Patagonia — International Marketplace — 2014 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on September 25, 2014 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not “official” information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2014 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
The Patagonia Booth replaces the Argentina booth this year at the 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The Marketplace Passports listed 2 of the 3 food dishes to be gluten free, which was exciting! Having seen the recipe for the Roasted Verlasso Salmon, it looked to be dairy free as well.Ever the vigilant special diets diner, I checked with the cast members at the cash register before I ordered to see if both the grilled beef skewer and the roasted verlasso salmon were gluten free and dairy free. The line was slow (it was early afternoon on a Thursday), and the cast member radioed a chef to find out the ingredients. This was a very short process, thankfully, and I learned quickly that the salmon was gluten free and dairy free, but the grilled beef skewer accompaniments were not.Both the boniato puree and the chimichurri sauce contained dairy, so I while I could order the beef plain, there would be no sauce that would be safe to consume with it. Pro tip: You could order the beef skewer plain or ask to have the sauce that accompanies the salmon. It would be delicious with the beef!
I went ahead and ordered the salmon, which I was very excited to try.
I have to say, so far, this is my hands down favorite dish at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival! The salmon has been well cooked each time I've ordered it (yes, I've ordered it multiple times, it was that good). The quinoa salad was delicious and flavorful -- filled with red onions and tomatoes. The best part is the sauce which is so flavorful and delicious. You know I love my sauces, and this one certainly did not disappoint!I visited Patagonia the next day with Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando, and she also enjoyed this dish. You can read her full review of gluten free only Food & Wine Festival dishes on Gluten Free in Orlando!Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Gluten Free Options Noted for 2014 Food & Wine Festival and Other Festival News
*This information has been posted on various websites including the Disney Food Blog and is subject to change and/or modification.
Exciting news has been announced via several websites and through social media. The 2014 International Food & Wine Festival will have Marketplace Passports that note gluten free offerings. This is another great step from Disney in acknowledging gluten free visitors to the Food & Wine Festival.The Marketplace Passports will have a symbol that indicates which items are free of gluten containing ingredients; however, do note that there is always a risk of potential cross contamination due to the small kiosk/booths in which these foods are served and/or prepared.If you were a visitor to this year's Flower & Garden Festival, you'll recognize these gluten free notations, as the Flower & Garden Marketplace Passports also carried them. You can see photographs and examples of these in my post from this past spring.In addition to the gluten free notations on the Marketplace Passports, the festival will also have a few other special diets features, including the Terra Booth (vegan booth) back for its third year at the festival. While the booth does feature a lot of Gardein products (which are not currently gluten free), hopefully, there will be a few gluten free and vegan offerings this year. So far, the only menu items publicly listed contain Gardien. The booth does carry vegan wine.If you're vegetarian, you'll have plenty of options throughout the festival and some new items sound intriguing for vegetarian diners, including the Vegetarian Moussaka at the Greece Booth.Fans of the Dole Whip will be excited to hear that the pineapple Dole Whip is making a comeback too!If you're like me, you may also want to participate in some of the culinary demos and special events. These officially go on sale to the general public on July 31, 2014 at 7 a.m. EST. You can call 407-WDW-FEST to book. You can also book many of these online too! If you are a Tables in Wonderland, Annual Passholder, DVC Member, or Golden Oak resident, you can begin booking at 9 a.m. EST on July 25, 2014. Advance purchase for TIW, AP, DVC, and GO also comes with a $2 discount for those demos and sessions that take place Monday through Thursday.Whenever I book culinary demonstrations or special experiences, I also contact Special Diets to make the notation and arrive at the event early. You can read about a few of my demo experiences from last year, including Chef Kevin Dundon from Raglan Road and Erin McKenna from Babycakes NYC. You can also read Alexis from Gluten Free in Orlando's review of last year's festival and demo experiences with Chef Tony Marotta from Port Orleans Resort.And of course, non food related, the Chase Lounge is making a comeback this year. This is a welcome retreat if have a Disney Visa. Sometimes you need a break from the festival action and a place to cool down, and this location does the trick! If you like Coca-Cola products, they usually have a Coke Freestyle machine set-up with complimentary cool drinks (including water).What do you think about the new gluten free notations on the Marketplace Passports this year? Are you as excited as I am for the upcoming Food & Wine Festival?
