Eat and Drink your way around the World at the 19th Annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

The 19th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival presented by Chase is already in full gear from Sept. 19-Nov. 10, 2014 where Walt Disney World Resort guests can taste the cuisine of six continents, sip beverages from around the globe and eat to the beat of live entertainment.

The 53-day festival at Disney’s Epcot theme park – longer than last year’s 46-day event — serves up authentic dishes to pair with wine, beers, cocktails and other beverages; nightly Eat to the Beat! concerts with entertainment ranging from rock and soul to funk and blues; cultural exhibits of more than 25 international regions; and regularly scheduled performances by acrobats, musicians, dancers and comedy troupes.

Check us out on ABC’s The Chew this Thursday at 1pm EST talking about the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival and the Chocolate Boot Camp by Erika Davis!

Here are some facts about the 19th annual event:

A record 53 days long, the festival began in 1996 with a first run of 30 days
35 new marketplace dishes; more than 250 food-and-beverage menu items total — each tapas-sized portion or drink priced $3-$8
More than 300 national and international wines
200-plus chefs will present culinary demonstrations and cook for festival events
Nearly 400 culinary demos, beverage and mixology seminars take place during the 53-day festival
More than 1,200 fireworks exploding each night over World Showcase Lagoon in “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth”
159 Eat to the Beat! concerts performed; 5 bands appearing for the first time at this year’s festival
More than 60 wineries represented at festival marketplaces. For the first time ever, festival guests can sip Dom Pérignon at the Desserts & Champagne Marketplace
More than 40 breweries from around the world, including local craft beer operations, will be represented at festival marketplaces
100,000-plus desserts including the Dessert Trio at Desserts & Champagne Marketplace
More than 80,000 servings dished up of the most popular savory item at the 2012 international marketplaces: the “Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce from Canada

Tips and Tricks for the Epcot Food and Wine Fest

There are often two lines for the food at each marketplace on either side, so look for the shorter line.
Get one of those gift cards you can buy at the kiosks that has a bracelet so you dont have to keep pulling out your card every time to pay.
Maybe get one of the plate/drink holder things so you can hold your food and drink in one hand and eat with the other (see below)

Top Favorite Festival Eats this Year

Lamb Chop from Australia

Scallop topped with bacon and creamed spinach from Scotland

Crispy chicken yard bird with braised greens from Farm Fresh

Pepper bacon hash from Farm Fresh

Filet mignon with wild mushrooms from Canada

During the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, you can bask in a bevy of appetizing stops as you travel through a cornucopia of cultures and cuisines. With menus inspired by specific regions of the world, along with refreshments crafted by brewers and master wine makers, you can rest assured that there’s an offering for every kind of foodie.

Experience a shift in your palate’s perspective—discover more than 25 unique marketplaces, and be on the lookout for corresponding asterisks (*) placed next to suggested food and beverage pairings!

Note – Admission to Epcot is required. Food and beverage samples from individual marketplaces require a separate purchase. Alcohol will only be served to Guests 21 and older. Availability for some marketplace offerings may be limited. Marketplaces subject to closure at any time. All menu items are subject to change without notice.

Africa

To eat:

Beef tenderloin tips berbere-style with okra, jalapeños, tomato and pap (gluten free)*
South African bobotie with turkey and mushrooms (gluten free)

To drink:

M-A-N Vintners Chenin Blanc
Fairview Pinotage
The Wolftrap Red Blend — Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier*

Australia

To eat:

Garlic shrimp with roasted tomatoes, lemon myrtle and rapini (gluten free)
Grilled lamb chop with mint pesto and potato crunchies (gluten free)*
Pavlova — Crispy meringue shell with fresh berries and vanilla custard

To drink:

Coopers Brewery, Original Pale Ale
Chateau Tanuda Grand Barossa Dry Riesling
St. Kilda Chardonnay
Nine Stones Shiraz*

Belgium

To eat:

Potato and leek waffle with beer-braised beef*
Belgian waffle with warm chocolate ganache and whipped cream
Belgian waffle with berry compote and whipped cream

To drink:

Hoegaarden
Stella Artois
Leffe Blonde*
Stella Artois Cidre
Chilled coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
Beer flight (featuring 4 4-ounce servings) — Hoegaarden, Stella Artois, Leffe Blonde and Stella Artois Cidre

Brazil

To eat:

Mocequa de pescado — Regal Springs premium tilapia with coconut lime sauce and steamed rice (gluten free)
Crispy pork belly with black beans, tomato and cilantro (gluten free)*
Pao de queijo — Brazilian cheese bread (gluten free)
Cocada — Brazilian coconut candy

To drink:

Kaiser Brewery Xingu Black Beer*
Carnaval Moscato Sparkling White Wine
Monte Paschoal Reserve Tannat
Frozen Caipirinha featuring LeBlon Cachaça

Brewer’s Collection

Radeberger Pilsner
BraufactuM Colonia
BraufactuM Palor
Schöfferhofer Grapefruit
Altenmünster Oktoberfest
BraufactuM Roog
BraufactuM Darkon
BraufactuM Progusta IPA
Beer flight 1 (featuring 4 4-ounce servings) — Radeberger Pilsner, BraufactuM Colonia, BraufactuM Palor and Schöfferhofer Grapefruit
Beer flight 2 (featuring 4 4-ounce servings) — Altenmünster Oktoberfest, BraufactuM Roog, BraufactuM Darkon and BraufactuM Progusta IPA

Canada

To eat:

Canadian cheddar cheese soup
Seared rainbow trout with bacon, frisée and L8 Harvest, Minus 8 Vinaigrette (gluten free)
“Le Cellier” wild mushroom beef filet mignon with truffle butter sauce (gluten free)*

To drink:

Moosehead® Lager
Neige Premiere Apple Ice Wine
Neige Bubble
Mission Hill Family Estate Syrah*

China

To eat:

Beijing roasted duck in a steamed bun with hoisin sauce
Mongolian beef in a steamed bun with chili mayo
Black pepper shrimp with Sichuan noodles*
Chicken potstickers

To drink:

TSINGTAO Beer
Francis Ford Coppola Su Yuen Riesling*
Francis Ford Coppola Su Yuen Red
Kung Fu Punch with vodka and triple sec
Happy Lychee with tequila and vodka
Mango green tea with popping bubbles

Craft Beers

To eat:

Craft beer snack mix — A sweet and savory blend of nuts, fruits and crackers (included when you purchase a beer at Craft Beers)
House-made country pâté with picked carrots and farmhouse bread
Muffuletta pinwheels with house-made pickles
Spicy pimento cheese dip with whole-wheat crackers

To drink:

Sierra Nevada, Kellerweis® – Chico, CA
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Punkin Ale – Milton, DE
Spoetzl Brewery, Wild Hare Pale Ale – Shiner, TX
Abita Brewing Company, Purple Haze – Abita Springs, LA
Goose Island, 312 Urban Wheat Ale – Chicago, IL
Florida Beer Company, Sunshine State Pils – Cape Canaveral, FL
Magic Hat Brewery, Dream Machine IPL – South Burlington, VT
Terrapin Beer Company, Rye Pale Ale – Athens, GA
Beer Flight 1 (featuring 4 4-ounce servings) — Sierra Nevada, Kellerweis; Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Punkin Ale; Spoetzl Brewery, Wild Hare Pale Ale; and Abita Brewing Company, Purple Haze
Beer Flight 2 (featuring 4 4-ounce servings) — Goose Island, 312 Urban Wheat Ale; Florida Beer Company, Sunshine State Pils; Magic Hat Brewery, Dream Machine IPL; and Terrapin Beer Company, Rye Pale Ale

Desserts & Champagne

To eat:

Dessert Trio — Passion fruit coconut creamsicle, blueberry lime cheesecake roll and chocolate espresso opera cake*
Guylian Belgian chocolate seashell truffles

To drink:

Nicolas Feuillatte Rosé*
Möet & Chandon Nectar Impérial
Ruinart Blanc de Blanc
Dom Pérignon
Frozen S’mores featuring Monin® Toasted Marshmallow Syrup
Möet & Chandon Impérial

Farm Fresh – NEW!

