A Taste of Food & Wine: Part III

Epcot’s 15th International Food & Wine Festival has come to an end. Here is a final look at of some of the dishes I sampled to start building our anticipation for next year.

Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney (New Zealand):


I am a big fan of lamb and when I noticed it on the New Zealand menu I jumped at the opportunity to try it, especially because lamb is something that I do not cook at home. The lamb was fairly mild in flavor and not spicy at all. It was also cooked perfectly so that it was very moist and tender. The slider came topped with a generous amount of tomato chutney that had a slight sweetness that paired well with the mild-flavored lamb. The bread was soft, but was made a little soggy by the chutney; I would have liked it even more if the bread had been toasted. While the slider may not be the best value at the festival for $4.75, I still felt as though it was big enough so that I got my money’s worth.

Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie (Ireland):


Having grown up in New England I love every kind of seafood, but this has also made me a little picky when it comes to seafood dishes. I was definitely intrigued when I saw the Lobster and Scallop Pie on the menu in Ireland and I was certainly not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of seafood in the pie and the fact that there were good-sized chunks of lobster and scallops rather than small pieces. The pie was topped with mashed potatoes that were very smooth and made it like a seafood version of shepherd’s pie. Although it is a combination I would not normally expect, I found the flavor of the seafood blended very well with that of the potatoes. This dish was both creamy and filling and although it is one of the festival’s more expensive items at $5.50 it is a very high-quality dish and a good sized-portion that made it worth the money.

Warm Chocolate Lava Cake (Ireland):


This was one of my favorite dishes from last year’s festival and I was extremely happy to see it return this year. This is definitely a rich and decadent dessert, and although it is small it is filling as well. The chocolate cake is served warm and is very moist. The cake comes topped with a Bailey’s chocolate sauce. It has a very strong Bailey’s flavor, but I did not find it to be too overpowering; there was just enough Bailey’s to give the dessert a little bit of a kick. This was is my absolute favorite dessert at the Food and Wine Festival and I wish they served it all year long. For $2.75 it is a good value, but I just wish the portion size was a little bigger.

Seared Albacore Tuna with Romesco Sauce (Spain):


Tuna is a fish that I do not eat very often, but after having this dish I might want to start having more frequently. I found the tuna to actually be mild in taste and it was also very tender. The sauce was very spicy, but it proved to be the perfect accompaniment for the tuna, the spiciness of the sauce providing a contrast to the milder tuna. The sauce had a little bit of a cheese flavor, but it was not overpowering. My only complaint about the dish was that the portion size was a little small for the $4.00 price, but what you are not getting in size you are getting in terms of quality and taste.

Freshly Baked Waffle with Berry Compote (Belgium):


Belgium is a new addition to the Food and Wine Festival this year and it has been getting many positive reviews from guests. One of the most hyped items at the festival this year has been the Belgium waffle, so I decided to go and try it for myself. The waffle was made fresh and was very light and fluffy. I found the waffle to be a little too soft and not even crispy on the outside; it would have been even better if it had been cooked just a little longer. The waffle was topped with a generous helping of berries and whipped cream which added a nice sweetness that complimented the waffle well. I was pleasantly surprised by the portion size, which was bigger than I was expecting, and for $2.75 would consider this one of the better values at this year’s festival.

New England Lobster Roll (Hops & Barley):


I have had many lobster rolls before back home and I went to the Hops & Barley stand with high expectations, especially because the lobster roll is the festival’s most expensive item at $7.25. This was the one item I sampled at this year’s festival that I felt I was not getting my money’s worth. I know lobster can be expensive, but the sandwich was not very big at all; it would have been a good value for $5.25, but certainly not for $7.25. It was very tasty, but nothing made it really stand out from other lobster rolls I have had in the past. There were good-sized chunks of lobster and they came mixed with onions that added a little bit of extra flavor without being too overpowering. One thing I liked was that there was not too much of a mayonnaise flavor, which really highlighted the flavor of the lobster. The bread was soft and just slightly toasted; it would have been even better if toasted just a little more. While it may not be a good value if paying out-of-pocket, it is definitely worth it if you are on the dining plan as it is counted as a snack credit.

