The World Report
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Food and Wine
It’s an overcast morning here in Orlando and I am on my way to one of my favorite events at my favorite theme park, the 6th Annual Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Last year's festival was great. How do I know? I am still trying to lose those extra 20lbs I gained from it. I drive up to the toll plaza to find some A-frame sign that tells me that Epcot’s new hours are from 10:00am to 9:00 pm. That’s interesting, but what is going on at WDW concerning hours, entertainment and cutbacks is for another time and another article.
Where to head first? After going through the security checkpoint I pick up my Food and Wine Festival Guide Map. This years map is a 15 page booklet detailing everything that is going on from today to November 18 when the festival ends. A quick stop at the Chef Mickey and Minnie topiaries at the entrance of the park and I decide to make a dash to The Land pavilion. I see that they are having a Jr Chef program there and even though my son is not with me this trip, he will be next week so I want to see what there is for him to do. Here in the Sunshine Season Food Fair Nestles is hosting a program where children can make Toll House Cookies from scratch. The kids are having a great time but when I ask if I can join in I get a “Lets be real, your no where near 10years old” look. Ah well, I move down to the bakery and buy a Toll House Cookie instead.
Next I head to Innoventions West where the Food and Wine Festival Welcome Center is. I am beginning to get hungry but I want to wait to try all the International food in World Showcase and it isn’t opening until 12noon today. Here at the welcome center you will find several things. A Guest Relations host or hostess will gladly help you map out your day here or you can wait for one of the Advanced Wine Seminars that take place here throughout the day. They are 45 minutes long and are hosted by a guest speaker who takes you through the finer points of wines. There is even a tasting. You can do the Seminar here at Innoventions West or at “The Terrace” near France. I decide to come back to this on my next trip. It’s a little early in the day yet for wine.
World Showcase is now open so I decide to do one of my favorite lunch experiences “Eating Around the World A La Steve”. There are over 20 booths with food samples from around the world all at prices that I can afford: $1.00 to $4.00. I begin at Mexico and try the Taco al Carbon. Normally I would have a Dos Equis Special Lager with this but again it’s still too early for that so I move on down past the Ireland and Scandinavia booths to one of my favorite locations from last years festival, Southeast Asia. Here I have Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and also an order of steamed Won Tons. Great! I will need to stop by here again. I take a moment to watch a noodle pulling demonstration in China. I have made homemade pasta before but watching this gentlemen pull these noodles to all lengths reminds me what an amateur I am in the kitchen.
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