Rinse Bath & Body -- 2014 Flower & Garden Festival Booth
*This visit took place in March 2014.
One of the things that I love most about the Flower & Garden Festival and Food & Wine Festival at Epcot is a non-food booth - it's the Rinse Bath & Body booth located in the World Showcase. Featured exclusively during these festivals, Rinse Bath & Body gives guests a chance to check out artisan soap and body products all produced in Georgia in small batches. The best part about them? They offer many gluten free and vegan offerings.As someone who has sensitive skin, I am always wary of soap products. I react really easily to items that are heavily perfumed and filled with extra "junk." It's been that for as long as I can remember (I notoriously broke out into rashes as a kid - bathtime did not include Mr. Bubbles for me!). I decided to check out the soaps made by Rinse last year, after honestly avoiding the booth for a very long time.And now, I'm a bit of a Rinse Bath & Body Soap addict (yes, they know me at the booth!). My favorite soap by far is the Bamboo Loofah Soap. It contains a saponified blend of Shea & Cocoa Butters, Olive, Refined Sweet Almond, High Oleic Sunflower, Coconut & Palm Kernel Oils along with Loofah & Fragrance Oils. And none of these make my skin itchy or irritated. In fact, my skin has never been smoother or more hydrated than with this soap.
Of course, there are tons of options that are gluten free and vegan throughout the booth - not just soap. From pucker sticks to body buffs, there is something that will entice you every time you visit.
One of the things I also love is that each of the festivals carry different types of items. That means you can find a variety of options that will rotate depending on the festival. Flower & Garden Festival is more floral based - lots of flower scents, lilac, violet, lavender.Food & Wine Festival is much more food & wine based - cabernet, fig, cranberry.Of course, you can always find some of your favorite staples (including the Bamboo Loofah Soap) featured at both festivals. Any items you're missing? You can order online easily at Rinse Bath & Body's website. And even better - head to the gift shop at the beginning of the World Showcase. They now carry many of Rinse's products year-round!
I sure know I'll be stopping by the Rinse Bath & Body booth a lot during the festival this year. I like to stock up on my favorite scents. And bonus - annual passholders and DVC members get an extra 10% off their purchase! Cha-ching!I hope you'll pop by the Rinse Bath & Body booth to check out their offerings. They are always willing to answer any questions that you might have - especially when it comes to sensitives and conditions that may make using products more difficult. Be sure to tell them that Sarah sent you!Have you been to the Rinse Bath & Body booth? What's your favorite product?
Urban Farm Eats -- 2014 Flower & Garden Festival Booth
*This review took place in March 2014.Please note that the Flower & Garden Festival booths have increased risks of cross contamination. 
The booth I was looking forward to the most at this year’s Flower & Garden Festival was the Urban Farm Eats booth. When I first read the food offerings, I had a suspicion that this booth would be gluten free friendly. So I wasn’t surprised when I read that all of the food offerings at Urban Farms Eats were gluten free. Yippee! This meant less chance of cross contamination. The options served at the booth also sounded really intriguing, so I was looking forward to finding out if at least one of these was dairy free too.
When I got to the booth, I noticed a chef was on hand (and I went early, close to the both openings at 11 a.m.). The cast member at the cash register referred me to Chef Scott who helped me out. He said the only dish that contained dairy was the beet salad. This made me even happier about this booth. That meant that I could eat two of the three dishes (and technically, I could probably order the salad without the goat cheese cream).I decided to go for it and try both dishes – the Land grown eggplant "scallop" with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash and the Ghost pepper dusted tilapia with winter melon slaw and mint oil. 
First up is the land grown eggplant "scallop." So, yeah. The name. I get it's a play on words and food making the eggplant look like scallop. But honestly, I don't think we need this gimmick at the festival. How about some really fabulous grilled eggplant cooked and seasoned really well? This, I'm sad to say was not really great.I liked the romesco sauce well enough - I like roasted red peppers. The sauce wasn't super flavorful though. And the spaghetti squash? Um...bland bland and bland. And don't get me wrong. I know spaghetti squash can be a bit blah-zo when it comes to flavor but salt would have helped. And I LOVE spaghetti squash by the way! Both of those accompaniments were fine relatively speaking but it was the eggplant "scallop" that really ruined it for me. The texture was the eggplant was so mushy and off (I believe one family member said it had the texture of oysters...um, YUCK). Again, I like this vegetable, I just thinking it could have been better highlighted by a different cooking preparation. If your family is already on the fence about eggplant, this really is not the dish to try!
