a spatula, fold in the buttermilk, sour cream, and butter.

"King + Queen of Pork Bacon-In-The-Waffle"-Maple Gelato and Black Pig Bacon Toffee

Serves 6

Gelato:

3 cups milk

3 cups heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup bourbon

Method:

1. To make the gelato, combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a sauce pan on medium-high heat. Cool in an ice bath.

2. Once cool, add maple syrup and bourbon. Spin in your ice cream maker according to its directions. Let set in the freezer overnight.

Waffles:

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablesppon sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 eggs, separated

1-3/4 cups buttermilk

6 tablespoons melted butter

12 ounces quality bacon, parcooked (ours is available at www.blackpigmeatco.com)

We make bacon toffee, but you can substitute 1 Heath Bar, chopped maple syrup

Method:

1. Preheat your waffle iron.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda and powder, sugar, and salt.

3. Beat the egg yolks until they are pale yellow. Add the buttermilk and butter. Combine with the dry ingredients.

4. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the whites into the batter.

5. Ladle into your waffle iron and lay 2 slices of bacon across each waffle before closing the iron.

6. Once golden, plate the waffle and do another. Repeat until all batter is used. Top with a scoop of maple bourbon gelato, sprinkle with toffee, and drizzle additional maple syrup.

http://allears.net/tp/ep/fw11/2011-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-kitchen-memories-2.htm

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food Blog..

Epcot Food & Wine Festival Review: Chef Ming Tsai Cooking Demo

Oct 15th, 2011 by AJ.

Thanks to guest reporter Brooke Fehr of DisZine.com for covering an awesome event at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival on behalf of the Disney Food Blog! Cranberries, Chef Ming Tsai, and some great new recipes — sounds like fun to me! Take it away, Brooke!

Earlier this week, I headed over to Walt Disney World to see Chef Ming Tsai in a cooking demonstration at Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival.

If you aren’t familiar with Chef Ming, he is the James Beard award-winning chef-owner of Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and has written several cookbooks. He’s also a veteran of cooking shows, having hosted the Emmy-award winning East Meets West on Food Network, and he is currently in his ninth season on PBS with his Emmy-nominated series, Simply Ming. We’ve been fans for a while of his fusion style, and we were really excited to get the chance to see him cook a dish live!

Chef Ming appeared at the event courtesy of Ocean Spray®, who is a sponsor of this year’s Food and Wine Festival. If you get the chance, check out the cranberry bog that Ocean Spray® has created in the middle of Epcot. It’s beautiful and fascinating, and has even been manned by real cranberry farmers who have chatted with guests, answering all kinds of questions.

CRANBERRY BOG!!

But here we go — on to the demo!

The sold-out presentation began with a wine pairing, as Lucia Christensen of Kaiken Wines introduced the 2009 Kaiken Malbec. The wine was aged in oak and was fruity and full-bodied. With rounded tannins and a soft finish, I was already expecting it to be a great companion to the dish we were about to see and taste –- Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cranberry-Red Wine Sauce.

Chef Ming was personable, laid back, and funny; he welcomed any and all questions from the audience. Before he had hardly gotten the elements of the dish underway, we were being served our tasting plates. Chef ordered us to eat and enjoy while he cooked, saying that it was just wrong to allow our food to get cold on his account –- and so we did!

Chef Ming Tsai

The beef tenderloin was served on a bed of gingered sweet potatoes studded with Ocean Spray Craisins, and bok choy cooked with fermented black beans and ginger rounded out the dish. The sauce for the beef was made with a combination of the wine we were served and cranberry juice, which further carried through the theme of using cranberries in cooking.

The colors and flavors were perfect for the fall season, and the ginger and fermented black beans added complexity and depth. It was also really fun to see how I might use ingredients like cranberry juice and Craisins in “out-of-the-box” ways, dressing them up to make a meal sophisticated enough for a dinner party or even a holiday table.

If you’re looking for something special to serve — for date night, for a snazzy Thanksgiving alternative, or “just because” –- then you may want to give this dish a try.

Also, be sure to check out the culinary demos at the Food and Wine Festival. The entertainment, as well as the food and wine pairing, represent great value and a terrific opportunity to learn something new.

Want to know more about the amazing dishes that Chef Ming prepared, or better yet — make them yourself? Here are the recipes. Good Luck!

Roast Beef Tenderloin with Cranberry-Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 (2 lb.) center-cut beef tenderloin
  
• salt and pepper
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 cup red wine
  
• 1 cup Ocean Spray® 100% Juice Cranberry Juice Blend
  
• 3/4 cup beef broth
  
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  

Directions:

Heat oven to 425°F. Spray small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat oil in large wide skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add beef and cook 4 to 6 minutes or until browned on all sides, reducing heat to medium if necessary. Place beef on baking sheet; season beef with salt and pepper. Reserve skillet.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until internal thermometer reaches 132 to 135 for medium-rare. Let stand loosely covered 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon of the butter to reserved skillet and melt over medium heat. Add shallots and cook 1 minute. Add garlic and cook 20 seconds. Add wine and increase heat to high. Add cranberry juice, beef broth and thyme and boil 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly thickened (you’ll see the bottom of the pan as you stir). Reduce heat to medium and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter; strain.

Serves 6

Cranberry Gingered Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons Butter
  
• 6 Garlic Cloves, Peeled
  
• 2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Fresh
  
• Ginger
  
• 1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream
  
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Ocean Spray® Craisins®
  
• Dried Cranberries
  
• 4 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Forked, Wrapped in Foil and Baked Through
  
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
  

Directions:

Set oven to 350ºF and bake foil wrapped Sweet Potatoes until they can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife, 45-60 minutes. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté, stirring occasionally until the garlic is brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and reduce by one-third over low heat, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.

Prepare sweet potato mash: unwrap hot sweet potatoes and scoop flesh into a food processor. Add the cream and process until well blended. Add the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper, add Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries and pulse until smooth.

For a more country style mix in a heat proof bowl with a potato masher instead of a food processor. Add the cream and process until well blended. Add the remaining butter and season with salt and pepper, add Crasins and blend until smooth.

Serves 4

Bok Choy with Fermented Black Beans and Ginger

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of garlic, minced
  
• 1 tablespoon of ginger, minced
  
• ½ tablespoon of fermented black beans, minced
  
• 6 heads of baby bok choy, cut in half, cored and rinsed
  
• 6 scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated
  
• ¼ cup of fresh chicken stock or low sodium store bought chicken broth
  
• 1 tablespoon Wan Ja Shan naturally brewed soy sauce
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  
• Canola oil for cooking
  

Directions:

In a sauté pan over medium high heat, add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add garlic, ginger and fermented black beans and sauté for about 30 seconds or until the aroma is apparent. Add the bok choy and the scallion whites, toss to coat. Continue to cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and soy sauce, and season. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Check for seasoning. Garnish with scallion greens.

Serves 4

Have fun and enjoy!!

This event was hosted by Ocean Spray Craisins, and Brooke received complimentary admission to Epcot and to Chef Tsai’s event. Disney Food Blog was not obligated to report on the event, but you know I can’t deny an opportunity to talk about the Bog.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/10/15/epcot-food-wine-festival-review-chef-ming-tsai-cooking-demo/#more-39756

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food Blog...

Review: Epcot Food and Wine Festival Xante Mixology Seminar

Oct 17th, 2011 by AJ.

Eric Hay Teaching About Agave Syrup

The 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is offering new Mixology Seminars taught by beverage experts!

When: Daily at 6pm

Where: Festival Center

Pricing: $12 ($10 for TiW members, AP holders, DVC members M-Th)

We attended one of the very first seminars of the festival, featuring Xante pear liqueur, which is the star of this year’s Scandinavia Booth!

The event was held in the beverage seminar area of the Festival Center (the old Wonders of Life pavilion) in Future World. We arrived, collected our tickets, and filed into the seating area with the rest of the attendees.

