Sending Your Taste Buds On Trip Around The World

By Georgina Cruz


I could not go on a journey around the world this year, but my taste buds sure did during my last trip: a weekend in Orlando enjoying Epcot's International Food and Wine Festival. You have probably heard about this festival, as it's one of our state's -if not the nation's-top culinary fests. But instead of the impersonal calendar announcements and press releases you may have read, I am here to give you a hands-on, first-person account, in the spirit of YourHub.com.

The first thing you notice when you get to Epcot's festival is that there is food all over the place -you've literally entered a world of flavors. There are more than two dozen international marketplaces serving up appetizer-sized portions of delectable dishes from every corner of the globe (appetizer size portions range from $1.50 to $4.50).

I started by sampling curried butternut squash soup with Naan bread in the India marketplace, and chicken and cheese tortillas in Mexico for a yummy lunch, and enjoyed empanadas (meat pies) in the Argentina marketplace for dinner, followed by chocolate crème brulee (the yummiest!) in France for dessert. The next day, it was albondigas (spicy meatballs) in Spain, Sicilian pizza in the Italy marketplace, sushi in Japan.

And the festival, which kicked off on Sept. 29 and runs through Nov. 12, is not just about food, but beverages as well: you can wash down all the exotic delightsthat you choosewith a German beer or a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley, among other choices. If you prefer, you can sample teas at Twinings in the United Kingdom pavilion.

The festival, included in Epcot admission ($67 for adults, $54 for children) is celebrating its 11th year with the theme "Exploring Regional Flavors." The second thing you notice about it is that it's wildly popular -there are crowds all over the place-as it attracts, according to Disney estimates, more than one million guests annually.

"Wow! This place is overflowing with food," exclaimed Maria Sanchez, a visitor from Miami as she walked around the park's World Showcase with its multiple temptations in the international marketplaces. "Nobody is going to go home hungry!"

The festival provides varied experiences at different levels to reflect the diverse tastes and interests of visitors, said Nora Carey, festival manager.
Christine Weissman, Epcot executive chef, who oversees a culinary team of 350 on a daily basis, creates new recipes and menus for the festival. The new menus and dishes, she said, challenge her, and also "create experiences for our guests that they will remember for years to come."

Among the new festival experiences this year are Turkey, Thailand and Argentina Marketplaces. Also new are a variety of workshops and seminars including Chefs A' Field - Culinary Adventures That Begin on the Farm, with a three-course lunch; The Cook, the Book and the Bottle, including a celebrity chef demo, three-course meal with wine, plus signed book and commemorative bottle of wine; Regional Feasts; Wine & Food in Balance Workshop; Cheese & Wine Pairing Workshop; novel Epcot wine schools, including Tour de France, Burgundy, South Africa and South America; and a new American Wine Tasting Adventure located at the American Adventure pavilion courtyard. Special dinners, pairings and other ticketed events range from $40 to $195.
I began my visit at the Festival Welcome Center, located at Innoventions West in Future World where there is information on the day's programs, culinary demonstrations and tastings, and where you can make reservations for special lunches, dinners and other events. The Welcome Center, which is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, also has a Champagne and Sparkling Wine Bar and a shop with posters and other festival merchandise.
The festival culinary demonstrations are not-to-be-missed with a lineup of some 250 Disney chefs and guest chefs, including Cat Cora, John Ash, Alan Wong and Emily Luchetti who offer daily culinary demonstrations at the Odyssey - The Chef's Showplace (located between Future World and World Showcase). If you prefer an interactive cooking lesson, the Odyssey Cooking School offers them, with classes given by a Disney chef assisting a visiting chef. Both chefs guide teams of participants to create a themed meal which is paired with wines at the end of the lesson. Cost is $150 plus tax and gratuity; park admission is required; participation is limited to 20 students.
If you are on a budget, take in a food seminar -they are free! These Authentic Taste Seminars, presented on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays are complimentary 45-minute sessions focusing on origins, tastes and traditions of ingredients like chocolate, coffee and olive oil.
I followed one of these free food seminars with a couple of the 1,200 beer and wine seminars that provide complimentary tastings. For those who like tea, the United Kingdom pavilion offers daily free tastings.
Other highlights of the festival include international exhibits. Among new exhibits this year are Turkey and Peru. These cultural areas offer opportunities to learn more about the countries in question and their customs -like learning about calligraphy and the art of making Turkish coffee.
I splurged on the Party for the Senses - Eat, Drink & Celebrate. This event begins with reserved seating at an "Eat to the Beat!" concert at the America Gardens Theatre in the World Showcase. During my visit Survivor (of "Eye of the Tiger" fame) was the featured group.

Following the show, I and other Party for the Senses guests walked over to the World ShowPlace -done up in an imaginative, visually-stimulating décor-for an evening showcasing the work of more than 25 chefs and 70 wines and beers. Guests select dishes at various tasting stations and enjoy eye-popping entertainment from Cirque du Soleil. Featured from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, cost is $125 plus tax and gratuity; park admission is required. The evening ends with a viewing of IllumiNations; Reflections of Earth, Epcot's nighttime laser and music spectacular. Reserve at the Festival Welcome Center or call 407-939-3378.
For children there are activities as well including Celebrate the Harvest (at the Test Track Walkway in Future World East). Here, in The Buzz About Honey section, families can meet a beekeeper and peer into observation hives to watch bees at work. In Nuts About Peanuts, children learn about this nutritious snack, meet a peanut farmer and grab a bag of peanuts.

IF YOU GO -

Lodging: If possible, stay at a hotel within walking distance of Epcot, that way instead of standing around waiting for buses or wasting time driving to Epcot and parking, you are munching away sooner. Among resorts within walking distance of Epcot are the deluxe-class Disney's BoardWalk Inn, Disney's Beach Club and Disney's Yacht Club (all priced from $305 per night in the value season which includes the period between Oct. 4 and Nov. 26).

Economy-priced hotels on Disney property include Disney's Pop Century, and Disney's All-Star Sports, All-Star Music and All-Star Movies (priced from $79 per night). Buses take you to Epcot and other Disney parks from these hotels. Always ask if there are hotel specials for Florida residents available the days when you plan to visit.

Concerts: This year's festival lineup of free concerts, The "Eat to the Beat!" nightly complimentary concert series at the America Gardens Theatre, is a great way to end your day at the festival. Three performances are presented each evening featuring a lineup including R&B, jazz, classic rock and oldie performers. The concert schedule is as follows: Sept. 29-30, Survivor; Oct. 1-3, FamilyStoneExperience; Oct. 4-7, Starship featuring Mickey Thomas; Oct. 8-11, Loverboy; Oct. 12-14, David Sanborn; Oct. 15-16, The Beach Boys; Oct. 17-18, Little Richard; Oct. 19-21, Three Dog Night; Oct. 22-25, The Four Tops; Oct. 26-28, Gloria Gaynor; Oct. 29-Nov. 1, The S.O.S. Band; Nov. 2-4, The Contours; Nov. 5-6, Chubby Checker & The Wildcats; Nov. 7-8, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes; Nov. 9-12, Jon Secada.
Information: For more details, call 407-939-3378 or visit www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine.