…..What a weekend it was for the Mrs. and I here at 101. Authentic Caipirinhas in Brazil, a Godiva Liqueur iced coffee in Belgium, and a Singapore Sling in Singapore, and that was just the first half of Saturday. No we didn’t finally go all out and purchase that private jet we’ve been hoping for, and we certainly haven’t figured out how to “teleport” from country to country (yet). We’re talking about the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival where you can try amazing foods, addicting cocktails, crafted beers, and mouth watering desserts specific to several carefully selected countries from around the world.
…..Those familiar with Epcot already know its themed towards world cultures but with the Food and Wine Festival they take it one step further, and expand on the cultures you can learn of. Are you a fan of tequila? Who isn’t ! At Epcot in addition to downing some great tequila classics at the Mexico station, you can learn the history and variations of tequila and tequila cocktails at the Tequila tasting and seminar event. Fancy the French? For a fee enjoy the “Taste, Shake and Indulge like the French” class featuring Grand Marnier and a Cocktail master hosting. Though the big draw of the festival is the food diversity, you know why WE go, to drink our butts off until we’re speaking the language of the country our drink is from. Not a big drinker? Don’t worry, PLENTY of beer is on tap, and wine uncorked from every region you can think of.
…..Though this year was its 16th annual event, I was a rookie to the festival and it
showed. Though I had planned to make 2-3 trips to try everything In moderation I was only able to attend on it’s last weekend, forcing myself to do my best Carmen San Diego impression and tour the world. With 23 countries, and 4-5 more non-country-specific stations, we made our way to about 14. How did I decide where to go? Well if it didn’t feature a cocktail it was immediately 86’d off the list. And if it was a country that i’m relatively familiar with (USA, Mexico, Japan, etc ), it too was a goner. That left is with 12-14 countries to visit in a little under 8 hours.
…..It’s an impressive presentation from start to finish with Disney..For those familiar, they always go for authenticity, bringing students from these countries over to work in exchange for us getting the most realistic experience. What I thought was an excellent touch is the “Passports” you receive upon entering, of which you can have “stamped” at every country you visit. If you’ve heard that the Festival is expensive, I’d have to agree and disagree. It depends on your agenda. If your looking to strictly try the foods and drinks available at each country you can achieve this at a reasonable price for two people. We for instance enjoyed 2 servings of food, and 1 drink (they were big enough for both of us to sample) at each of the stations we visited for a total under $120.00. If you however are looking for a more detailed look into a specific countries dish, or drinks, you can buy a ticket to one of the many seminars they offer, all usually hosted by a professional/celebrity chef or bartender. ( Iron Chef Cat Cora, Chef Andrew Zimmern, and “Cake Boss” Buddy Valestro were highlights of this year). These events range in price from $35 per person all the way as high as $200. These events include Mixology seminars, food and wine pairing events, beer dinners, chocolate or cheese tastings, etc.
…..So yes it can get costly, and no it doesn’t have to be to have a great time. One thing is for sure, it’s the only time you will see this intoxicated adults walking around in the usually child filled park. In addition to the festival events, several everyday magical things
are taking place as they normally do at Disney. Live music, fun rides, and entertaining characters fill the park so you’ll get your money’s worth. Now that you’ve heard OUR opinion, its time for you to get up and plan to make it here next year. Below are a few of my favorite drinks I tried this year.
Parisian Cosmo Slush: France
1 oz Grey Goose Vodka
1 oz Grand Marnier
2 oz 100% Cranberry Juice
1 part Lime Juice
Combine ingredients in a blender with a cup of ice. Blend to desired texture, preferably slush like. Pour into a chilled martini glass.
Xante’ Sunshine: Scandanavia
2 oz Xanté Spirit
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 oz elderflower syrup (Sold at Ikea)
3-4 oz fresh lemonade
Mix and serve in a tall glass filled with ice.
Happy Lychee: China
2 oz Grey Goose Vodka
1 tsp Lime concentrate
2 oz Lychee Drink (Available in Aasian stores)
We couldnt wrestle the recipe out of these guys so this is my own adaptation based on what I felt I tasted in the recipe. Combine all ingredients in a shaker, shake and strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.
If you weren’t able to make it out this year, we hope this crash course in the Epcot Food and Wine Festival was good enough to get you to start planning for next year. Though these were a few of my favorite drinks, I plan on posting several other recipes we tried at this years festival. For more great recipes and the latest news in alcohol be sure to “Like” us on Facebook. Cheers