To eat:

Nueske’s® Pepper Bacon hash with sweet corn, potatoes, hollandaise and pickled jalapeños (gluten free)*
Griddled “yard bird” with braised greens and house-made habanero sauce (gluten free)

To drink:

Orlando Brewing Company, I-4 IPA – Orlando, FL
BaBa Black Lager, Uinta Brewing Company – Salt Lake City, UT
Duke’s Cold Nose Brown Ale, Bold City Brewery – Jacksonville, FL
Florida Cracker Belgian Style White Ale, Cigar City Brewery – Tampa, FL
Florida Orange Groves, Key Limen-Key Lime Wine
Chateau St. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica® Riesling*
St. Francis Old Vines Zinfandel
Beer Flight (4 4-ounce servings) — I-4 IPA, BaBa Black Lager, Duke’s Cold Nose Brown Ale and Florida Cracker Belgian Style White Ale

France

To eat:

Tartelette aux escargots — Escargot tart with garlic, spinach, bacon and parmesan
Gratin de crozets de Savoie — Wheat pasta gratin with mushrooms and Gruyere cheese
Boeuf bourguignon — Braised short ribs in cabernet with mashed potatoes*
Crème brûlée caramel fleur de sel — Sea salt caramel crème brûlée topped with caramelized sugar

To drink:

Beer, Kronenbourg Blanc 1664
Chardonnay, Macon-Villages, La Côte Blanche
Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Château Bonnet*
Sparkling Pomegranate Kir – Sparkling Wine and Pomegranate Liquor
La Passion Martini Slush — Vodka, Grey Goose Le Citron, cranberry and passion fruit juice

Germany

To eat:

Schinkennudeln — Pasta gratin with ham and cheese*
Roast bratwurst in a pretzel roll
Berliner — Yeast doughnut filled with apricot jam

To drink:

Altenmünster Oktoberfest
J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Kabinett*
Selbach-Oster Mosel Riesling Spätlese
J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Auslese
Kallstadter Kobnert Spaetburgunder Spätlese Dry Barrique Style
German Riesling Flight — J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Kabinett, Selbach-Oster Mosel Riesling Spätlese and J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Auslese

Greece

To eat:

Vegetarian moussaka*
Griddled Greek cheese with pistachios and honey (gluten free)
Chicken gyro with tzatziki sauce
Spanakopita

To drink:

Domaine Skouras Moscofilero*
Domaine Siglas Assyrtiko/Athiri
Alpha Estate Axia Syrah — Xinomavro
Tzatziki martini featuring Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka and BOLS Natural Yogurt Liqueur

Hawai’i

To eat:

K?lua pork slider with sweet and sour Dole® Pineapple chutney and spicy mayonnaise*
Tuna poke with seaweed salad and lotus root chips

To drink:

Kona Brewing Company, Big Wave Golden Ale*
Kona Brewing Company, Kona Castaway IPA
Maui Splash Sweet Pineapple Wine
Aulani Sunrise featuring Sammy’s Beach Bar Rum

Hops & Barley

To eat:

Artisan cheese plate featuring Cabot Cloth-wrapped cheddar, Purple Haze chèvre goat cheese and Cave Man blue cheese
Baked lobster alfredo
Florida grass-fed beef slider with pimento cheese*
Fresh baked carrot cake with Craisins® and cream cheese icing

To drink:

Samuel Adams® Octoberfest*
New Belgium Brewing Company Snapshot
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat®
Leinenkugel’s Seasonal Shandy
La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Julia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Cambria Estate Winery
Beer flight (featuring 4 4-ounce servings) — Samuel Adams Octoberfest; New Belgium Snapshot; Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat; and Leinenkugel’s Seasonal Shandy

Ireland

To eat:

Lobster and seafood fisherman’s pie
Kerrygold® cheese selection — Reserve cheddar, Dubliner with Irish Stout and Skellig
Warm chocolate pudding with Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur Custard (gluten free)*

To drink:

Guinness® Draught
Bunratty Meade Honey Wine
Chilled Irish Coffee featuring Bunratty Potcheen*
Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur

Italy

To eat:

Ravioli alla caprese — Cheese ravioli, tomato sauce, mozzarella, parmesan and basil
Filetto di pollo, con funghi al marsala — Chicken tenderloin, cremini mushrooms, marsala sauce and ciabatta bread*
Cannoli al cioccolato — Chocolate-covered cannoli filled with sweet ricotta, chocolate and candied fruit

To drink:

Moretti Lager Beer
Moretti La Rossa Beer
Prosecco, Bosco del Merlo
Pinot Grigio, Placido
Chianti Classico, Placido*
Serprino, Montegrande
Frozen margarita with limoncello and tequila

Japan

To eat:

