2013 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – Let’s wrap this up, final thoughts

We like to look back at each year’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival before we really charge into Holidays at Disney World – it really helps us when we start planning the next year’s Festival. Our “festival habits” have changed a lot in recent years…

2010 2011 2012 2013
Signature Dinners 2 1 0 0
Culinary Demonstrations 6 9 16 4
Beverage Seminars 12 0 5 0
Mixology Seminars n/a 2 1 0
Lunches (food pairings at Epcot restaurants) 2 3 3 5
Special Events Party for the Senses Disney Dessert Discovery Party Sweet Sundays 0

Last year (2012) was huge and we found that we didn’t enjoy running back and forth to Epcot so much; there was too much going on to really enjoy things…

This year, we actually skipped one Culinary Demonstration and one Mixology Seminar that we had reservations for…

Anyway, back to wrapping things up and telling you what we thought was GREAT, GOOD, FAIR, or POOR

Culinary Demonstrations

Kevin Dundon, Raglan Road GREAT
Michael Gonsalves, Golden Oaks Great
Nick Crispino, Cinderella Castle Poor
Alisa Malavenda, POSH Salt™ Poor, but she was great last year

Lunches

Italian Regional Lunch Great food, Fair education
Tequila Lunch Great food, education & fun, definitely want to do again
Italy Craft Beer Good craft beers, Fair food
Food & Sake We’re torn between Great & Good, we’re likely to do again
Tequila Lunch redone See comments above

Marketplace Booths

I’m going to skip adult beverages, they’ve been reviewed here.

Terra Didn’t eat anything from here
Brazil – Crispy Pork Belly Poor
Argentina Didn’t eat anything from here
Australia –Garlic ShrimpLamb Chop GoodGood
Mexico Didn’t eat anything from here
Singapore – seared mahi mahi Good
China – Mongolian beef bun Good to Great
South Korea –Kimchi DogLettuce Wrap with Roast Pork Great (had it twice)Great
Africa –Berbere Style BeefSpinach & Paneer Pocket Good to GreatGood
Cheese –Blue Cheese SouffleCheese Selection PoorPoor
Germany – Schinkennudlen Good
Poland – Zapiekanki Good, but served not warm
Italy Didn’t eat anything from here
Hops & Barley Didn’t eat anything from here
Florida Local – Shrimp Cerviche Good to Great
Japan Didn’t eat anything from here
Morocco Didn’t eat anything from here
New Zealand –Green Lip MusselsVenison Sausage

Lamb Meatball

GoodGreat, had twice

Fair

Belgium Didn’t eat anything from here
France Didn’t eat anything from here
Ireland – Lobster and Seafood Pie Fair to Good
Canada Didn’t eat anything from here
Greece – Taste of Greece Good
Refreshment Port Didn’t eat anything from here
Desserts & Champagne Didn’t eat anything from here
Hawaii –Pork SliderTuna Poke Fair, almost good but too sweetGood, but not impressive
Scotland –Seared SalmonVegetarian Haggis GreatGreat

There it is, a summary (and before December 1st!)… Now on to the Christmas Holidays. We don’t expect as much coverage as last year, we have more extensive travel plans during the month of December and Thanksgiving was as late as possible this year (shortening the holiday season at Walt Disney World)…

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