The room was set up with long tables, which featured individual place settings including a placemat for drinks, a list of the recipes we’d be hearing about, and a tasting notes sheet.

Mixology placemat

Mixology Recipes and Tasting Notes - click image for larger version

Tasting Notes Paper - click image for larger version

Recipes - click image for larger version

Also at the place setting was a glass of Xante — neat, with no ice or accompaniments. This was an opportunity for those of us in the seminar to taste the liqueur and get an understanding for the flavors and characteristics before we started drinking the mixed drinks.

Xante

Very soon, our seminar leader popped out! (Not out of the Xante…just out from behind the counter in front of us.) Eric Hay is the Beverage Development Manager at Wirtz Beverage Illinois, and has previously worked as a bartender, beverage consultant, and just about everything else that has to do with beverage development. Let’s just say this guy knows what he’s talking about!

Mixology Seminar Leader

When I first saw him, all I could think of was that he should really have been anextra in the movie Swingers (you’re thinking it, too, admit it). What with Big Bad Voo Doo Daddy kickin’ it at the Eat to the Beat Concert later that month, I figured the whole thing could be a theme event!

ANYWAY, Eric started from the beginning with fantastic tips and how-tos about using agave syrup and simple syrup, muddling with plastic and metal versus wood (he prefers not to use wood), and the best way to crush mint leaves for a mojito (all of the oils are in the vines, so just crush/muddle gently for a couple of seconds so the flavor doesn’t become bitter). He also walked us through some of the liqueurs and ingredients he’d be using during the evening.

Measuring Xante

While Eric walked us through making the first drink — a Mojito — he mentioned that good bartenders always follow the recipe because it really does make a significant difference how specific the measurements are.

He also shared a great tip (which I’ve since used in my baking) that you should use the least expensive ingredient first when making a recipe — that way, if you make a mistake, you’re not wasting your most expensive ingredient!

I enjoyed this mojito, even though I’m not a huge mint drink fan! The Xante added a fruity, sweet flavor, and the mint was very well incorporated.

Mojito

As Eric moved on to the second drink, there seemed to be a bit of a slow-down in the kitchen. Many of us hadn’t gotten our mojitos until he was well finished with making it on stage, and the second drink — Walk the Plank — was taking even longer.

Because he wanted us to have the chance to sample the drink as he was making it, he filled the time by telling the audience about some of his favorite bars in the country! Pretty soon, guests were shouting out their cities in the hope that he’d tell them where to spend their next Friday night! I have some pretty cool spots to visit the next time I’m in New York and Chicago now!

Eventually, the Walk the Plank started to come out, so Eric began the process of creating it! This one is a milky, coconutty concoction with pineapple, rum, orange juice, and bitters. I am NOT a fan of coconut and rum drinks — I find them way too sweet when I usually prefer sour drinks — and I felt the same way about this. It tasted like a dessert, which many folks will enjoy!

Walk the Plank

The final drink — the Skeleton Horse, created by Hay himself — sounds as dangerous as it tastes! This was a strong drink and was probably the least favorite one of everyone in my group. That said, I’m definitely a “girly drink” kind of person, and this will be perfect for a night out with the guys!

skeleton horse

Here’s a great video from AllEars.net of Hay creating his Skeleton Horse!

Overall

Since this was one of the first Mixology seminars of the Festival, I wondered if they had the swing of things yet. Clearly Eric Hay was an ideal choice as seminar leader; we all had a wonderful time (despite the kitchen’s timing problems) and Eric did a great job of thinking on his feet and keeping us all entertained. (Note that the seminar did run about 20 minutes overtime; we had to leave slightly early in order to make our dinner reservation.)

Most importantly, we learned! With great tips and time for questions, the seminar was set up to not only be a tasting, but also an educational experience. Eric didn’t go too in depth, but instead gave us the basic tips we’d need to be stellar at-home bartenders.

One thing I would have loved to see happen is the opportunity for guests to actually MAKE their own mixed drinks. This was part of the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic Mixology seminar, and I think it made the evening much more interactive and interesting.

I’d love to hear more reviews from any readers who have been to one of the Mixology seminars. With one every single night of the festival, there must be some feedback out there! Let us know in the comments section below — is this something you’d like to do (or do again)?

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/10/17/review-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-xante-mixology-seminar/

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food blog...

Guest Review: Epcot Food and Wine Festival’s Party for the Senses

Nov 9th, 2011 by AJ.

Please welcome guest author Melissa Sorrells Galley with a review of the October 15th, 2011, Party for the Senses at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival! Thanks to Melissa for TONS of awesome and useful PftS tips!!

Party for the Senses is a truly magical dining event offered on Saturday nights throughout the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Bringing food and beverage specialists from around the world in one giant, colorful pavilion, the Party takes place in the World Showplace, located between the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions on the west side of the World Showcase Lagoon.

Signage outside World Showplace

Atmosphere

Parties this year last from 7:30-10pm. Cost is $145 per person, and $260 for the Wine View Lounge (not including park admission, which is required). In addition to the wonderful food and drink, the ticket price includes performances by the artists and entertainers of Cirque Du Soleil La Nouba during the Party as well as reserved seating for the Eat to the Beat Concert prior to the Party.

Check In

When you arrive, there will be a huge throng of people gathering outside the gates of the World Showplace Pavilion. Resist the urge to join them! Check in for Party for the Senses is located near the water directly across from the World Showplace Pavilion. When you arrive, proceed directly to this area to check in, show your I.D. and receive your wristband.

We received our wristbands from the cutest couple ever: they met in kindergarten and have been married for 54 years!! My husband and I were celebrating our first anniversary, and they offered us some very sweet advice. It was a highlight of the evening!

If, like my husband, you prefer not to stand in a huge crowd of people, feel free to get your wristband and walk away. We took a walk to see the cranberry bog and get a photo in front of the Fountain of Nations. By the time we ambled back to the Party, the crowd had mostly moved into the building. We were able to get inside without any bustling and without missing even a moment of the party.

The main party area, as we entered the pavilion with the crowd.

One big criticism about the check-in process is that there is not enough signage. There are several signs directing guests to the check-in site coming from Showcase Plaza, but no directional signage for guests entering through the International Gateway. Hopefully, after reading this review, you’ll know exactly where to go.

Pavilion

Wow! The Pavilion looked absolutely amazing—dripping with colorful chandeliers and festive three-dimensional ribbons. The colors changed and shifted throughout the night, and the music added to the surreal experience. Performed by Michelle Amato and the rest of the La Nouba band, the soundscape was made up of an intriguing combination of house, klemzer and opera. Together with the light design, the music created a transporting mood. My husband and I both felt as if we were in a universe all our own, sharing something incredibly special with … well, a lot of other people.

Ceiling displays in the Showplace Pavilion.

Performance by the La Nouba band.

As I mentioned earlier, my husband and I were celebrating our anniversary, so we dressed up a little more than we would for a normal day at the parks. I wore a knee-length green dress, and Rob wore khakis and a dark tee-shirt. Other party-goers were wearing everything from jean shorts to suits and heels. No matter what you wear, you’ll fit right in, but make sure you wear comfortable shoes! The Pavilion is large and you will be doing a lot of walking!

Three times throughout the evening, we were treated to amazing displays by the performers from La Nouba, including an absolutely epic power track and trampoline act. (Full disclosure: we love La Nouba and highly recommend it!) We very much enjoyed the show and, from the glassy, awed expressions on the faces around us, we’re pretty sure our fellow guests enjoyed it as well.

An acrobat and contortionist from Cirque Du Soleil La Nouba

As we entered the pavilion, we were each given an artist’s palate-style plate along with a Food and Wine etched wine glass (ours to keep). The glass fit into a groove in the plate, which allowed us to tool around the room while keeping one hand free. Because we were expected to use the same wine glass all night, there were two stations available for rinsing your glass.