The ghost pepper dusted tilapia fared better in my mind. I will say that if you are scared of spicy food this actually isn't as bad as it sounds (ghost pepper is one of the hottest peppers in the world). They definitely used the pepper sparingly. But it is spicy (have some water handy). I thought the curry I had last year at the Singapore booth at Food & Wine was infinitely spicier!I think my favorite thing was the winter melon slaw. It had fresh ginger in it and was super fresh and light. The mint oil seemed like a nice accompaniment...if I could have tasted it! Is it weird I want to go back and just get the winter melon slaw?!The booth also features Redbridge gluten free beer (not really my favorite but glad it's an option) and several vegan wines.I would say overall, I'm glad that this booth is there, and that they had some different gluten free & dairy free offerings. I also felt a lot more comfortable consuming something from this booth.For more Flower & Garden Festival info, check out my main festival page, as well as the reviews found on Gluten Free in Orlando's website. Alexis visits the festivals regularly and offers terrific updates.
Jardin de Fiestas -- 2014 Flower & Garden Festival Booth
*This review took place in March 2014. Please note that the Flower & Garden Festival booths have increased risks of cross contamination. 
The Flower & Garden Festival offers a lot of great food offerings, and I was glad to see that one offering at the Jardin de Fiestas booth was "gluten free" this year.I admit, that I was pretty nervous about eating here because the other food option there is a flour tortilla. I just had visions of them cooking the items on the same griddle. YIKES!
I decided to visit the booth early, at opening, figuring this would be the most optimal time to get the safest version of the gluten free dish, which was the Taco al Pastor. As you can see from the menu, it had a lot of great components to it. Grilled pineapple? I'm in!When I got to the booth, I did check with the cast member to see if the item had dairy. After some behind the scenes checking, they said yes, there was no dairy in this dish. Once I paid, I went over to the pick-up station and watched as they made my dish. I made sure it didn't involve the use of the same griddle. One I got my taco, I had to take a pretty picture before I dove in (which I wanted to do immediately!)
As you can see, it looked pretty tasty! Taste-wise, I have to say this was my favorite thing from the day. Bright and fresh flavors really made this dish standout. I loved the pineapple in it too. So amazingly delicious. The pork was well-seasoned and cooked too.My only cons? The size and cost. This was $5.50. YIKES! And seriously, I think I ate it in 4 bites. I'm not joking! If it had been two tacos, I probably would have been much happier.If you are going to eat at this booth, I urge you to be cautious. I honestly could see this booth getting crazy busy at the end of the day and the booth griddling not being as strict as it was in the morning. That being said, I would absolutely stop by again and get that taco. So delicious!For more Flower & Garden Festival info, check out my main festival page, as well as the reviews found on Gluten Free in Orlando's website. Alexis visits the festivals regularly and offers terrific updates.
2014 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival Gluten Free & Special Diets Food Offerings
*This information comes from the Garden Passports handed out at the festival and was obtained March 8, 2014. As always, guests should consult each booth for ingredients or for other special dietary needs. Because of the booth space, cross contamination is of higher risk for guests consuming gluten free ingredients.*There is one item marked on the gluten free list that is a misprint. The cornbread served with the Smoked beef brisket with collard greens at the Smokehouse: Barbecue & Brews booth is not gluten free.Updated March 14, 2014
This year's Flower & Garden Festival at Epcot has officially started, and I have to admit, it's one of my favorite times of year in the park. I adore all of the amazing plants, flowers, and topiaries on display throughout Epcot. Last year marked the first year of the outdoor kitchens in the World Showcase, and like the International Food & Wine Festival, many guests look forward to trying their food offerings.As a gluten free & dairy free diner it can be a challenge - between cross contamination risks, lack of ingredients information and communication - it seemed next to impossible sometimes. Two years ago, Disney released a Food & Wine Festival map that noted gluten free offerings but were told that they would not be putting them on any festival maps again because of liability. Well, apparently they changed their minds.This year's Flower & Garden Festival now has passports which you can get at all of the Outdoor Kitchens kiosks that actually list the items that are vegetarian and are gluten free (meaning they have no gluten containing ingredients). How exciting!Here's a list of all of the items that are considered "gluten free" by Disney:Urban Farm Eats (new booth this year):Read Sarah's review from 3/8/14
- Pickled beet salad with goat cheese cream, mizuna and pistachios - Gluten free and vegetarian (not dairy free)
- Land-grown eggplant “scallop” with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash - Gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian (Sarah confirmed this with a chef on 3/8/14)
- Ghost pepper-dusted tilapia with crisp winter melon slaw and mint oil featuring The Original Sauce Man’s Kick It Up Rub - Gluten free and dairy free (Sarah confirmed this with a chef on 3/8/14)
- Redbridge Gluten Free Beer - Gluten free and Dairy free
Florida Fresh:
- Watermelon salad with pickled onions, BW Farm baby arugula, feta cheese and balsamic reduction - Gluten free and vegetarian (not dairy free)
- Shrimp and stone ground grits with andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes and cilantro - Gluten free
The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews:
- Smoked beef brisket with collard greens and jalapeño corn bread - Gluten free *Cornbread is NOT gluten free. Beef brisket and collard greens are but there may be potential cross contamination.
- Smoked turkey “rib” - Gluten free (and possibly dairy free)
Hanami:
- Frushi – Fresh pineapple, strawberries and melon, rolled with coconut rice, topped with raspberry sauce, sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with whipped cream on the side - Gluten free and vegetarian (not dairy free)
Fleur de Lys:
- Confit de canard, pommes de terre Sarladaise – Pulled duck confit with garlic and parsley potatoes - Gluten free
- Macaron à la fleur d’ Oranger – Orange blossom macaron with white chocolate ganache - Gluten free and vegetarian (not dairy free)
Primavera Kitchen:
- Caprese – Fior di latte mozzarella, roasted peppers and olio verde - Gluten free and vegetarian (not dairy free)
Lotus House:
- Beijing-style candied strawberries - Gluten free and vegetarian (possibly dairy free)
Jardin de Fiestas:Read Sarah's review from 3/8/14
- Tacos al Pastor - corn tortilla filled with achiote marinated pork garnished with grilled diced pineapple, onions, and cilantro - Gluten free and dairy free (Sarah confirmed this with a chef on 3/8/14)
I'm curious about the Pineapple Promenade booth because the items are not listed as Dole Whips or gluten free. Very interesting indeed.Remember to pick up your passports when you go to the booths and always check with the cast members on ingredients and cross contamination procedures, as well as other additional special dietary needs. These offerings are not marked on the menus outside of each booth, so the passport your best bet for a comprehensive listing.Stay tuned to reviews from both myself and Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando for the latest updates from the festival!What do you think about the listing of gluten free & vegetarian items on the passport? Will you go and try any of the items at the booths this year?
Flower & Garden Festival Announces Menus for Outdoor Kitchens
Last year Disney launched a marketplace area in the World Showcase (similar to the Food & Wine Festival) during the Flower & Garden Festival. Like the Food & Wine Festival, the marketplace booths didn't have many gluten free & dairy free friendly offerings. They did, however, carry one of my favorite gluten free beers -- New Planet's Raspberry Ale. Alas, New Planet won't be there this year but there are some vegan wines making an appearance at the booths, called the Outdoor Kitchens.Here is a list of the current offerings as released by Disney for the Outdoor Kitchens (*Note: At this time, no items have been confirmed gluten free or even special diets friendly. As always, these booths carry a higher risk of cross contamination)Stay tuned as I find out if any of these items will be suitable for special dietary needs. My guess is the Urban Farms Eats will be the most special diets friendly booth out of the bunch; hopefully, we can more information soon!Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico Pavilion) – this booth offers tapas that are spring light and cooked just right.
