I was thrilled to have the opportunity to snack around the globe for the second year in a row at the first weekend of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. I tried different snacks each day, and here are five of my favorites.
“Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce (Canada)
Le Cellier is one of my favorite restaurants, so it was great to see a menu item appear at the Canada booth. The size of this filet is large considering that filets are small to begin with. It is cooked perfectly, and the truffle butter sauce raises it to the level of Le Cellier quality that makes the restaurant so loved.
Coq au Vin sur Gratin de Macaroni (France)
There are so many wonderful things going on in this dish. The chicken is tender, the macaroni is delicious, the sauce is flavorful, and the extra vegetables make it well-rounded. It was the largest item I ordered at the festival; if you paired it with the creme brulee that is also sold at the France booth, you would have a meal big enough to fill you up for a couple of hours.
Spinach and Paneer Cheese Pocket (South Africa)
I was excited about this item in particular because Disney is the first place I tried paneer cheese, which is now one of my favorite foods. This pocket is excellent, filling, and a good size. Another great thing about it is that it is easy to walk around with. If you’ve ever wanted to try a meal at the Art of Animation’s World Flavors section of its food court or at Sanaa, but were scared you wouldn’t like the food, I would recommend eating this first. It’s a cheaper way to try an exotic flavor, and if you like it, you will most definitely find something on their menus to order. Both serve a spinach and paneer cheese side dish.
Cheese Fondue with Sourdough Bread (Cheese)
Putting all of the “How is ‘Cheese’ a destination?” jokes aside, this fondue and bread is amazing. It made a good snack because most of the other foods that I tried had large portions. Sometimes, things just need to be smaller and less filling. I love that the cheese was flavorful but not terribly strong, and the bread couldn’t be softer.
Apple Strudel with Karamel and Vanilla Sauce (Germany)
Compared to last year’s goulash and the Schinken Nudel of this year, I felt that this dessert was very authentic to what would actually be served in Germany. I lived in Germany for three weeks this summer and visited Switzerland, Austria, and Germany last year. Let’s just say that during that time, I became an apple strudel expert. This strudel gets my stamp of approval.
If you have a chance to get to the Food & Wine Festival this year, I hope you try all of my favorites. Please share with us your favorites from this year or years past by commenting below, tweeting me @MickeyWaffle71, or emailing me at MickeyWaffle71@gmail.com.
Share“If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff.” – Remy, Ratatouille