The Party plate and wine glass fit together like a little puzzle.

Tables of varying heights were set up throughout the pavilion. In the entry vestibule, standing tables were found along the walls. In the main section of the party, there was a mix of standing and sitting tables scattered around the room.

A good selection of seating was available at the front, near the Showplace Stage, which is where we ended up alighting with two very kind men who were Party veterans. In the center of the room, the Wine View Lounge provided a great view of the stage.

Food and wine booths were set up around the edges of the room with a few four-sided service areas—each featuring two beverage stations on the short sides and two food stations on the longer sides—in the center of the room. Desserts were generally located along the back of the room, although there were a couple of sweet offerings along the sides of the pavilion.

Alan Wong , chef and proprietor of Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu.

There was some kind of organization to the food and beverages. Each station was marked with a logo that corresponded to a logo found in the Party for the Senses guidebook. We couldn’t seem to make heads or tails of why certain things shared the same logo, and in most cases, the food and wine items were not located alongside other offerings from their category. Maybe someone can explain the organization in the comments. Either way, we didn’t understand the set up, but it didn’t impact our enjoyment of the party at all.

Chef from Magic Kingdom Theme Park, preparing Lamb and Spinach Cigars with Blood Orange Tzatziki.

Eats

Party-goers had access to 23 food booths and five dessert booths, each offering small, tasting-sized portions. There were also two cheese stations. I tried at least one bite of everything offered, and there was a lot to like. But unadventurous eaters may have a big problem here.

A huge favorite at our table was the Beef TatakiNigiri, served up by the brilliant minds at Teppan Edo. Yes—that’s raw, marinated beef served on sushi rice with a delicious wasabi mayo. I think this was easily the boldest (and best) dish of the night. It offered up a truly marvelous texture and flavor.

We also really enjoyed the Chipotle Tamarind Lacquered Wild Boar with Emerald Crystal Ruby Red Corn Salad, served by Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Like raw beef, boar isn’t something we eat in our day-to-day lives, but it was fabulous and tender, and the chipotle added just the right amount of heat when accompanied by the light, fresh corn salad.

Chipotle Tamarind Lacquered Wild Boar with Emerald Crystal Ruby Red Corn Salad, imagined by Larry Walker from Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

Another adventurous try: smoked bleu cheese. The deep, gray flavor paired super well with sticky sweet honey comb. And the freeze dried vegetables on offer alongside the red fish and waffles from the Contemporary Resort added amazing texture and were completely unexpected!

I’m a big dessert eater, and I absolutely adored the TresLeches Cake with Wild Blackberry Sauce offered by Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. It was like eating sugary air. Yum! Everyone at the party was buzzing about the bug-shaped chocolates available from Moonstruck Chocolates. Sadly, they were completely gone before we made it over to the table.

TresLeches Cake with Wild Blackberry Sauce by Kristine Farmer from Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

(Editor’s Note: You can see more of Melissa’s food photos here!)

These were our favorites, but if you don’t see something here that interests you, don’t discount Party for the Senses. The menu changes each week, so you can expect something new and different when you attend … or every time you attend! Our tablemates were enjoying their second Party of the year and they’d lost count of the number of Parties they’d experienced over the years, but they still tackled the tapas-sized plates with gusto and excitement.

One criticism, and something to keep an eye on if you decide to attend Party for the Senses, is that many of the plates were very hard to eat without a knife. In some cases, difficulty eating a dish ruined our enjoyment. In others, we just dug in with our hands. Short of bringing in a knife with you, there’s really no combating this one.

Sips

The party offered 26 different beverage stations: 17 serving wine and three each serving liquor/liqueur, coffee/tea and beer. Each of the stations offered at least three (but sometimes as many as five) different sips. The wine vendors, in most cases, did not have glasses and could only offer each individual one sample at a time. Be prepared to visit the wine stations multiple times if you want to try everything on offer.

In addition to wines, there was a station offering vodka, another offering whiskey and mead, and another serving cognac. Beers included Sam Adams and Stella Artois among others. I was impressed (and a little overwhelmed) by the three distinct coffee and tea stations, sponsored by Twinings, Haiti Originale and Joffrey’s.

Party for the Senses latte.

I’ll admit that wine isn’t my favorite, but I tried a lot of different wines throughout the night. There were a lot of standard reds and whites that didn’t excite me, but we were also able to find some truly interesting offerings. The big hit of the night was Key Limen wine from Florida Orange Groves Winery. Talk about a big flavor! And delicious, too—we bought a bottle in the Festival Center to take home.

We also loved all three sparkling wines being served by Chandon in Napa Valley, including a Cuvee Riche, a Blanc de Noirs and a Rose. I love sparkling wines (they make every day feel like a celebration!), and I can see myself drinking these all the time.

But even if the wines hadn’t been great, we would have returned to this booth multiple times because the men doing the pouring were fun and sassy! They made me laugh every time I visited their table.

Guests enjoy food and atmosphere at standing tables throughout the Party space.

With dessert, our tablemates preferred the two ice wines (Inniskillin Vidal and Inniskillin Cabernet Franc) being served by Constellation Wines. Since those wines are produced so close to home (Constellation is based in the Finger Lakes region, where we live, though their grapes are grown in Canada), we didn’t try them during Party for the Senses, but several party guests told us that these sweet wines paired very well with the various chocolate offerings.

We found another winery from close to home: Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards. We’ve had their signature Cat wines many, many times, and we enjoy them, though they are quite sweet. At the Party, Hazlitt was serving something we’d never tried before: Red Cat Slushy. It was a delicious, sweet treat, like a grown up slushy. Yum!

The line for Remy Martin’s various cognacs was long all night, so we unfortunately did not try that. But Bunratty Mead and Liquor were serving up my digestif of choice: Irish Cream. It was the perfect way to end a truly rich and impressive meal!

Wine View Lounge

For an extra $90 per person, guests have the option of upgrading to a Wine View Lounge ticket. The upgrade includes access to the party 15 minutes early and a separate, reserved seating area. While their seats did look comfortable and offered a great view of the Showplace Stage, Lounge guests also had to enter and exit the reserved area through two door-width entryways, which seemed to be congested at several points throughout the night.

Wine View Lounge Sign and Entrance

For my money, the Wine View Lounge isn’t necessary to have a good time. There were enough tables for everyone in the general admission area, and there were plenty of tables close to the stage (we snagged a great one with great views of the performers). I’ll admit, though, as a tequila lover, I was a little jealous of the full bar in the Lounge.

Though Wine View Lounge seats are all sold out for the rest of the Food and Wine Festival, there are still tickets available for the Parties taking place on November 5 and November 12.

Overall

This is a great event. Everyone we encountered, including the chefs and guests,were wonderful. The chefs and other cast members were willing to answer all of my questions. Though the event was busy, some of the big-name chefs even went out of their way to banter with us. We shared a really great exchange with Grady Spears, who couldn’t believe we’d never had tamales before, and I even met Todd Winer’s son! Very cool!

Throughout the night we managed to sample every one of the food items, sometimes twice. We also tried a great selection of wines and beverages. Would we do it again? Absolutely! It was well worth the money we paid for it, and it felt like a truly special experience.

Melissa Sue Sorrells Galley works in higher education communications in upstate New York, where she lives with her husband, Robert, and her cavapoo, George. Her favorite Disney characters are Elliott (also known as Pete’s Dragon) and Figment. Follow her @msorrellsgalley or read about her recent adventurous trip to Disney World on Passporter.com.