A Taste of Food & Wine: Part II

As I continue to eat my way around the various International Marketplaces at the Food and Wine Festival, here is another glimpse at some of the delectable dishes that are available:

Barbeque Short Rib with Steamed Rice and Cucumber Kimchi (South Korea)


South Korea is a new addition to the Food and Wine Festival this year and it is home to one of my favorite dishes that I have sampled thus far. The most distinguishing feature of this selection is the portion size, which may be the largest of any at the festival and for $4.25 is an excellent value. The short rib was literally hanging over the sides of the plate. The meat was a little fatty, but very tender and was topped with a spicy sauce that gave it a lot of flavor. I actually wish there had been more sauce because it added a real kick to the dish. The short rib came accompanied with steamed rice, which was a little dry and plain, as well as a cucumber kimchi. This was something the likes of which I have never had before. The cucumbers actually tasted more like pickles and offered a light and mild contrast to the more spicy short rib.

Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Puree and Mango Barbeque Sauce (South Africa)


While the portion size may seem small for the $4.75 price, what you are not getting in size you get in quality. I was greatly impressed by the tremendous flavor of this dish, which may be one of the best-tasting offerings at the festival, and despite its small size it is actually very filling. The beef tenderloin is very tender and, although served well done, was not overcooked. I was expecting the mango barbeque sauce to be very sweet, but it was actually much more spicy in flavor. Likewise, the sweet potato puree was not overly sweet and had a more natural flavor. The barbeque sauce and sweet potato provided two contrasting flavors, but they paired together very well with each other and with the beef.

Shrimp Cake with Singapore Noodle Salad (Singapore)


Singapore is another new addition this year and its shrimp cake may be one of the festival’s spiciest offerings. The spiciest part of the dish is actually the noodles, which are served cold and have a very strong flavor. The shrimp cake itself also has a definite kick, but it is not nearly as spicy as the noodles. This is definitely not a dish for the faint of heart. The shrimp is nice and most and was very light in flavor and texture. Although fried golden brown on the outside, the cake was actually soft rather than crispy. While the shrimp cake itself may not be very big in size, when paired with the noodles it is a good-sized portion that makes it a fairly good value for $3.50.

Apple Strudel featuring Werther’s Original Karamell Sauce (Germany)


This dessert was extremely sweet, especially the Werther’s caramel drizzled over the top. What I really enjoyed about the dish was how it blended together the flavors of apples, caramel, and cinnamon so that no one flavor dominated the others. The apples were just the right texture, not mushy but not too hard. The pastry itself was soft and light, but I think the dessert would have been even better if it had been more crispy and flaky. Nonetheless, this was a very tasty dessert and a really good value, in terms of both quality and quantity, for $3.25.

Bakes Cheese Ravioli, Creamy Bolognese Sauce, Melted Mozzarella (Italy)


Through all the different food offerings at the festival I have been trying to sample dishes that I would not normally have, but the ravioli in Italy looked so good that I could not resist giving them a try. This is a very cheesy dish, not only the ravioli themselves but also a layer of melted mozzarella on top that provides extra flavor. The ravioli are cooked al dente, but I found them to be a little dry. The dish could have definitely used more of the Bolognese sauce, which is all on the bottom beneath the ravioli. That being said, this is still a very good dish. While $4.50 may seem a little expensive, it is actually very filling dish and a good-sized portion that makes it a good item to share.

A Taste of Food & Wine: Part I

With so much good food to be found at the International Food and Wine Festival it can be very difficult to decide which dishes to try. As you walk around World Showcase and look at the menus of the various international marketplaces you want to be able to try everything, and the pleasant aromas that fill the air only add to the temptation. Of course, it would cost way too much money to try every item that the festival has to offer and that is why it is best to decide which of those dishes interest you the most. Over the course of the festival I will continually be providing reviews of a variety of dishes found at the different international marketplaces, hopefully helping you to decide which items you would like to try most.

Beef and Corn Pie (Chile)


I am not sure whether I would actually call this a pie. It was more like chili topped with pureed corn. Nevertheless, I was very happy with both the size and taste of this dish and felt that I got my money’s worth for $3.75. The pureed corn adds an interesting texture to the dish with the spiciness of the beef and the sweetness of the corn presenting a nice contrast in flavor, but also blending together very well.

