Happy Foodie Friday! We hope you enjoyed all of the coverage from D23. There are so many exciting changes coming to all of the parks from new rides to new dining experiences and TMSM was lucky enough to be there to capture it all for you! This week, we are going to focus on an upcoming event that is the dream of every foodie. The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival of course! Let’s get started!
To celebrate the parks 35th anniversary, there will be some throwbacks that go back to the park opening. These items can be found at the Epcot Legacy Showplace during the festival. One exciting revival is the ‘handwich’, the edible cone stuffed with deliciousness that takes only one hand to hold and gobble down. It will be a zesty cheeseburger and cheddar cheeses macaroni handwich which sounds devine!
Speaking of zesty, there is a new marketplace this year that is dedicated entirely to spicy food! The Flavors from Fire booth will feature yummy offerings like Piggy Wings, roasted pork wings with Korean BBQ sauce and sesame seeds, and Chocolate Picante, which is dark chocolate mousse with cayenne pepper, chili powder, and raspberry dust. Not only do that have food, they also have beverages that heat things up like the Orlando Brewery Smokin’ Blackwater Porter.
In addition to the Flavors of Fire marketplace, there will be five other new marketplaces at the festival this year. Let’s look a little closer at the new spots.
- Active Eats – described as having ‘action-packed offerings’ like roasted Verlasso salmon with quinoa salad and arugula chimichurri
- The Almond Orchard – sponsored by Blue Diamond Almond Breeze featuring a banana almond sundae layered with fresh berries and topped with dark chocolate and blueberry almonds (wiping the drool already….)
- Boursin Cheese will sponsor a booth this year called The Cheese Studio with offerings like braised beef ‘stroganoff’ with tiny egg noodles, wild mushroom, and Boursin garlic and fine herbs cheese sauce
- Coastal Eats will feature dishes inspired by the ocean like seared scallops with roasted corn and butterbean succotash and chili-chipotle butter sauce. There will also be wine pairings from the Pacific coastline
- The Light Lab will serve ‘bubbly drafts and spirited concoctions’ that will definitely lighten your mood! The Founders Brewing Company Zebra Watermelon Gose Ale stands out to me! They also have non-alcoholic offerings as well.
Of course, the old favorites will be back. The popular Cheddar Cheese Soup in the Canadian Showcase will be back. Personally, I tried it and don’t understand the hype, but to each their own! Also returning are some countries that have been featured in previous years. India, Spain, and Thailand will once again be participating in the festival.
This year, guests have 75 days to indulge in the goodness that is the Food & Wine Festival. Running from August 31st – November 13th, this is the longest festival thus far. Is this a festival you enjoy or do you run away from the crowds? If you have been in the past, what was your favorite dish? If this is your first year going, what are you looking forward to most? Tell us in the comments! Until next time, I wish you good eating! Cheers!
As co-owner and co-creator of The Main Street Mouse.Working in a technical support position for 18 years, it was time for a change.As the Webmaster and Project Planner, I spend most of my time researching everything from the latest Disney News, technology advances and of course keeping up on all the Marvel news that comes out.I never considered myself a writer but I’ve come to like blogging and sharing news with all.I feel blessed everyday that I get to spend my days working with my best friend and love of my life while we continue to grow and expand what started as a hobby all those years ago.
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