October 15 Menus

Savory Temptations

• Pan Seared Mote Sturgeon with Saffron Infused Cedar Creek Clam Broth, Arthur Bukalo (Coral Reef, Epcot)

• Beef TatakiNigiri, Yutaka Kude and Nabi Saito (Teppan Edo)

• Berbere Duck Breast with Apricot Cherry Chutney, Sweet Potato Corn Cake and Tamarind Demi-Glace, Marilyn Smith (Tusker House Restaurant)

• Braised Pork Belly and Bao Toast, Alan Wong (Alan Wong’s Restaurant)

• Seared Scallop, Lentils, Pancetta, Spicy Tomato Crème, Glenn O’Brien(Olivia’s Café)

• Chipotle Tamarind Lacquered Wild Boar with Emerald Crystal Ruby Red Corn Salad, Larry Walker (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa)

• Lamb and Spinach Cigars with Blood Orange Tzatziki, Michael Deardorff (Magic Kingdom)

• Wild Salmon Ceviche, Jose Martinez(Masion Blanche)

• Grady’s Pork Tamales with Sundried Tomato Cream, Grady Spears (Grady’s Restaurant)

• Smoked Berkshire Pork Meatloaf Sandwich, Todd Winer (The Metropolitan Club)

• Roasted Octopus with Cauliflower Puree, Spanish Almonds and Green Olive Salsa, Dean Max (3030 Ocean)

• Seared Loin of Rabbit with Corn Succotash, Lee Lucier (Robert Irvine’s eat!)

• Braised Pork Belly Tacos with Kimchee and Lime Aioli, Paula Dasilva (1500 Degrees)

• Cherry-Balsamic Shortribs with Tomato Trahana and Mizythra Cheese, Dee Foundoukis (Kouzzina by Cat Cora)

• Corn Encrusted Red Fish with Almond Milk and Chive Waffle, Tomato Butter and Freeze Dried Vegetables, Andrew Larkin (Contemporary Resort Catered Events)

• Pork Belly Marsala with Apple Brined Pearl Onion Slaw and Prosciutto Parmesan Crisp, Josh Noid (Mama Melrose’s RistoranteItaliano)

• MalanzaneallaParmigiana, Jonathan Benno (Lincoln)

• Pan Seared Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with Cucumber Tomato Salad, Matthew Langdon (Fulton’s Crab House)

Sweet Temptations

• Assorted Chocolates, Romanicos Chocolates

• Assorted Chocolate Truffles, Julian Rose (Moonstruck Chocolates)

• TresLeches Cake with Wild Blackberry Sauce, Kristine Farmer (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa)

• Praline Chocolate Cream with Dark Ganache Crunch and Orange Chocolate Mousse with Frangeleco Milk Chocolate Sauce, Mustapha Khetem (Disney’s Hollywood Studios Bakery)

• Chocolate Budino with Ricotta-Filled Cannoli and Blood Orange Sorbet, Richard Cappizi (Lincoln)

Beverages

• Selbach-Oster, Germany

• Mohua, New Zealand

• Jean Luc Colombo, France

• South African Wine Export Company, South Africa

• Belvedere Vodka, Poland

• Wagner Family of Wines, California

• Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, New York

• Florida Orange Groves Winery, Florida

• Gerard Bertrand Wines, France

• GrupoMatarromera, Spain

• Radeberger, Germany

• Silverado Vineyards, California

• King Estate Winery, Oregon

• Samuel Adams Brewery, Massachusetts

• Stag’s Leap Winery, California

• Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard, California

• Chandon, California

• Constellation Wines, Canada

• Remy Martin, France

• Bunratty Mead and Liquor, Ireland

• Penfolds, Australia

• Martini, Italy

• AB/Inbev, Belgium

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/11/09/guest-review-epcot-food-and-wine-festivals-party-for-the-senses/

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From the Disney Food blog...

Guest Review: Epcot Food and Wine Festival Pizza and Beer Pairing Event at Via Napoli

Nov 7th, 2011 by AJ.

Join me in welcoming back Werner Weiss from Yesterland with his take on the Pizza and Beer Pairing at Via Napoli that he attended on October 11th! Interestingly, his menu was different from our menu, so it will be fun to get a comparison!

One of the new premium events for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is the Italy Food & Beer Pairing at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, the restaurant that opened at the back of Epcot’s Italy pavilion in August 2010.

The event is held each Tuesday for the six weeks of the Festival form 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The cost is $50 per person, which includes the gratuity, plus sales tax. Theme park admission is required.

Display in the center of the room.

Here’s how Disney’s official Food & Wine Festival website describes the event: “A representative discusses the pairing of pizza with regional Italian beers.” Based on the official description, I assumed that there would be several types of fancy pizza, each served with an Italian beer and a short lecture. Instead, it turned out to be a four-course meal, as shown in the accompanying photos. The event was much better than I expected.

Appetizer: Arancini Sapore di Mare; Rice Ball with Shrimp, Calamari, Swordfish; Beer Paired: Moretti Lager

The pizza was an individual, three-part pizza. Each part was delicious, with the carciofi (artichoke) part as the highlight. Another couple at our table was back for a second week because they enjoyed the first week so much. They had been told that only the pizza would carry over from week to week, but that the other three courses would be different. And that’s exactly how it was.

Pizza; Prosciutto Melone, Margherita, Carciofi; Beer Paired: Menabrea Ambrata

After the event, I realized this was my first experience with beer from Italy, a country better known for wine and spirits than beer. The beers were served in stemmed glassware. Each beer was different and seemed to go well with the food course. I enjoyed all four. I accepted several re-pours offered by the attentive servers. I would gladly drink any of these beers again.

Brocioline di Vitello; Veal, Prosciutto, Roasted Vegetables; Beer Paired: Moretti La Rossa

Roulade alla Pulcinella; Rolled Chocolate Cake, Nutella, Cream; Beer Paired: Manabrea 1846

The event was festive and well presented. It was held in a cheerful private room with a view of Tutto Italia and the entrance to Via Napoli.

Presenter Gabriele Upberti

My compliments to Presenter Gabriele Uberti, Executive Chef Charlie Restivo, and the excellent staff of servers and chefs in the kitchen.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/11/07/guest-review-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-pizza-and-beer-pairing-event-at-via-napoli/

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From the Disney Food blog...

Guest Review: Tutto Italia Food and Wine Pairing at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival

Nov 1st, 2011 by AJ.

Welcome back Werner Weiss from Yesterland with a review of the Food and Wine Pairing at Tutto Italia that he attended on October 19th! This is one of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival’s popular returning events.

One of the returning premium events for the 2011 Epcot Food & Wine Festival is the Italy Food & Wine Pairing at Tutto Italia. This event is held each Wednesday and Saturday for the six weeks of the Festival from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The cost is $65 per person, which includes the gratuity, plus sales tax. Theme park admission is required.

Menu for the Italy Food & Wine Pairing at Tutto Italia on Wednesday October 19, 2011 - click image for larger version

Atmosphere

Here’s how Disney’s official Food & Wine Festival website describes the event: “A wine expert joins a manager from Tutto Italia Ristorante to discuss 4 Italian food courses, each paired with a different wine.”

Wine presenter Vincenzo Protti of Paladin Vigne e Vigne

Over the years, the Italy Food & Wine Pairings have developed a reputation as worthwhile premium events and decent values — especially after the Patina Group’s Tutto Italia replaced the previous restaurant at the Italy pavilion, L’ Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante.

The event on October 19, 2011, showed that this reputation is well-earned. A real food and wine writer could do a better job discussing the nuances of the food and wine than I can. I’ll simply say that every course was delicious and the wines from Paladin were a pleasure.

Decorative display showing off handmade masks and bottles of the featured wines

Eats

More modest in scale (and price) than the French Regional Lunches, the Italy Food & Wine Pairings nevertheless provide a full four-course lunch with well-paired wines. The wine pours at the Italy Food & Wine Pairings were smaller than at the French Regional Lunches I’ve attended, and re-pours tended to be very small (an extra ounce of wine) when they are offered at all.

Capesante e Cannellini Scallops, Cannellini beans, Pancetta, Rosemary, Tuscan olive oil paired with Prosecco, Bosco del Merlo

Gnocchi al Gorgonzola e Noci Potato dumplings, Walnuts, Arugula, Gorgonzola cheese sauce paired with Pinot Grigio, Paladin

Unlike some of the other afternoon food and wine pairings at Epcot, which offer the same foods and beverages week after week, Tutto Italia brings in different wineries; the chefs then come up with courses that pair with those wines.