Dark Chocolate Sensation (Desserts & Champagne)


This dessert was only $1.50, but even for this price I felt that the portion size was very small; the entire thing could be eaten in just one or two bites. While the dessert was very chocolaty, I felt that the cake was a little dry. The chocolate mousse, however, was nice and moist, sweet, and smooth. My recommendation would be that if you are going to get one of the desserts from this stand you might as well try all three items because it is the best value getting you the most food for your money.

Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanada (Argentina)


One common critique I hear about the Food and Wine Festival is that there are not many selections for vegetarians, but I have noticed an increase in the number of options available this year. In fact, each of the marketplace menus now includes a special symbol denoting those items not featuring any meat. The Corn and Cheese Empanada in Argentina is great for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. I was very happy with the size of the empanada and felt that for $2.75 it was a good value. While it was a little spicy, it was not overwhelming. The crust was very light and flaky, crispy along the edges but still soft in the middle. The flavors of the corn and cheese blended together very well.

Medianoche Sandwich (Puerto Rico)


This item seemed very similar to a Cuban sandwich, but it was still very good nonetheless. The bread was nicely toasted and crispy with a very light, slightly sweet, flavor. For $2.75 I thought this was a very good value, especially because there was a lot of meat in the sandwich. I am not a big fan of pickles and was a little hesitant to try this dish when I found out they came on the sandwich. However, the flavor of the pickles blended very well with the other flavors of the sandwich and did not overpower them at all.

Golabki (Poland)


One stigma of the Food and Wine Festival marketplaces is that the portion sizes are too small, but this year I have found that many of the dishes provide good value for your money. The Golabki in Poland for $2.75 is one such example. I was impressed by the amount of sausage stuffing that came inside the cabbage. That being said, I did notice a little variance in portion size with some Golabki appearing much larger than others. The sausage itself was not too spicy, but had just enough of a kick to lend some additional flavor to the dish. The cabbage was tender, but not mushy, and had a very mild flavor that paired well with the sausage.

Xinjiang Barbecue Chicken Stick (China)


While the chicken may seem somewhat plain in appearance, it actually has a lot of flavor and is very spicy. The chicken itself was nice and tender and was slightly crispy on the outside, but still moist inside. The chicken was grilled and a little charred, not burnt, just enough to add some extra flavor. It may not be the best value at the festival for $3.75, but you still get a good amount of chicken for your money.

Five Rules for Food & Wine

The International Food and Wine Festival at Epcot is a lot of fun, but not something that should be jumped into without first doing some planning in advance. Here are some ways to help maximize your time, money, and enjoyment of all the festival has to offer:

1. Avoid the Weekends:
Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest days of the week at the Food and Wine Festival because this is when all the locals come to partake in the event. This results in greater crowds and congestion along the World Showcase promenade, much longer lines at the food stands, and also a higher number of guests who have had a little too much to drink (if you go on a weekend you will notice many groups sporting “drinking around the world” t-shirts). The best days of the week to attend the festival are Monday thru Thursday.

2. Start Early in the Day:
World Showcase opens at eleven o’clock and this is definitely the best time to head over to sample the various festival marketplaces. Most guests tend to spend the morning in Futureworld and then make their way to the back of the park in the afternoon. As a result, there are fairly short lines at all of the various food stands around World Showcase even as late as one o’clock. The later in the day it gets, however, the more crowded it becomes along the promenade.

3. Pace Yourself:
Although the portion sizes of the food you receive at the various international marketplaces may seem small, they can be filling. After having just three or four different dishes you can easily find yourself starting to get full. Do not rush and get a lot of food from the first few stands you go to because you will not have any more room to try anything else as you make your way around World Showcase. I like to try one dish, walk around for a little bit and digest, and then try something else from another stand. If traveling with someone else also consider splitting the food, which allows you to sample a greater variety of dishes.

4. Plan Ahead:
If you just walk up to every booth and order what sounds good you will end up spending way too much money. Almost every dish offered at the Food and Wine Festival sounds, smells, and looks really good, but there will be some dishes that stand out more than others. Just like everything else at Disney World, it pays to do research. I find it best to see what every stand has to offer and then decide on the dishes you want to try most. This will really help you to budget your money.

