halfway there
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2002
We just returned from a long weekend at WDW and opening day at the F&WF! I'm sure you're all familiar with the booth listing on Deb's site so I will use that as a guide to show what we ate and how it tasted (The things we tried are in bold). The goal was to eat our way around the world. The challenge for our family of four me, DH, DD(12) and DS(8), was to have at least one person try at least one thing from each booth. DH concentrated on the beer, me on the white wine and the kids, of course, FOOD! Mission accomplished, all in one day!!
Here's what we sampled:
GREECE
Tasting: Honey Baklava - Good, kids ate off the top of the pastry which left me with mostly nuts!, Greek Salad - Good, came with a large garlic crouton which kids devoured leaving me with just a nibble!, Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce, Spanakopita
Wine and Beer: Boutari Kreitikos Red and Boutari Kreitikos White
FRESH FROM FLORIDA
Tasting: Blackened Mahi with Pineapple Salsa, Fisherman's Stew with Shrimp, Clams and Seafood - DH had this and deemed it the best of the Festival, Frozen Grapefruit Juice
Wine and Beer: Florida Orange Groves Grapefruit, Florida Orange Groves Strawberry, Ybor Gold
MEXICO
Tasting: Chicken Taco al Carbon - We all shared this, came with a green salsa and was served on an open faced soft tortilla, Chorizo and Chicken Quesadila - DD loved this and went back for more the second time around, folded soft tortilla with cheese, Watermelon Water
Wine and Beer: Dos Equis Lager, LA Cetto Petite Sirah, Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc
IRELAND
Tasting: Corned Beef and Cabbage with Colcannon - Caught this on our second pass as the line was too long the first time, DS liked this which surprised us all since he's a picky eater, also ran out of cabbage so sub mashed potatoes which were actually good!, not listed: Potato and Leek soup, Whiskey Flan
Wine and Beer: Bunratty Meade Honey Wine, Guinness Stout, O'Mara's Irish Cream
SCANDINAVIA
Tasting: Cold Poached Salmon, Smoked Trout, Rice Cream
Wine and Beer: Carlsberg - Just a beer here for DH, not crazy about the food offerings altho' the woman in front of me raved about the trout, she was back there so many times the guys working recognized her! She did say the salmon was dry., Cherry Kijafa, Dunnewood Merlot, Carmenet Cellars Chardonnay - Almost forgot I had this, kinda basic white wine and I'm not a big fan of Chardonnay anyway.
CHINA
Tasting: Hainan Mango Mousse, Chicken Sha Cha with Peanut Sauce - Good, skewer of boneless chicken, got sauce on the side, DS sampled this also minus the sauce Dan Dan Noodles, Beijiing Scallion Pancakes
Wine and Beer: Akadama Plum Wine, Tsingtao, Yanjing
POLAND
Tasting: Kielbasa and Pieorgies - Got this on our second time around, again because of the line the first time, DH says second best offering and I actually tried the pieorgie even tho' I never had one and didn't even know what it was!, Stuffed Cabbage Roll
Wine and Beer: Lednicki Polish Mead Honey, Nalewka Babuni Cherry Wine, Okocim OK
SOUTH AFRICA
Tasting: Beef Sosaie - This was by far the best for me, a beef strip laced accordian style onto a skewer, very tasty, served with a tablespoon of sweet potato fu fu (YUMMY!), Durban Spiced Chicken - A little too spicy for me, DH and DD ate it, good chicken tho'
Wine and Beer: Cape Indaba Chenin Blanc - This was the best wine for me, very light and dry
Quantum Rhapsody Blush, Tusker Beef, Cape Indaba Merlot
AUSTRALIA
Tasting: Shirmp on the Barbie, Australian Lamb with Caramelized Onions, Austrailian Tenderloin with BBQ sauce - This was disapponting for me as I looked forward to this the most. Actually we hoped to get everything here but the line was too long the first time around and by the second pass it was so dark it was hard to see what you were eating and unfortunately the meat was raw and cold in the middle! I tossed it even tho' it was the most expensive offering we got. I was just glad not to get sick from eating raw meat!, Macademia Nut and Wattleseed Pavolva
Wine and Beer: Lindemans Chadonnay Bin 65 - Good as usual since I've had this at home before, Penfolds Koonuga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet, Rosemount Diamond Shiraz, Wynns Black Label Cabernet
OCTOBERFEST
Tasting: Jaegerschnitzel, Apple Strudel - Good basic pastry, Smoked Pork Ribs
Wine and Beer: Dr. L. Mosel Riesling, Graf Piesporter Michelsberg Spatese, Valckenbery Rhein Dry Riesling, Lowenbrau,
Lowenbrau Oktoberfest - DH had this
ITALY
Tasting: Baked Ziti Carbonara - Very good, no red sauce, kinda mac 'n' cheesy tasting, DD and I wolfed it down!, Sicilian Pizza, Cannoli
Wine & Beer: Canaletto Merlot/Nero d'Avola, Moretti, PescevinaWHite, Placido Pinot Grigio, Tiziano Chianti
SPECIALTY BEER GARDEN
Doc'sHard Lemon/Frozen, Grolsch, Kelly's Raspberry IRish CIder, Michelog HOney, Anheuser World Select,
Red Stripe - DH likes this in general
Samuel Adams Boston Lagar, Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, Samuel Adams Light and Samuel Adams Seasonal
UNITED STATES - Alas, the only booth we didn't make it to, poor USA gets the short end! We were scrambling at the end to get everything in!!