One of the reasons that the Italy Food & Wine Pairings sold out for the whole Festival is that some people booked multiple Pairings, knowing that each one would be a new experience.

Carre D’Agnello Roasted lamb rack, Goat cheese, Potatoes, Black truffle sauce paired with Salbanello, Paladin

Semiefreddo Al Limone Semi-Frozen Lemon Mousse paired with Soandre, Paladin

Thanks to Werner for these fantastic photos. It seems like this pairing is a great value for the money, with large portion sizes and wine to boot. To compare, French Regional Lunches cost $99 per person; the Tutto Italia Pairings cost $65 per person.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/11/01/guest-review-tutto-italia-food-and-wine-pairing-at-the-epcot-food-wine-festival/

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From the Disney Food blog...

Guest Review: Epcot Food and Wine Festival Mexico Tequila Lunch

Oct 26th, 2011 by AJ.

Welcome to guest author Catherine as she treats us to a guest review of the brand new Tequila Tasting and Lunch held at La Hacienda de San Angel as part of the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

On October 2, I attended the Mexico Tequila Lunch at La Hacienda de San Angel, the newest restaurant in the Mexico pavilion. This is a new event for the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

Atmosphere

When I arrived, there was a check-in desk outside La Hacienda where cast members cross guests’ names off of a master list when they arrive. Guests are then sent inside to the restaurant’s foyer. Servers were waiting there to hand out the “welcome” margarita!

The Rosa margarita is made with premium silver tequila, and one of the ingredients is “rose extract,” which gives it a little bit of a flowery note, but not too much. The rim was decorated with red hibiscus salt.

Rosa Margarita

There are no assigned tables here, you’ll seat yourself. I sat at a long table with a number of other guests. One of the few negatives I found about the event was the lack of room at this table. At least at the rectangular tables, the guests were seated closer together and all of the glasses for the tasting were already on the table, with the correct amounts poured, plus a small bottle of water for palate cleansing.

Table Setting

According to our first presenter, Hilda Castillo — the Mexico pavilion’s Tequila Ambassador, the glasses used for tequila are not champagne flutes. These are glasses designed for sniffing and sipping tequila. We were not expected to be throwing down shots here! But there were so many glasses and things on the table that my friend knocked one over while trying to take a photograph. No matter, a new glassful was provided straightaway.

Hilda starts off by explaining to us what tequila is — for example, to be tequila, the drink must use blue agave and must come from certain Mexican states. She also explained the difference between tequila and its cousin, mezcal.

Hilda Castillo

This is essentially the same presentation you get when you book the Tequila Tasting over at La Cava del Tequila. But there is an extra component to this tasting, and it’s called LUNCH. So Hilda introduced Chef Ernesto, who was providing the dishes for us to sample that day.

Eats

Each dish served had a corresponding tequila. There was also a tequila liqueur that went with dessert. The first order of business was to learn about the types of tequila, then we got to eat the food. There are three types of tequila discussed: blanco (silver), reposado (rested), and anejo (aged). The amount of time the tequila is aged, not surprisingly, determines its type.

Hilda introduced the blanco first, and we were to use an “olfactory aid” to bring out the aromatic character of each tequila. For the blanco, we had a curl of lime peel. The tequila smelled a bit different if you sniffed it after sniffing the lime, and if you sniffed the glass from different angles. Hilda asked us to taste the tequila by itself first. Probably because this is the least aged tequila, it is the one with the most “burn” going down.

Then Chef Ernesto served us the first food course: Ceviche Verde (Green Ceviche). This dish consisted of scallops marinated in a salsa verde (tomatillo, avocado and lime juice). It was served with crispy shredded carrot for garnish, and a little spicy salt.

Ceviche Verde

We are asked to try the blanco tequila with this dish. It was surprising how different the tequila tastes when accompanied by the food; the burn is pretty much quenched and the tequila has a different character altogether.

In preparation for the second course, we sniffed some cinnamon sticks along with the reposado tequila (aged from 2 months to 1 year). The reposado was much smoother than the blanco. The second course to go with it was Sope de Chilorio and Empanada.

The empanada (on the left) was filled with Mexican cheese, and was still warm. The sope (in kind of a bread bowl) contained ancho marinated shredded pork and black beans. We were instructed to try these with the reposado. It wasn’t as dramatic a difference as the blanco was when tasted with food, but a bit of a different character was brought out in the tequila anyway.

Sope and Empanada

Next, we moved on to the Anejo tequila (aged one year or more), with which we were given coffee beans to sniff. Hilda also showed us a unique way to get our tongues to pick up the taste. She had us note the difference in color and flavor between the reposado and the anejo.

With the anejo, Chef Ernesto presented us with a dish of Grilled Tilapia and Pork in Mole Negro.

The tilapia, on the left, was marinated in adobo chile and served over grilled vegetables; the pork with mole negro sauce (which has a hint of chocolate) was served with roasted corn (esquites). The corn had a bit of a bite to it, so there must have been chiles involved there too.

I would note that although chile marinades are prevalent in these dishes, ancho is a mild chile. If you’re like me and are hoping for a bit of spice, you won’t find a jalapeno or serrano anywhere in sight. I did ask Chef Ernesto for something to kick it up with, and he did provide a bowl of chile paste. At any rate, these were the best dishes of the meal. I loved the tilapia, and the pork mole was tasty.

Tilapia and Pork

For dessert, we had the Tamal de Dulche, a corn tamale filled with guava and pretty much drowned in very sweet strawberry sauce. I have to admit I scraped most of it off, it was just way too sweet. With the tamale came a shot of Agavero Tequila Liqueur. This is a blend of tequilas infused with a sweet flower called damiana. This is a very good tequila for people who don’t like tequila, and for people who just like dessert.

Tamal de Dulce

Overall

All in all this is a really nice event, and well worth the $65 price tag (the tequila tasting at La Cava, with the same three tequila types and not nearly as much food, is $45). Look at all you get –- three tequilas, a liqueur, and a full-size margarita – and that’s just the beverages. The food is quite good also.

Hilda said they will be featuring the same menu at all the Tequila Lunches, so what you see is apparently what you’ll get.

While Hilda is extremely knowledgeable and knows her tequilas, she seemed to power through the tasting part. I don’t recall being able to finish a course before we were being asked to taste the next tequila. The whole thing was over in about an hour, and an hour and a half is allowed via the published schedule; so we finished up in record time for a Food and Wine Festival meal event.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/10/26/guest-review-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-mexico-tequila-lunch/

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We did this and I'll be posting my own review soon, but suffice to say it was terrific and we'd definitely do it again!

Guest Review: Epcot Food and Wine Festival 3D Disney’s Dessert Discovery

Oct 20th, 2011 by AJ.

Sweet! Let’s welcome MealTrip as he shares a review of this year’s 3D Disney’s Dessert Discovery, one of several special events held at this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival. This year, the event introduced a new upgrade called Sweet Seats. Take it away!

The 3D Disney’s Dessert Discovery event is a ticketed dessert extravaganza held in the World ShowPlace in Epcot, and capped off with specialty viewing of the IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth fireworks show. Cost of this event is $55 per person.

Chocolate Art at the Disney Dessert Discovery

As the Discovery enters it’s sophomore year, we welcome the introduction of “Sweet Seats.” This additional upgrade ($25 extra) elevates your party from the mass of sweet-seeking attendees waiting patiently behind the closed doors of the World ShowPlace Pavilion and places you squarely into a private reserved table with your name on it (literally), a full 15 minutes before the official start of the event.

Sweet Seats Signage

Check-In and Atmosphere

If you don’t mind waiting in a tight huddle with a few hundred soon-to-be acquaintances, the Sweet Seats upgrade really is just an option, and not needed to fully enjoy this abundant dessert extravaganza.

