While we may be getting close to wrapping up the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, I know you guys love to talk about food. So, I thought I would run thru some of the hits and misses from around the world at this year’s festival and help get your tastebuds thinking about next year’s event!
I can safely say that I tried more of a variety of options this year than ever! Best tip for this? Go with your friends!! I was able to sample not just my choices, but theirs as well and knocked a ton off the list of offerings this year. And man what offerings they had! The portion sizes remained substantial this year. Definitely enough for sharing a few bites and then moving on the the next!
So in the blog today, I’d like to run thru my top five bites at this year’s event, and then I’ll share the pictures of some of the other things I tried! And I think I have to let you in on my biggest let-down of this food parade!
#5
Number five on my list of hits is from the Flavors from Fire booth. Surprisingly, I do not love spicy dishes but the Banh Mi Bao with Char-grilled Asian Skirt Steak, Chicken Liver Aiolo, pickled veggies, and cilantro was literally outstanding! This booth’s inspiration comes from campfire cooked summer favorites. The flavors were absolutely amazing together and just the right amount of heat! I was definitely a fan!
#4
Moving on to number 4, I can’t believe I am saying this, but my choice comes from the Hops and Barley booth in the America Pavilion. The Chesapeake Crab Slider with Tangy Coleslaw and a Cajun Remoulade was not only huge but off the charts in taste! The heat, the tang, and the sweetness of the seafood blended amazingly!
#3
The 3rd spot on the list was hearty and comforting and should come as no surprise to anyone……Cowboy Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Pork Belly, Brisket Burnt Ends, Pickled Peppers, Onion Straws, and BBQ Aioli. I’ll be the first to admit, I got this twice! This was the ultimate comfort food dish for me. Heat, creaminess, and texture made this an absolute home run on my trek around the festival.
#2
Inching closer to the top, I head to Ireland for the Fisherman’s Seafood Pie! Think Shepherd’s pie but a seafood version. This was a sleeper for me. It wasn’t even on my radar, but my pal, Cliff got it and I was so happy he did! This dish was literally outstanding and bonus, you could chase it down with a Guinness Bailey’s Coffee Shake that was to die for!
#1
But the top of this culinary list is by far the Mimosa Flight from the Sparkling Sips booth! This flight was unbelievable. 3 6oz pours were definitely enough to share! The Tropical Mimosa was Disney’s famous POG juice and sparkling wine, the Key Lime with a splash of white cranberry was my favorite, and then wrapping up the flight was the Blood Orange. These were all light, refreshing, and spectacular value at only $14! This was the clear winner for me this season.
Honorable mention
Honorable mention has to be given to the Crispy Buffalo Brussels sprouts from the Brew-Wing at the Odyssey. These roasted sprouts mixed in buffalo sauce but drizzled with plant based bleu cheese dressing was an absolute home run! If I had more time I would have repeated this dish again and again!
And as promised, my biggest letdown of the festival was the one thing I was looking most forward to…..the Fry Flight from The Fry Basket booth. The flight had Sea Salt and Vinegar, BBQ Bacon Fries with Smoked Aioli, and Sweet Potato Casserole Fries with Candied Pecan, Toasted Marshmallows, and Caramel Whiskey. Unfortunately, these were all just ok for me. Im of the opinion that fries have to be scalding hot to be worth it and sadly they were not. Although if I had to pick the best one, the BBQ ones were the standout.
While I couldn’t possibly review all the treats we tried, I hope you enjoyed my list! The festival this year was great. Tons of choices and a lot of new heavy hitters with dishes that were pleasantly surprising! If you missed out this season, don’t despair, the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival will be back next season and you will not want to miss it!