Tasting: Crab Cakes, cheesecake, Corn and Lobster Chowder, Bee Sweet Honey Lemonade
Wine and Beer: Beringer Founder's Estate Chardonnay, Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet, Michelob Ultra, Ravenswood Zinfandel, Samual Adams Seasonal
CHAMPAGNE and SPARKLING WINE
Tasting: White Chocolate Mousse - Good, sweet, a mix between whipped cream and icing, served in one of those little cups you put ketchup in, not bad for $1.25. It was the cheapest offering, I believe
Wine and Beer: Banfi Rosa Regale, Cabriere Brut, Champagne Pommery Brut, Valckenbery Madonna Sekt
JAPAN
Tasting: Golden Salmon Wrap, Sweet Green Tea Mousse, Tuna Tataki, Yasai Maki - DH had this basic sushi
Wine and Beer: Genbei San No Onigoroshi Sake, Kirin Ichiban Draft, Ozeki Dry Sake, Takara Plum Wine, Yamada Nishiki Sake
MOROCCO and MEDITERRANEAN
Tasting: Vegetable Couscous, Hummus, Lemon Chicken - Good but bland leg served with yellow rice and olives, DD and I ate the rice while DH munched on the chicken, Kafta Beef Kabob
Wine and Beer: Casablanca, Guerrouane White, Rene Barbier Red and Rene Barbier White
FRANCE
Tasting: Creme Brulee, Frog Leg Chowder, Goat Cheese and Tomato Tart
Wine and Beer: Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Villages, Georges DuBoeuf Prestige Cabernet, Georges DuBoeuf Prestige Chardonnay, Sparr Alsace ONe - I tried this just to have something here, it was OK but kinda fizzy, St. Amand French Country Ale
GREAT BEERS OF THE WORLD
Bass ale, Boddingtons, Carlsberg, Lowenbrau, Oktoberfest, Labatt Blue - DH likes this too, Stella Artois
NEW ZEALAND
Tasting: Lamb Chop - DH ate this in a kiwi BBQ sauce, came with a small square of bread which the kids and I ate Chilled Mussels
Wine and Beer: Geisen Chardonnay, Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc - Good, second to the Indaba in SA, Villa Maria Cabernet/Merlot
COGNAC, PORT, BRANDY
Tasting: Flourless Chocolate Cake - DD went for this after we found out the cheese offering was bleu cheese and a strawberry with crackers. Very dark, flat and dense with a swizzle of chocolate sauce on top. I don't believe I even got a smidgen of this!!, International Cheeses
Wine and Beer: Cardinale Mendoza Spanish Brandy, Hennessey VSOP Cognac, Osborne Ruby Port, Remy Red
SPAIN
Tasting: Gazpacho with Spanish Olive Bread, Sangria Flan, Paella with Shrimp and Clams, Chicken and Chorizo - DH tried this, not as good as the Fisherman's Stew
Wine and Beer: Alhambra, Gran Barquero Cream Sherry, Marques de Caceres Rosado, Montecillo Rioja Red, Zambra Sangria
CANADA
Tasting: Pan seared salmon with oney maple glaze, Cheddar Cheese soup - DH ate this, said it was OK, sure smelled good with bacon bits on top, Maple Walnut fudge - This was too die for! YUM! I ate it all myself!
Wine and Beer: Chateau des Charmes Cabernet/Merlot, Inniskillin Pearl Ice Wine, Labatt Blue
RUSSIA and EASTERN EUROPE
Tasting: Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles - DD wanted this originally but didn't like it, the noodles were very buttery tasting so she ate those. I sampled but I didn't care for it either. The gravy tasted weird so DH finished it off!, Potato Pancake with Sauerkraut and Sour Cream
Wine and Beer: Bulls Blood Egri Bikaver, Pilsner Urquell - DH was low on fuel so got one of these!, Royal Tokaji Red Label, Sophia Muscat and Ugni Blanc White
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Tasting: Pulled Chicken with Chilli and Lime - This was Spicy with a capital "S", jalepeno perhaps? Chopped and shredded chicken, Shrimp Noodle Soup - DH got this, came with one shrimp, not great he said. He had to finish off the chicken for us anyway!
Wine and Beer: Beringer Gewurztraminer, Hogue Johannisberg Riesling
COLORFUL EATING
Tasting: Caramelized Pear with Broccoli Slaw and Gorgonzola Cream, Citrus and Mango Salad, Grapefruit Cake - Surprisingly very good even tho' it sounds weird, a white cake with a creamy frosting, tasted kinda lemony, Frozen Orange Juice - DS's only contribution on the first pass, but he drank the whole thing and it came in a fairly large cup. The bottle they poured the mixture from said "Cherry, grape and orange slush"
Wine and Beer: Florida Orange Groves Coca Polada, Stella Artois
As I said, we did skip USA since we ran out of time but there was another booth Deb's site doesn't list: South America: Vegetarian Black Bean Soup - OK but kinda bland and thick, Beef Skewer with Chimchurri and Chipotle-spiked Boniato Mash - DH had this and I don't remember much about it since we were watching Illuminations at this point. I tasted the potatoes and they were very bland not as good as Ireland's.
Wine & Beer: Carmen Cabernet, Cincha Y Toro "Casillero del Diablo" Carmenere, Rincon Malbec, Veramonte Chardonnay
Any questions?
Here's what we sampled:
GREECE
Tasting: Honey Baklava - Good, kids ate off the top of the pastry which left me with mostly nuts!, Greek Salad - Good, came with a large garlic crouton which kids devoured leaving me with just a nibble!, Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce, Spanakopita
Wine and Beer: Boutari Kreitikos Red and Boutari Kreitikos White
FRESH FROM FLORIDA
Tasting: Blackened Mahi with Pineapple Salsa, Fisherman's Stew with Shrimp, Clams and Seafood - DH had this and deemed it the best of the Festival, Frozen Grapefruit Juice
Wine and Beer: Florida Orange Groves Grapefruit, Florida Orange Groves Strawberry, Ybor Gold
MEXICO
Tasting: Chicken Taco al Carbon - We all shared this, came with a green salsa and was served on an open faced soft tortilla, Chorizo and Chicken Quesadila - DD loved this and went back for more the second time around, folded soft tortilla with cheese, Watermelon Water
Wine and Beer: Dos Equis Lager, LA Cetto Petite Sirah, Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc
IRELAND
Tasting: Corned Beef and Cabbage with Colcannon - Caught this on our second pass as the line was too long the first time, DS liked this which surprised us all since he's a picky eater, also ran out of cabbage so sub mashed potatoes which were actually good!, not listed: Potato and Leek soup, Whiskey Flan
Wine and Beer: Bunratty Meade Honey Wine, Guinness Stout, O'Mara's Irish Cream
SCANDINAVIA
Tasting: Cold Poached Salmon, Smoked Trout, Rice Cream
Wine and Beer: Carlsberg - Just a beer here for DH, not crazy about the food offerings altho' the woman in front of me raved about the trout, she was back there so many times the guys working recognized her! She did say the salmon was dry., Cherry Kijafa, Dunnewood Merlot, Carmenet Cellars Chardonnay - Almost forgot I had this, kinda basic white wine and I'm not a big fan of Chardonnay anyway.
