Epcot Food & Wine Festival

Held annually each fall (usually mid-September to mid-November), the Food & Wine Festival held at Walt Disney World's Epcot themepark is truly an event not to be missed for any everyday gourmet. In addition to the usual "countries" represented at Epcot (France, Morocco, Germany, Japan, Italy, Mexico, China, Norway, UK, Canada, etc.) they bring in booths from all over the world, each offering 2-3 tapas style tasting portions of local cuisine as well as tasting portions of local wines and beers. Past countries added have included Australia, Spain, South Africa, Greece, Poland, and much more. In addition to all these great eating and drinking stations, they offer free events and classes, like wine tasting, food & wine pairing, and chef's demonstrations. There are also special fee-based events like the Party for the Senses - a Saturday-night extravaganza where they bring in some of the best chefs and wineries from around the world for an all-you-can-eat/drink party in a whimsical setting, punctuated by ongoing Cirque de Soleil performances.

Here were some of the highlights food-wise from 2008:

• Beef with Chimichurri sauce and mashed potatoes from Argentina


• German sausage in a pretzel role from Germany


• Pierogi and keilbasa from Poland


• Greek salad and spanikopita from Greece


• Chorizo quesadillas from Mexico


• Empanadas from Brazil


• Cheddar cheese soup from Canada


• Gumbo from Louisiana

Perhaps the most annoying thing about the event is that you can't find a lot of details about it online...although based on the crowds the word is definitely out. You'll want to go on a weekday when it is slightly less crowded. Can't wait to attend this year's event with some new recruits!