The 3DDD event by itself is one of the most economical ways to get inside the World ShowPlace Pavilion, and if you have never been inside for a Party for the Senses (review coming soon!) or other private event, it’s a very unique space worth experiencing at least once.

Outside World Showplace

The check-in queue for the event begins on the World Showcase Lagoon side of the main walkway, just past Off Kilter’s stage in Epcot’s Canada. If you have purchased the Sweet Seats upgrade, your check-in is directly in front of the World ShowPlace gate, where you will receive a special glittering wrist band.

Fifteen minutes before the event begins, the Sweet Seat ticket holders are escorted directly to their tables. After an all-too-short 15 minutes, the doors are opened to all of the other 3DDD attendees.

Holding Tank for Attendees

The term “Running of the Foodies” comes to mind, and those familiar with the Party for the Senses format will feel right at home. Everyone is, naturally, looking for a table and a place to sit. While we did notice a fair number of people making use of the “standing tables,” it wasn’t quite clear if they were doing it for convenience or necessity.

There did seem to be ample seating around the room, but it didn’t “feel” like a capacity crowd, either. Your outcome will vary depending on how many guests are attending on any given night.

Atmosphere

There was a live band again this year. Last year’s band was quite subdued and provided light background music… this year’s band completely energized the building with dessert music (Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama”, get it… “sweet” songs… “dessert”… well I thought it was rather clever anyway).

The five piece band was quite good, and had many people dancing by evening’s end… including quite a few of the event service staff!

The Band

Eats

The Dessert Discovery is one of the few “dessert party” types of events that offers just about as many savory “snacks” as it does beverages and traditional desserts. I have my favorites… but everyone is sure to find something that they really enjoy.

I don’t want to bias your experience by saying anything too descriptive about any specific dish… but… how can you not love a fresh doughnut flambeed in butter and cinnamon, topped with Red Stag infused Sun-dried Cherries, and covered in a ball of Red Stag Ice Cream with a couple of Bourbon Pipettes tossed in just for good measure?

Flambeed Cinnamon Doughnuts

Cinnamon Doughnuts

Then, just to cleanse your pallet, there are chefs melting fresh cheese and pouring it on top of crusty bread or pita bread, with accouterments such as sun-dried tomato pesto and capers, onions, sliced prosciutto, smoked ham and German sausages. Gorgonzola Muffins with Prosciutto Streusel anyone?

Surprisingly, Courvoisier Rose Cognac and Club Soda really does go with everything… don’t believe me? Try it for yourself!

Savory Cheese Station

And that is the key to the whole event: Everything offered may or may not be your new favorite, but it’s not often that so many sweets, treats, fruits, savory morsels and “adult” beverages are assembled in one building, on one evening. So try a little of this and a little of that, and maybe you’ll find some inspiring new combination or treat!

Funnel Cake Bread Pudding

Strawberry Bavarois

Cannolis

Crave Chocolate Liqueur

With that, a special shout-out goes to BabyCakes (offering all-natural, vegan, organic baked goods free from common allergens such as wheat, gluten, dairy, casein and eggs). They showed up en force with desserts that covered a table that was just about the same size as their whole entire Downtown Disney location!

If you’re attending one of the 3DDD events, seek them out and pick up a mini doughnut, cupcake, cookie or brownie, and see what you think. I know, a healthy dessert could be a hard sell, especially if you have no food allergies, but I have had the opportunity to try a few of their offerings now and am constantly surprised with just how delicious they are. (Editor’s Note: My favorites are the cookie-and-frosting sandwiches!)

BabyCakes Gluten-Free, Vegan Bakery Area

At the end of this post is a menu of our 3DDD evening’s offerings… certain individual items may be unique to that week’s event and not always offered on every night. I have no official first hand information, but based on last year’s event, very few items changed from night to night.

Sweet Seats Review

Now back to the Sweet Seats! There were two (possibly three, if you count the “house made truffles”) desserts that were exclusive to the Sweet Seats area.

Chocolate Truffles

Desserts Exclusive to Sweet Seats Attendees

The first was a bite-sized chocolate souffle, which was incredibly rich and fluffy, in a very crispy little shell. Simply shrinking down a full sized dessert doesn’t always work out, but in this case, it was an actual proper little souffle. So kudos to the souffle team!

Chocolate Souffle

Chocolate Souffle Close-Up

The other exclusive deserves it’s own paragraph… Freeze Fried White Chocolate Foam. The flavor is about what you would expect with White Chocolate Foam: it’s sweet. The real fun happens in the Freeze Fried process.

A tablespoon-sized amount of White Chocolate Foam is piped onto an Anti-Griddle™ with an appetizer pick in it (lollipop style), and brought down to a semi-frozen state. The whole dollop is then scooped off the Anti-Griddle™ and placed in liquid nitrogen, where it’s flash frozen.

When handed to you, the little ball of sweet goodness is still smoking because everything around it is so much warmer.

Frozen White Chocolate

If you wait too long and take it back to your table to eat it, you’ll lose most of what makes this such an interesting morsel. Bring your friends with you, bring your cameras, and taste it right there! Blow on it and watch the frozen fog flow out into the room. Place the whole thing in your mouth and watch in amazement as you attempt to blow liquid nitrogen smoke rings.

Granted, it may not sound like so much fun reading about it in a blog, but after a few cordials, it’s more fun than you could possibly imagine.

And no… I didn’t ask her to flash freeze one of the chocolate mint whoopie pies… but I am going back to the last event in November, so there’s still time.

Whoopie Pies

As far as the Sweet Seats “specialty beverage” goes, I could be mistaken, but after doing a fair amount of searching I believe that the “specialty beverage(s)” were Flambeed Coffees. If anyone was there that night, and found something else that was exclusive to the Sweet Seats area, please write in and let me know!

Is The Sweet Seats Upgrade Worth It?

In all seriousness though, people will ask “Is the Sweet Seats upgrade worth it?”

For me, just the frozen white chocolate foam makes it “worth it.” You’re not very likely to get your own Anti-Griddle™ and liquid nitrogen at home, or even find it in a restaurant because it is such a fleeting, and labor-intensive process. It’s the kind of treat that fits in perfectly with the nature of a Disney’s Dessert party events. It’s the experience, and not the actual cost of the raw ingredients, that make it “worth it.”

The only thing that caused me to raise an eyebrow all evening was the Flambeed Coffee as an upgraded “specialty beverage.” I was fully hoping to find an Ice Wine or a Sparkling African Wine, a Honey Wine even… just maybe something a bit more than… Coffee. Don’t get me wrong, they were good coffees… I’m just saying.

The Sweet Seats were also all given a parting goodie bag with quite a decent-sized pallet of Storck Chocolate, Guylian truffles, and a few Werthers Caramels as well.

Sweet Seats Parting Gift Bag

IllumiNations Viewing

About a half hour before Illuminations was to begin, an announcement was made thanking everyone for attending the event. The light stick crew began guiding everyone to the reserved Illuminations viewing area at the very front of the World Showcase Lagoon (between Mexico and Canada, just in front of the entrance to Future World).

Much earlier in the evening, we were all given our special “3D” glasses, which should be used to view Illuminations. I won’t say much about those, because they are fun and surprising, especially if you have no idea what I’m talking about.

The viewing area is a great spot… and usually packed with people… but with only the 3DDD attendees in that location, there is a bit more room to move around and I could easily maintain my three foot radius of personal space.

Fireworks

Overall

All in all, 3DDD is a very enjoyable event. Both the Sweet Seats upgrade and the basic 3DDD entrance costs are a good value (in relation to other Disney events)… especially if everyone in your party can enjoy adult beverages.

While there are quite a few traditional desserts for the younger pallets, such as cookies and cotton candy, the Wishes Dessert Party at the Magic Kingdom might be a better value for younger groups.