CHINA
Tasting: Hainan Mango Mousse, Chicken Sha Cha with Peanut Sauce - Good, skewer of boneless chicken, got sauce on the side, DS sampled this also minus the sauce Dan Dan Noodles, Beijiing Scallion Pancakes
Wine and Beer: Akadama Plum Wine, Tsingtao, Yanjing
POLAND
Tasting: Kielbasa and Pieorgies - Got this on our second time around, again because of the line the first time, DH says second best offering and I actually tried the pieorgie even tho' I never had one and didn't even know what it was!, Stuffed Cabbage Roll
Wine and Beer: Lednicki Polish Mead Honey, Nalewka Babuni Cherry Wine, Okocim OK
SOUTH AFRICA
Tasting: Beef Sosaie - This was by far the best for me, a beef strip laced accordian style onto a skewer, very tasty, served with a tablespoon of sweet potato fu fu (YUMMY!), Durban Spiced Chicken - A little too spicy for me, DH and DD ate it, good chicken tho'
Wine and Beer: Cape Indaba Chenin Blanc - This was the best wine for me, very light and dry
Quantum Rhapsody Blush, Tusker Beef, Cape Indaba Merlot
AUSTRALIA
Tasting: Shirmp on the Barbie, Australian Lamb with Caramelized Onions, Austrailian Tenderloin with BBQ sauce - This was disapponting for me as I looked forward to this the most. Actually we hoped to get everything here but the line was too long the first time around and by the second pass it was so dark it was hard to see what you were eating and unfortunately the meat was raw and cold in the middle! I tossed it even tho' it was the most expensive offering we got. I was just glad not to get sick from eating raw meat!, Macademia Nut and Wattleseed Pavolva
Wine and Beer: Lindemans Chadonnay Bin 65 - Good as usual since I've had this at home before, Penfolds Koonuga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet, Rosemount Diamond Shiraz, Wynns Black Label Cabernet
OCTOBERFEST
Tasting: Jaegerschnitzel, Apple Strudel - Good basic pastry, Smoked Pork Ribs
Wine and Beer: Dr. L. Mosel Riesling, Graf Piesporter Michelsberg Spatese, Valckenbery Rhein Dry Riesling, Lowenbrau,
Lowenbrau Oktoberfest - DH had this
ITALY
Tasting: Baked Ziti Carbonara - Very good, no red sauce, kinda mac 'n' cheesy tasting, DD and I wolfed it down!, Sicilian Pizza, Cannoli
Wine & Beer: Canaletto Merlot/Nero d'Avola, Moretti, PescevinaWHite, Placido Pinot Grigio, Tiziano Chianti
SPECIALTY BEER GARDEN
Doc'sHard Lemon/Frozen, Grolsch, Kelly's Raspberry IRish CIder, Michelog HOney, Anheuser World Select,
Red Stripe - DH likes this in general
Samuel Adams Boston Lagar, Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, Samuel Adams Light and Samuel Adams Seasonal
UNITED STATES - Alas, the only booth we didn't make it to, poor USA gets the short end! We were scrambling at the end to get everything in!!
Tasting: Crab Cakes, cheesecake, Corn and Lobster Chowder, Bee Sweet Honey Lemonade
Wine and Beer: Beringer Founder's Estate Chardonnay, Columbia Crest Two Vines Cabernet, Michelob Ultra, Ravenswood Zinfandel, Samual Adams Seasonal
CHAMPAGNE and SPARKLING WINE
Tasting: White Chocolate Mousse - Good, sweet, a mix between whipped cream and icing, served in one of those little cups you put ketchup in, not bad for $1.25. It was the cheapest offering, I believe
Wine and Beer: Banfi Rosa Regale, Cabriere Brut, Champagne Pommery Brut, Valckenbery Madonna Sekt
JAPAN
Tasting: Golden Salmon Wrap, Sweet Green Tea Mousse, Tuna Tataki, Yasai Maki - DH had this basic sushi
Wine and Beer: Genbei San No Onigoroshi Sake, Kirin Ichiban Draft, Ozeki Dry Sake, Takara Plum Wine, Yamada Nishiki Sake
MOROCCO and MEDITERRANEAN
Tasting: Vegetable Couscous, Hummus, Lemon Chicken - Good but bland leg served with yellow rice and olives, DD and I ate the rice while DH munched on the chicken, Kafta Beef Kabob
Wine and Beer: Casablanca, Guerrouane White, Rene Barbier Red and Rene Barbier White
FRANCE
Tasting: Creme Brulee, Frog Leg Chowder, Goat Cheese and Tomato Tart
Wine and Beer: Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Villages, Georges DuBoeuf Prestige Cabernet, Georges DuBoeuf Prestige Chardonnay, Sparr Alsace ONe - I tried this just to have something here, it was OK but kinda fizzy, St. Amand French Country Ale
GREAT BEERS OF THE WORLD
Bass ale, Boddingtons, Carlsberg, Lowenbrau, Oktoberfest, Labatt Blue - DH likes this too, Stella Artois
NEW ZEALAND
Tasting: Lamb Chop - DH ate this in a kiwi BBQ sauce, came with a small square of bread which the kids and I ate Chilled Mussels
Wine and Beer: Geisen Chardonnay, Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc - Good, second to the Indaba in SA, Villa Maria Cabernet/Merlot
COGNAC, PORT, BRANDY
Tasting: Flourless Chocolate Cake - DD went for this after we found out the cheese offering was bleu cheese and a strawberry with crackers. Very dark, flat and dense with a swizzle of chocolate sauce on top. I don't believe I even got a smidgen of this!!, International Cheeses
Wine and Beer: Cardinale Mendoza Spanish Brandy, Hennessey VSOP Cognac, Osborne Ruby Port, Remy Red
SPAIN
Tasting: Gazpacho with Spanish Olive Bread, Sangria Flan, Paella with Shrimp and Clams, Chicken and Chorizo - DH tried this, not as good as the Fisherman's Stew
Wine and Beer: Alhambra, Gran Barquero Cream Sherry, Marques de Caceres Rosado, Montecillo Rioja Red, Zambra Sangria
CANADA
Tasting: Pan seared salmon with oney maple glaze, Cheddar Cheese soup - DH ate this, said it was OK, sure smelled good with bacon bits on top, Maple Walnut fudge - This was too die for! YUM! I ate it all myself!
Wine and Beer: Chateau des Charmes Cabernet/Merlot, Inniskillin Pearl Ice Wine, Labatt Blue
RUSSIA and EASTERN EUROPE
Tasting: Beef Stroganoff with Buttered Noodles - DD wanted this originally but didn't like it, the noodles were very buttery tasting so she ate those. I sampled but I didn't care for it either. The gravy tasted weird so DH finished it off!, Potato Pancake with Sauerkraut and Sour Cream
Wine and Beer: Bulls Blood Egri Bikaver, Pilsner Urquell - DH was low on fuel so got one of these!, Royal Tokaji Red Label, Sophia Muscat and Ugni Blanc White
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Tasting: Pulled Chicken with Chilli and Lime - This was Spicy with a capital "S", jalepeno perhaps? Chopped and shredded chicken, Shrimp Noodle Soup - DH got this, came with one shrimp, not great he said. He had to finish off the chicken for us anyway!
Wine and Beer: Beringer Gewurztraminer, Hogue Johannisberg Riesling
COLORFUL EATING
Tasting: Caramelized Pear with Broccoli Slaw and Gorgonzola Cream, Citrus and Mango Salad, Grapefruit Cake - Surprisingly very good even tho' it sounds weird, a white cake with a creamy frosting, tasted kinda lemony, Frozen Orange Juice - DS's only contribution on the first pass, but he drank the whole thing and it came in a fairly large cup. The bottle they poured the mixture from said "Cherry, grape and orange slush"
Wine and Beer: Florida Orange Groves Coca Polada, Stella Artois
As I said, we did skip USA since we ran out of time but there was another booth Deb's site doesn't list: South America: Vegetarian Black Bean Soup - OK but kinda bland and thick, Beef Skewer with Chimchurri and Chipotle-spiked Boniato Mash - DH had this and I don't remember much about it since we were watching Illuminations at this point. I tasted the potatoes and they were very bland not as good as Ireland's.
Wine & Beer: Carmen Cabernet, Cincha Y Toro "Casillero del Diablo" Carmenere, Rincon Malbec, Veramonte Chardonnay
Any questions?