5. Take Your Time:
You could spend an entire day enjoying everything involved with the Food and Wine Festival. If you can, rather than trying to cram all of the festival into one day, take a few days to enjoy all the events, demonstrations, and various foods and beverages the festival has to offer. Attending the festival on multiple days lets you to sample an even greater variety of foods and allows you to really take your time and enjoy all of the festivities.

Food & Wine Festival Marketplace Overview

One of the main highlights of the Food and Wine Festival is definitely the international marketplaces situated all around the World Showcase promenade. These various booths allow guests to sample foods, wines, and other beverages from around the world. Prices generally average around $3 and $4 with beverages typically costing a little more. Here, in alphabetical order, are the marketplaces that can be found at this year’s festival:


Foods:
•Roasted Corn and Cheese Empanada $2.75
•Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Purée $4.75

Beverages
•Bodega Norton Reserva Malbec $4.25
•Bodega Norton Cosecha Tardía $2.50
•Kaiken Cabernet $2.75
•Pasual Toso Toronte $2.75


Foods:
•Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes,Arugula, and Lemon Oil $4.75
•Grilled Lamb Chop with Roasted Potato Salad and Red Wine Reduction $5.75
•Lamington (sponge cake dipped in chocolate) $3.00

Beverages:
•Rosemount Traminer Riesling $2.50
•Marquis Philips, Shiraz $3.00
•Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet $2.50
•Nugan Estate Riverina Chardonnay $2.50


Foods:
•Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream $3.75
•Freshly Baked Waffles with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream $2.75

Beverages:
•Stella Artois $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Godiva Chocolate Iced Coffee $7.25
•Leffe $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Hoegaarden $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50


Foods:
•Grilled Pork Skewer with Farofa $4.00
•Shrimp Stew with Coconut and Lime $4.25

Beverages:
•Leblon Frozen Caipirinha $7.25


•Radeberger Pilsner $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Schofferhofer Weizen $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Hovels $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Schlosser, Alt $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Altenmünster, Octoberfest $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Altenmünster Dunkel $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Altenmünster Märzen $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Clausthaler Classic Non-Alcoholic $3.25 / $6.25 / $11.50
•Brewer's Collection Flight (choice of any three 6 oz. beers) $7.75


Foods:
•Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup $3.75
•Maple-Glazed Salmon with Lentil Salad $4.50
•Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta $3.75
•Nanaimo Bar $2.75

Beverages:
•Moosehead Beer $6.25
•Inniskillin Vidal Icewine $5.75
•Chateau De Charmes Riesling $3.00
•St. David's Bench Vineyard Merlot $3.75


Foods:
•Cheese Fondue with Croutons and Roasted Potatoes $3.00
•Nueske's Charcuterie Plate: Applewood Smoked Beef; Duck; and Ham $3.75

Beverages:
•MARTINI® Prosecco $3.75
•Ace Joker Hard Cider $6.25
•MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $3.50


Foods:
•Shrimp Ceviche $4.75
•Pastel de Choclo (Beef and Corn Pie) $3.75

Beverages:
•Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc $2.50
•Santa Ema Reserve Chardonnay $2.75
•Casa Carmenere $2.50
•Montes Classic Cabernet Sauvignon $2.50


Foods:
•Black Pepper Shrimp with Sichuan Noodles $4.50
•Pork Pot Stickers $3.50
•Xinjiang Barbecue Chicken Stick $3.50

Beverages:
•Tsingtao Beer $6.00
•Dragon's Hollow Chardonnay $3.50
•Green Tea Plum Wine Cooler $7.00
•Happy Lychee $7.00


Foods:
•Strawberry Angel Verrine $1.50
•Pear Streusel Pudding Cake $1.50
•Dark Chocolate Sensation $1.50
•Dessert Trio $3.50

Beverages:
•Moët & Chandon: White Star Impérial $4.75
•Rosé Impérial $5.25
•Nectar Impérial $5.00
•Nectar Impérial Rosé $5.75


Foods:
•Escargots Persillade en Brioche $4.75
•Braised Short Ribs in Cabernet with Mashed Potatoes $4.75
•Crème Brulée au Chocolate au Lait $3.75

Beverages:
•Merlot, Chateau Des Deux Rives, Bordeaux $5.50
•Chardonnay, Private Selection, Barton & Guestier $4.50
•Sparkling Pomegranate Kir $6.50
•Parisien Cosmo Slush $8.50


Foods:
•Spätzle Gratin with Ham and Cheese $3.75
•Nürnberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll $4.25
•Apfel Strudel featuring Werther's Original Karamell Sauce $3.25

Beverages:
•S.A. Prüm Essence Riesling $3.25
•Hooked Riesling $2.75
•Gunderloch Diva Spatlese Riesling $5.50
•Rudi Wiest Rhine River Riesling $2.50
•Radeberger Pilsner $6.25 / $11.50
•Altenmünster Octoberfest $6.50 / $11.50


Foods:
•Greek Salad with Pita Bread $3.00
•Spanakopita $4.00
•Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki $4.00
•Baklava $3.00

Beverages:
•Boutari Moschofilero $3.75
•Enoteca Emery Athiri Mountain Slopes $3.50
•Boutari Naoussa $3.50
•Atlantis White $3.50


Foods:
•Boston-style Crab Cake with Cabbage Slaw and Rémoulade $4.50
•New England Lobster Roll $7.25
•Pecan Bread Pudding $3.25

Samuel Adams Beers:
•Boston Lager® $2.75 / $5.50 /$11.50
•Octoberfest $2.75 / $5.25 /$11.50
•Cherry Wheat® $2.75 / $5.25 /$11.50
•15th Anniversary Festival Beer Coastal Wheat $2.75 / $5.50 /$11.50
•Cream Stout $5.50
•Blackberry Witbier $5.25
•Sam Adams Light $2.75 / $5.50 /$11.50
•Latitude 48 IPA $5.00


Foods:
•Lobster and Scallop Fisherman's Pie $5.50
•Kerrygold® Cheese Selection $3.50
•Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache $2.75

Beverages:
•Guinness Draught $6.25
•Bunratty Honey Meade Wine $4.25


Foods:
•Polpettine Toscane with a Rosemary Breadstick $4.50
•Baked Cheese Ravioli, Creamy Bolognese Sauce, Melted Mozzarella $4.50
•Cannolo Al Cioccolato $3.50

Beverages:
•Primavera Fruit Smoothie $3.50
•Fantinel Prosecco $5.50
•Chianti Placido Banfi $4.50
•Pinot Grigio Sartori $4.50
•Moretti Beer $6.00


Foods:
•Spicy Tuna Roll $3.75
•California Sushi Roll $3.50
•Tuna Sensation $5.95

Beverages:
•Wafu Ribettes $4.95
•Kirin Draft Beer $7.75
•Hatsumago sake $7.00
•Denemon Junmai sake $6.50


Foods:
•Tamal de Pollo $4.50
•Taco de Chilorio $3.75
•Esquites (Pan-Fried Corn and Spices) $3.75
•Churro $2.50

Beverages:
•Dos Equis Beer $4.50
•Passion Fruit Frozen Margarita $7.25
•Conga Fruit Punch $2.75
•Wine L.A. Cetto Chardonnay $3.95
•Wine L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah $3.95


Foods:
•Beef in a Pita Pocket $5.00
•Falafel Pita Pocket $4.75
•Baklava $3.00

Beverages:
•Amazigh Red wine $3.95
•Sangria $4.00
•Tangerine Mimosa Royal $6.00
•Iced Mint Tea $2.50
•Casa Beer $5.95


Foods:
•Seared Sea Scallop with Vegetable Slaw and Lemon Vinaigrette $4.25
•Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney $4.75

Beverages:
•Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc $3.75
•Villa Maria Private Bin Hawkes Bay Merlot/ Cabernet Sauvignon $3.75
•Villa Maria Private Bin "Unoaked" Hawkes Bay Chardonnay $3.75
•Villa Maria Private Bin Marlborough Pinot Noir $3.75


Foods:
•Kielbasa and Potato Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream $5.00
•Golabki (Pork Stuffed Cabbage) $2.75

Beverages:
•Belvedere Strawberry Balsamic Chiller $8.75


Foods:
•Asopao de Pollo (Chicken Soup with Rice) $2.50
•Medianoche Sandwich $2.75

Beverages:
•Bacardi Frozen Torched Cherry Colada $7.50
•Bacardi Frozen Limón Mojito $7.25


Foods:
•Shrimp Cake with Singapore Noodle Salad $3.50
•Coconut-Braised, Beef Rendang with Jasmine Rice $3.25