3D Disney’s Dessert Discovery Menu – October 7th, 2011

Doughnuts and Coffee

- Flambeed Cinnamon Doughnuts with red Stag Infused Sun-dried Cherries served with red Stag Ice Cream

- Iced Coffee Cream with optional Jim Bean Bourbon Pipette

- Chocolate Malted Milk with optional Devil’s Cut Bourbon Pipette

Cheese and Fruits

- Display of Four Artisan Cheeses with Dried Fruit Chutney Breads and Crackers

- Warm Cheese with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Capers served with Boiled Potatoes, Cornichons, Onions, and Crusty Bread

- Golden Pineapple, Ripe Melons, Grapes, Apples and Driscoll’s Berries with Agave Greek Yogurt Parfait

Sweet Classics

- Espresso Panna Cotta

- Strawberry Guava Bavarois

- Chocolate Laced Eclairs

- Linzer Diamonds

- Sugar Dusted Bavarian Cream Puffs

- Chocolate Chip Cannoli

- Mini Assorted Whoopie Pies

Confectionery Factory

- Tubes of Colorful Candies

- Werther’s Original Caramels

- Cotton Candy

- Assorted Fresh Baked Cookies

- Crispy Rice Treats

- Warm Funnel Cake Bread Pudding

Savory

- Ocean Spray Craisin Polenta Cakes

- Gorgonzola Muffins with Prosciutto Streusel

- Crave Chocolate Chile Muffins

- Seasonal Mini Cinnamon Pumpkin Buttons

- Sliced Prosciutto, Smoked Ham and German Sausages

BabyCakes NYC

- Assorted Flavors of Mini Cookie Sandwiches

- Assorted Flavors of Mini Doughnuts

- Brownie Bites

Beverages

- John DeKuyper & Sons Crave (Chocolate Cherry, Chocolate Mint, Chocolate Chile)

- Cruzan (Car #9)

- Thatcher’s Organic Liqueurs (Blood Orange Margarita with Sauza Tequila Blue, and Apple GInger Cooler with Cruzan Single Barrel)

- DeKuypers Cordials & Liqueurs with Coffee

- Red Stag Hot Cranapple Pie

- Devil’s Cut Bourbon

- Grigich Hills Estate (Grigich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Grigich Hills Chardonnay, Grigich Hills Fume Blanc)

- Opici Wine Company of Florida (Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz Western Cap South Africa, KWV Tawny Port, South Africa, Clayhouse Malbec)

- Courvoisier Rose

- Martini Asti and Martini Rose

- Twinings Premium Teas

Sweet Seats Upgrade Area Offerings

- Variety of House made Truffles

- Freeze Fried White Chocolate Foam

- Warm Mini Chocolate Souffles

- Flambeed Coffees

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2011/10/20/guest-review-epcot-food-and-wine-festival-3d-disneys-dessert-discovery/

[XBoater 8]

Oh my, I was there for a week and I am just now starting to get hungry again. Time moves sooo slowly when I am hungry and drooling over these pictures...

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food blog...

Food and Wine Pairing in Epcot’s Italy

Jan 20th, 2012 by AJ.

Learn About:

Tutto Italia Ristorante

Epcot Restaurants

Disney World Restaurants

Let’s give a warm welcome to JoAnn Chiaravalle. She stops by to share a review of dining at a Food and Wine Pairing seminar, complete with great tips about how to prepare when you have a food allergy!

On August 16 at 7:00 am sharp, I called Disney to book the Italy Food and Wine Pairing set for Saturday, November 12, during the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival. Within twenty minutes my booking was complete!

I was so excited to get the events booked on the first day in a short amount of time that I forgot to mention I had a seafood allergy. I called back at a later date and spoke to Melissa to have my reservation modified to show the allergy. She was most helpful and answered all of my questions.

Fast forward to November 12. The event began at 2:00 and I took my seat with notebook in hand. Although I was excited to attend this event, I was crushed when I saw the menu with seafood. I told the waitress who was pouring water about my seafood allergy and she told me not to worry as it was noted in the reservation.

Eats

Along with the menu we were each provided with cards detailing each of the wines.

Wine Cards

The manager of the restaurant and the representative from Banfi Winery welcomed us, and the festivities began. The first course was Capesante e Cannellini (scallops with cannellini beans and pancetta ham) with San Angelo Pinot Grigio.

Because of my seafood allergy I was served mozzarella and prosciutto. I didn’t get a picture of the Capesante e Cannellini or the wine (I hadn’t even started drinking yet).

Appetizer

The mozzarella and prosciutto were nicely paired with the Pinot Grigio. Who doesn’t like a big ball of cheese?

The second course was Ravioli D’Aragosta Tartufati (lobster ravioli) with Centine Rosso. My substitution was homemade pasta with a veal sauce. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the sauce was delicious, with a little bite to it.

Pasta with Veal Sauce

I did sneak a picture of my neighbor’s lobster ravioli. The lady sitting next to her had a gluten allergy. She was served gluten free bread and pasta (also pictured here).

Lobster Ravioli

On to the main course – Filetto di Manzo con Gorgonzola (beef filet, gorgonzola cheese and mashed potatoes) with Belnero wine. I made one simple note in my notebook for the dish – OMG!

It was the best filet I had ever tasted. The mashed potatoes were so smooth. The gorgonzola cheese melted nicely on the filet.

Main Course

The final course of the day was dessert. Piatto di Delizie (dessert trio – Torta Di Ricotta, Torta di Cioccolato alla Nutella, and Mocha Tiramisu) with Rosa Regale.

Dessert Trio

My favorite of the desserts was the Torta Di Ricotta. I was a little disappointed in the Cioccolata alla Nutella. The cake was a little dry, and I didn’t taste a lot of the Nutella.

The Rosa Regale was my favorite of all the wines we tried that day. It is a very light sparkling wine, which was a nice way to end the meal.

Overall

The wait staff at Tutto Italia were continually filling our glasses with water and wine throughout the event. I was extremely pleased with this event and enjoyed the substitutions they made for my allergy. I would consider attending this event in the future and enthusiastically recommend it to anyone thinking about signing up for it.

The event ended at 4:00 and I waddled my way through World Showcase. I had planned on going to Magic Kingdom that night for a 6:50 reservation at Tony’s, but with a full belly, I cancelled my ADR and relaxed at Pop Century for the evening.

JoAnn Chiaravalle is a travel enthusiast who recently rediscovered Walt Disney World as a favorite vacation destination. She is a big fan of the Disney Food Blog and can be found on the forums at Walt Disney World for Grownups.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/01/20/guest-review-food-and-wine-pairing-in-epcots-italy/#more-43061

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food Blog...

...To say we enjoyed the Florida Orange Groves Winery session would be an understatement. So would calling it a typical festival wine tasting. When we sat down, the wines were already poured to tempt and tease us with their bright and fruity aromas.

Atmosphere and Info

From the start, the winery’s owner, Vincent Shook was engaging and fun. He incorporated stories about how they got started in the business, debunked several myths about fruit wines, and incorporated practical ways to use the beverage, even telling us what dishes he and his wife like to pair their favorites with.

We were surprised to learn that Florida has more than a dozen wineries in the state....

Sips

We were given three samples to try: Hurricane Class 5: Florida White Sangria, Key Limen, and Mango Mamma.

At first whiff, you immediately knew which was the mango wine. It had a strong, but not too sweet or overpowering taste.

The Key Limen, on the other hand, had a very light aroma, and a light taste. It wasn’t too tart either, but the lime flavor clearly comes through. Key Limen was our favorite; we both brought home bottles of it!

Five of the Orange Groves’ wines are blended for the fruity sangria...

For photos and the full review...

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/04/04/guest-review-florida-orange-groves-winery-seminar-at-the-epcot-food-wine-festival/

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

OMG I can't wait for F&W!

from the Disney Food blog...