Spicy hand roll — Tuna and salmon with Kazan Volcano sauce
Teriyaki gyoza bun — Steamed-bun filled with chicken, vegetables and sweet teriyaki
Chirashizushi — Salmon, shrimp, crab and egg served over seaweed salad and ginger rice*

To drink:

Kirin Draft Beer
Sake — Kikusui Ginjo*
Sake Sunrise
Sparkling Peach Sake Gell

Mexico

To eat:

Shrimp taco — Fried shrimp, pickled habanero pepper and onions on a flour tortilla*
Rib eye taco — Marinated rib eye, roasted chipotle salsa and grilled scallions on a corn tortilla (gluten free)**
Sweet corn cheese cake

To drink:

Dos Equis Beer*
Sangria
Tequila Flight
Mango-strawberry margarita**

Morocco

To eat:

Kefta pocket — Ground seasoned beef in a pita pocket
Spicy shrimp roll with cilantro and mint sauce*
Baklava

To drink:

Casa Beer
Guerrouane White*
Sangria
Mimosa Royale — Sparkling wine and orange juice topped with orange liqueur

New Zealand

To eat:

Steamed green lip mussels with garlic butter and toasted bread crumbs
Lamb meatball with spicy tomato chutney
Venison sausage with pickled mushrooms, baby arugula and black currant reduction (gluten free)*

To drink:

Kim Crawford Pinot Gris
Mohua Sauvignon Blanc
Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir*

Patagonia – NEW!

To eat:

Beef empanada
Grilled beef skewer with chimichurri sauce and boniato purée (gluten free)*
Roasted Verlasso® salmon with quinoa salad and arugula chimichurri (gluten free)**

To drink:

Pascual Toso Sparkling Brut
Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier**
Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir Rosé
Terrazas Reserva Malbec*

Poland

To eat:

Kielbasa and potato pierogi with caramelized onions and sour cream
Sauerkraut pierogi with pork goulash*

To drink:

Okocim Brewery, Okocim O.K. Beer
Donausonne® Blaufränkisch, Hungarian Wine*
Frozen Szarlotka (Apple Pie) featuring Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka

Puerto Rico

To eat:

Ensalada de carrucho — Caribbean conch salad with onion, tomato and cilantro (gluten free)
Carne guisada con arroz blanco — Slow-braised beef with Puerto Rican-grown rice (gluten free)
Tostones (fried green plantains with mayo ketchup)
FlanCocho — Vanilla caramel custard with chocolate coffee cake

To drink:

Gasolina Sangriiia Cocktail
Medalla Light Beer
Frozen San Juan Breeze (non-alcoholic lemonade)
Frozen San Juan Breeze with Don Q Limón
Chilled Club Caribe Mango Rum (neat)

Scotland

To eat:

Vegetarian haggis with neeps and tatties — Griddled vegetable cake with rutabaga and mashed potatoes
Fresh potato pancake with smoked Scottish salmon and herb sour cream (gluten free)*
Seared sea scallop with spinach-cheddar gratin and crispy bacon (gluten free)
Cranachan with raspberries, toasted oats and whipped cream

To drink:

Innis & Gunn® Original Oak Aged Beer*
Loch Lomond featuring Glenfiddich® 12 year
Glenfiddich (12, 15 and 18 year)

Singapore

To eat:

Lemongrass chicken curry with coconut and jasmine rice (gluten free)
Seared mahi mahi with jasmine rice and “Singa” sauce*

To drink:

Tiger Beer
Marqués de Caceres Satinela*
Singapore Sling featuring Hendrick’s Gin and Cherry Herring

South Korea

To eat:

Kimchi dog with spicy mustard sauce*
Roasted pork lettuce wrap with kimchi slaw

To drink:

Bokbunjajoo — Bohae black raspberry wine
iCing Grapefruit Sparkling Rice Brew*
Soju Fruit Slushy featuring Jinro Chamisul Soju

Terra

To eat:

Blackened Chick’n Breast, farro wheat and spicy gumbo sauce featuring Gardein™ Chick’n Breast
“CraB’less CraB Cake” with pepper slaw and Cajun remoulade featuring Gardein™*
Chocolate-blood orange cupcake with tofu icing

To drink:

Red Bridge Ale
The Vegan Vine Chardonnay*
Paperboy Red Blend
Fresh Watermelon Juice

—————————————