Beverages:
•Singapore Sling $7.25
•Tiger Beer $5.00


Foods:
•Flavors of Africa (Salad, Bread, and Spreads) $2.75
•Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Purèe and Mango Barbecue Sauce $4.75

Beverages:
•La Capra Pinotage $2.75
•La Capra Shiraz $2.75
•La Capra Chardonnay $2.75
•La Capra Sauvignon Blanc $2.75


Foods:
•Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw $2.75
•Barbecue Short Rib with Steamed Rice and Cucumber Kimchi $4.25

Beverages:
•Honey Ginger Tea $1.25
•Jinro Chamisul Soju $5.00
•Bohae Bokbunjajoo (Black Raspberry Rice Wine) $3.50
•Bek Se Jeu (Herbed Rice Wine) $3.00


Foods:
•Serrano Ham, Chorizo, Manchego, Olives, and Tomato Bread $4.25
•Seared Albacore Tuna with Romesco Sauce $4.00
•Spanish Almond Cake $2.75

Beverages:
•Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Crianza Red $3.50
•Paul Cheneau "Lady of Spain " Cava Brut $2.25
•Marqués de Cáceres Rioja White $3.50


Foods:
•Bison Chili with Wild Mushrooms, Cabernet, and Pepper Jack Cheese $3.50
•Heirloom Tomatoes with Oregon Blue Cheese, Red Onions, and Basil $3.00

Beverages:
•Sagelands Vineyard Merlot, Four Corners $2.75
•Sagelands Vineyard Riesling Columbia Valley $2.50
•Red Stag Lemonade by Jim Beam $7.00

With all these different marketplaces to choose from, the Food and Wine Festival is a great way to sample different cuisines from a wide variety of countries. The festival is truly an adventure for the taste buds, allowing guests to experience new foods and encounter different flavors that they may have never tasted before. The Food and Wine Festival offers something for everyone. For those that enjoy trying more exotic foods, the festival allows you to broaden your culinary horizons and sample a wide assortment of foods that you would not typically encounter. For the picky eaters, the festival is an opportunity to try something different and maybe discover new types of foods that you really like.

Be sure to stay tuned for more festival updates as I begin to sample many of the delectable dishes from all around World Showcase.

International Food & Wine Festival Underway at Epcot

The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival began on October 1 and will continue all the way until November 14. This is definitely one of my favorite times of year at Epcot because there is so much going on, so much to see, and so much good food to taste. This year the festival celebrates its fifteenth year and the festivities are not limited to World Showcase; even Futureworld is decked out for the occasion.











With so many special events taking place throughout the course of the festival, it is really helpful to know a little about the various programs to help better plan your visit. In Futureworld be sure to stop by the Festival Welcome Center located in the old Wonders of Life pavilion.





The Festival Welcome Center is open daily from 9am to 9pm and is home to many special festival experiences. Culinary demonstrations take place daily at 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm. These are 45-minute demonstrations that cost $9 to $13 per person and allow you to pick up a few tips from a featured chef and wine presenter and then taste the demonstrated dish and wine pairing.

The wine and beverage seminars take place daily at noon, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm and cost $8 to $12 per person. These are also 45-minute presentations featuring a winery principal or beverage expert and allow you to sample various selected wines and beverages.

Authors Without Borders takes place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 12:15pm and 4pm and is free of charge. These 30-minute presentations allow guests to listen to renowned authors from both the food and beverage industries.

The Authentic Taste Seminars likewise take place only on Fridays thru Sundays and are free of charge. These 30-minute talks discuss the origins, properties, and histories of pure organic ingredients.

Also taking place at the Festival Welcome Center are the celebrity book signings, bottle signings, and meet and greets. In addition there is a 7-minute documentary entitled “Seasons of the Vine” that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the process of wine growing. In addition, there is the Stockpot Shop which features a wide assortment of commemorative items (including the always-popular festival cookbook) and The Cellar, a wine shop that boasts a selection of over 300 wines.

There are a variety of other special culinary and beverage programs offered throughout the festival, such as wine schools, cheese seminars, and tequila tastings. All of these can be experienced for an additional cost. For more information on these and other programs you can visit the festival website:
www.disneyworld.com/foodandwine