Guest Review: Epcot Food and “More Than Just” Wine Festival

May 17th, 2012 by AJ.

As we all gear up for the 2012 Food and Wine Festival, welcome Heather Jones with a fun exploration through last year’s events!

I was so excited to experience the Epcot Food and Wine Festival for the first time. But I was thinking that Disney might be doing the festival a disservice by calling it “Food and Wine,” because there are so many more drink choices than just wine.

Don’t get me wrong I love a nice chilled Chardonnay or a spicy Shiraz. But there’s also a huge variety of beer, cocktails, and sake to be had as well. I guess they can’t call it the “Food and Booze Festival.” That wouldn’t sound very Disney!

Epcot Food and Wine Festival Signage

Beer Review

Let’s start with some beer, shall we? Our first stop was the brand new Hawaii booth for the Kalua Pork Slider and the Tuna Poke along with a Kona Longboard and a Pipeline beer.

Kalua Pork Slider

Tuna Poke

The Pipeline is dark and flavorful porter (I just love a dark beer!) and the Longboard is a tasty, light lager that paired well with the Poke.

Kona Long board and Pipeline Beer

Another favorite beer for me was the Leffe at the Belgium booth.

Leffe and Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream & Baguette

I broke my own self-imposed rule by getting the Leffe because I had already tried it before. I discovered this beer on a trip to Belgium and fell in love with the spicy clove notes. It’s also available at my local beer and wine purveyor; I’m not so sure that this is such a good thing!

OK, next I broke that rule again by having my ultimate dark beer, Guinness, at the Ireland booth. It was really good with the Fisherman’s Pie, but the dark chocolate notes paired even better with the Lava cake.

Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie and Guinness

Lava Cake with Bailey's Irish Cream Ganache

Cocktail and Spirit Review

I don’t usually go in for slushy, fruity drinks, but by the time we reached France, the Cosmo slush was calling out to me.

Parisien Cosmo Slush (Ciroc Vodka, Grand Marnier, and Cranberry Juice)

I’m not so sure it paired well with the escargot or coq au vin, which were our family favorite dishes, however, it sure hit the spot on this hot afternoon!

Escargot

Coq au Vin

Also on my list of things to try was the Xante liquor. You can have this in the Xante Sunshine cocktail or just on ice. I wanted to taste this on it’s own, so I had it over ice.

Xante pear and cognac liquor

This liquor is similar to a Grand Marnier. It’s supposed to be pear, but I tasted more of a butterscotch flavor. This is good if you like your liquor very sweet.

Another of the festival’s offerings is the Singapore Sling. When I approached the Singapore booth and saw the concoction bubbling in a drink dispenser I assumed that it would just be a fruity drink with barely any kick.

Ladies and gentleman, this is not the case; this drink packs a real punch. I suggest Disney transportation after sampling this one.

Singapore Sling

Rice Wine Review

My favorite new discovery was the BEK SE JU (Herbal Rice Wine) from South Korea. I tried this purely to diversify my experience and ended up absolutely loving it!

BEK SE JU Herbal Rice Wine

It’s served chilled and tastes almost like a sweet Riesling with a dry sake finish. It was a perfect pairing with the lettuce wrap.

Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw

So, as you can see there’s certainly a beverage to please anyone looking to imbibe at the Food and Wine Festival, and not just the wine lovers. However, if all else fails, there’s always the tequila bar at La Cava!

La Cava del Tequila

Cheers!

Have you sampled any of these “more than just” wine beverages? Let us know your favorites and what you’re looking forward to at the 2012 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

Heather is a wife and mom of two teenagers who loves to travel, Disney being their ultimate destination. As a foodie, dining is always the most memorable part of her trips. She also enjoys sharing her travel adventures in her blog, Maybe Someday.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/05/17/guest-review-epcot-food-and-more-than-just-wine-festival/

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

From the Disney Food Blog...

Guest Review: Italy Dessert & Wine Event at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival

Jul 5th, 2012 by Kim.

Join us in welcoming guest author Michelle Buchecker with a review of the Italy Dessert and Wine tasting event at last year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival. While we’re not sure yet if this event will be repeated at the 2012 Festival, it’s likely that it will!

Tutto Italia and Gusto Wine Cellar

We attended the Italy Dessert and Wine event that was new to the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival. First and foremost, do not make the mistake we did by booking this event on the same day as your Biergarten lunch!

We had lunch at noon, and the event was at 2 pm. Not nearly enough time to digest. (Editor’s Note: I can second that!)

Atmosphere

The event was held in the back room of Tutto Italia. The check-in process went very smoothly, and we were escorted to a table that the 2 of us shared with 6 other people. There were about 50 guests in total and all chairs were taken.

The main presenter, Gabriele, was charming and humorous. He was obviously native Italian, and he took the time to introduce each course. The wine rep from Batasiolo, Jerry, mentioned that he was told to keep his comments short so we could eat and drink more. But at the beginning of each course, he did introduce each wine and described it.

Jerry warned us that all wines at the tasting were frizzante, which means they are lightly bubbly and have low alcohol content to keep it sweet.

Eats

Now on to the courses!

Dessert and Wine Menu

The first course was a Tiramisu paired with the Batasiolo Asti. I found the contents of the Tiramisu pretty basic: repeat layers of soaked ladyfingers and mascarpone topped with a cocoa dusting and chocolate curl.

The presentation was nice as this was all in a Martini glass. The Asti was sweet and crisp.

Tiramisu

The second course was Cannoli. This was huge!! While we were served utensils with it, Gabriele commented that he had to give us the knife and fork but encouraged us to eat it with our fingers. Which we all did.

I am not a Cannoli fan but I actually enjoyed this one. It had a nice crisp shell, and a smooth filling with a smattering of chocolate chips inside.

The wine was a Batasiolo Moscato. It was very sweet and flavorful. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the pours on this and the previous wines were very generous and refills were plentiful if you wanted them.

Cannoli

The third course was called Torta Di Ricotta Con Fagole al Limone. What is it with Italians and wanting desserts to all have cheese in them? Basically this was a very lemony tart. Even the side of strawberries (the Fagole) had a lemon flavor. It was accompanied by fresh whipped cream, which was not very sweet. I personally thought the dish was too lemony, but everyone else finished theirs.

The wine was a Batasiolo Moscato Rose and was my favorite of the day. It is pink in color, and in addition to being delicious, it was also the most bubbly. Jerry, the wine rep, commented that this wine can only be found in the US at Disney World right now, but should roll out to a store near you in the next couple of years.

Torta Di Ricotta

The final course was a Semifreddo Alla Nutella Con Cioccolato Amaro. Ciaccolato Amaro means bitter/dark chocolate. This was similar to a soft serve chocolate ice cream, but not very chocolatey. There was a hint of Nutella in it. The drizzle was reminiscent of Hershey’s syrup, which I thought was yummy. It also had a shortbread cookie, which was dense and crumbly.

It had very good flavor, but was too hardened to eat with a spoon and too messy to eat with your hand. This dessert paired extremely well with the wine, which was a Batasiolo Brachetto Sparkling Red. The wine had a medium red color with strong floral notes. It was slightly sweeter than the others, with a nice finish. Jerry compared it to a Rosa Regale, but I didn’t think it was as sweet or as bubbly as the Rosa Regale. It is only available at Disney for now.

Semifreddo Alla Nutella

Overall

All was great, though the last course had some problems as it took exceptionally long to come out. Several people had already finished their wine and for some reason there were no refills on wine for the last course. The other 3 courses were perfectly timed and plenty of refills.

At the end, the Chef came out and was introduced by Gabriele. The chef thanked us for coming and we all departed. Full and happy!

Michelle lives in Chicago and is an avid Walt Disney World fan. She and her husband were married at the Disney Wedding Pavillion in 1998 and return to WDW whenever they can.

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/07/05/guest-review-italy-dessert-wine-event-at-the-epcot-food-and-wine-festival/