- Tacos al pastor – Corn tortilla filled with achiote-marinated pork, garnished with grilled diced pineapple, onions and cilantro
- Quesadilla de hongos con queso – Flour tortilla filled with mushrooms and cheese
- Flan de chocolate Abuelita – Mexican chocolate custard
- Tecate draft beer
- White Mexican sangria
- Franbuesa (raspberry) margarita on the rocks
- Tequila flight – blanco, reposado and añejo
- Dasani bottled water
Lotus House (China Pavilion) – try a garden-fresh take on spring-influenced flavors.
- Beijing-style candied strawberries
- Spring pancake with grilled chicken and green apple
- Vegetable spring rolls
- Popping bubble tea
- Kung Fu Punch – Vodka and triple sec with mango and orange juice
- South Sea Storm – Guava juice with light and dark rum
- Plum wine
- Tsing-Tao beer
- Lychee aerated water
Florida Fresh (Germany Pavilion) – Savor fresh Florida ingredients that are grown and produced locally
- Watermelon salad with pickled onions, BW Farm baby arugula, feta cheese and balsamic reduction
- Shrimp and stone ground grits with andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes and cilantro
- Florida kumquat pie
- Watermelon passion fruit slush featuring Simply Lemonade®
- Hurricane Class 5 White Sangria featuring Simply Lemonade, Florida Orange Groves
- Garda Italian Wine Blend, Quantum Leap Winery
- Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, Quantum Leap Winery
- Blonde Ale, Orlando Brewing Company
- Cotton Mouth Belgian Style Witbier, Swamp Head Brewery
- Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale, Florida Beer Company
- Florida Avenue Blueberry, Cold Storage Craft Brewery
- Beer Flight – Blonde Ale, Cotton Mouth Belgian Style Witbier, Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale and Florida Avenue Blueberry
- Simply Orange
Primavera Kitchen (Italy Pavilion) - Sample some of this country’s many flavors.
- Caprese – Fior di latte mozzarella, roasted peppers and olio verde
- Three cheese manicotti – Egg pasta stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, tomato sauce and béchamel
- Torta di ricotta – Lemon cheesecake with limoncello-marinated strawberries
- Placido Pinot Grigio
- Placido Chianti
- Bosco del Merlo Prosecco
- White peach bellini – Prosecco and white peach puree
- Strawberry rossini – Prosecco and marinated strawberries
- Frozen Italian primavera – Assorted fruit slushy with limoncello and vodka
- Moretti Lager
- Moretti La Rossa
The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews (American Adventure Pavilion) – Celebrate the truly American tradition of barbeque, paired with craft brews from across the country.
- Pulled pig slider with cole slaw
- Smoked beef brisket with collard greens and jalapeño corn bread
- Smoked turkey “rib”
- “Piggylicous” bacon cupcake with maple frosting and pretzel crunch featuring Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon
- Magic Hat #9, Magic Hat Brewing
- Maduro, Cigar City Brewing
- Fat Tire, New Belgium Brewing Company
- Billy’s Chilies, Twisted Pine Brewing Company
- Beer Flight – Magic Hat #9, Maduro, Fat Tire and Billy’s Chilies
- The Original Rib Shack Red Wine
Hanami (Japan Pavilion) – enjoying delicate bites and refreshing beverages.
- Frushi – Fresh pineapple, strawberries and melon, rolled with coconut rice, topped with raspberry sauce, sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with whipped cream on the side
- Temaki hand roll – Sliced Panko fried chicken, curry sauce, rice and pickled julienne carrots wrapped with Nori
- Hanami sushi – A flavorful combination of salmon, scallop and beef-topped rice balls served atop a shiso violet sauce
- Japanese puffed rice cakes with green tea whipped cream and azuki
- Kirin draft beer
- Pinepple Paradise with Yuzu Slushie – Frozen blend of sweet sake, pineapple juice and crème, flavored with a hint of Yuzu citrus juice
- Orange Mango Slushie – Frozen blend of Nigori sake, mango and orange juice
Taste of Marrakesh (Morocco Pavilion) – Discover the tastes on North African spices.
- Lamb brewat roll with prunes and sesame
- Harissa chicken kebab with couscous salad
- Baghrir – Moroccan pancake with honey, almonds and argan oil
- Mint iced tea
- White sangria
- Guerrouane red
- Casa Beer
- Desert Rose – Sparkling wine with pomegranate liqueur
Fleur de Lys (France Pavilion) – Indulge your senses in France’s most magnificent culinary masterpieces.
- Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal – Parisian-style dumplings with vegetables and mushrooms
- Confit de canard, pommes de terre Sarladaise – Pulled duck confit with garlic and parsley potatoes
- Macaron à la fleur d’ Oranger – Orange blossom macaron with white chocolate ganache
- La Vie en Rose frozen slush – Vodka, Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liquor, and white and red cranberry juice
- Kir Imperial – Sparkling wine, Chambord and black raspberry liquor
- Rosé pamplemousse cocktail – Rosé wine mixed with natural grapefruit syrup
- Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 – Fruity white beer with citrus notes
Buttercup Cottage (United Kingdom Pavilion) – Delight in afternoon tea offerings and fresh garden flavors.
- Freshly baked potato and cheddar cheese biscuit with smoked salmon tartare
- Field greens with Plant City strawberries, toasted almonds and Farmstead stilton
- Pork and apple sausage roll with house-made piccalilli
- Freshly baked lemon scones with berry preserves and crème fraÎche
- Chilled rose blush lemonade featuring Simply Lemonade with Raspberry (nonalcoholic)
- Twinings® Cold Brewed English Classic with lemon grass syrup
- Berry tea cocktail – Twinings Cold Brewed Mixed Berry Tea with Florida Cane vodka and Plant City strawberry, flavored with raspberry and açaí syrup
- Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee
- Deloach Pinot Noir
Pineapple Promenade (Canada Pavilion) – Enjoy all kinds of treats featuring juicy pineapples.
- Pineapple soft serve
- Pineapple soft serve with Myers’s dark rum
- Pineapple soft serve with Parrot Bay coconut rum
- Sweet potato cinnamon waffle with pineapple soft serve
- Frozen desert violet lemonade featuring Simply Lemonade (nonalcoholic)
- Tropical Mango Pale Ale, St. John Brewers
- Once Upon a Vine’s The Lost Slipper Sauvignon Blanc
Urban Farm Eats – Taste treats from this booth’s all natural menu, with dishes that have been cultivated entirely from the soil.
- Pickled beet salad with goat cheese cream, mizuna and pistachios
- Land-grown eggplant “scallop” with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash
- Ghost pepper-dusted tilapia with crisp winter melon slaw and mint oil featuring The Original Sauce Man’s Kick It Up Rub
- Cucumber lemon spa water, finished with a sprig of fresh mint
- The Vegan Vine Chardonnay
- The Vegan Vine Cabernet Sauvignon
- Redbridge Gluten-Free Sorghum Beer
Intermissions Cafe (Festival Center) – Pop inside to find all kinds of fine food and beverages.
- Grapes
- Fruit & cheese plate
- Vegan trio
- Southwest chicken wrap
- Tuna salad with pita
- Side salad
- Asian tuna salad with noodles
- Caprese Push-Pop – Tomato, mozzarella and balsamic
- Hurricane Class 5 White Sangria, Florida Orange Groves
- Garda Italian Wine Blend, Quantum Leap Winery
- Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, Quantum Leap Winery
- Martini Prosecco
- Strongbow Cider, Bulmers Cider Company
- SweetWater Blue, SweetWater Brewing Company
What are your thoughts on these offerings? Do you think there will be any items safe for special diets diners?
Erin McKenna Babycakes NYC Culinary Demonstration -- 2013 Food & Wine Festival
*This culinary demonstration took place on October 21, 2013. This does not reflect a typical culinary demo experience at Food & Wine as Babycakes NYC is a special diets bakery and all items were made to be gluten free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, refined sugar free, and vegan. Guests attending culinary demonstrations with a special diet should contact WDW's Special Diets Department in advance.
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| Babycakes NYC & Thin Mints!! |
I was very excited to attend Erin McKenna's Babycakes NYC culinary demonstration this year. In fact, when the demonstration tickets went on pre-sale, I made sure to call that day to grab my ticket. This was the demonstration that I was looking forward to, primarily because Babycakes NYC is free of so many allergens and I knew I could eat safely without having to call in advance.This was definitely a great session to attend. In addition, I knew it would be dessert, and I liked the idea of going to a dessert demonstration which I normally don't attend due to the gluten & dairy issues. You can imagine my great excitement when I saw what the featured dish was....THIN MINTS! (Yes, I needed to type this all in caps because I was REALLY excited). This was going to be amazing! And I was thrilled to snag the recipe too!
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| You can find a PDF of this document HERE |
For this demonstration, I grabbed a seat up front and also made some new friends, as I attended the demo by myself. It was a great view of the demo.First up were introductions by the master of ceremonies for this demo, I feel badly that I didn't get her name and couldn't find her name online. She mentioned that she was also a nutritionist and she seemed very knowledgeable as she talked with Erin about the ingredients during the demo. Not only were we introduced to Erin McKenna, owner and founder of Babycakes NYC, but also a representative from Chateau St. Michelle. The featured wine was a riesling and very much a dessert wine. Here's a brief clip from the welcome & introductions:Erin began her demo by talking about what she was making and why she chose to make thin mints. I agree with her--a sleeve of thin mints is the way to go!The other great part about the demo is that Erin really talked about the ingredients and why she uses them. In addition, she actually made the thin mints right there and baked them. As she talked and answered questions, the delicious thin mints were baking so she could fully demonstrate making these from start to finish. Love that! Here is a lengthy video from the demo as she explains the ingredients.And then it was time for tasting. The BEST PART! As you can imagine, I was dying to try out these thin mints, as they don't carry them at the Babycakes NYC location at Downtown Disney...yet! (I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Emily & the team at WDW will put them on the menu at least for the holidays!).
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| Thin Mint deliciousness! |
Omigoodness! These were amazing. They were a much larger version than you would normally get from a Girl Scout Thin Mint cookie which is nice. Filled with mint and chocolatey goodness, these were definitely a hit. Now everyone close to me at the table did not have a special diet and it was really fun to hear their comments and joy in eating these.
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| Riesling from the demo |
While I do understand that they like to do wine pairings for F&W, for me this dish did not need it. In fact, I wasn't a fan of the wine with this dessert. It was just really too sweet for my taste. But that's just me.
One of the fun parts of the demo was really watching Erin make these beauties! I loved that she even took the time to dip them in the chocolate ganache!
I have to say that this was a really fun demo, and I really enjoyed the thin mints. Who wouldn't really?! I also loved watching reactions to the taste and the questions people asked. It was neat to see people interested in gluten free & food allergy friendly treats!I hope Erin comes back again next year and presents, and you can bet that I will be purchasing my tickets again on pre-sale day. In the meantime, I'm going to be making these lovely thin mints very soon!! And so should you :)
Chef Kevin Dundon Culinary Demonstration -- 2013 Food & Wine Festival
*This culinary demonstration took place on October 2, 2013. This does not reflect a typical culinary demo experience at Food & Wine as I was able to connect with the Raglan Road staff ahead of time. Guests attending culinary demonstrations with a special diet should contact WDW's Special Diets Department in advance.
Epcot's Food & Wine Festival offers a variety of culinary and mixology demonstrations which provide unique food experiences at a reasonable price. Many of Epcot's signature experiences are quite costly, and I have found that these demos provide wonderful experiences at a fraction of the cost. It's nice to get just a taste of what the Food & Wine experiences are about.In the past, I've been to a few culinary demos that have provided sort of hit or miss experiences with a special diet. For the most part, I've been able to get a modified version of the featured dish, though it hasn't always proven the most tasty versions.I was particularly excited this year when I went through the demo list to see Chef Kevin Dundon from Raglan Road would be returning. I'd not been to his demos before, but I was thrilled at the idea of going because I had been working with Raglan Road for our upcoming Lunch & Learn on October 12, 2013. I had mentioned to the manager I'd been working with at Raglan Road that I would be attending the event, in addition to contacting the Special Diets Department.
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| Line at the demo |
Upon arriving at the Welcome Center, where the festival is held, I met with cast members at the demo venue to alert them that I had a special diet and that I had been in contact with Special Diets & the chef (via RR) ahead of time. This is something I highly recommend to anyone attending a demo. It's a good idea because the CMs know who you are and can easily recognize you. Another tip is that I tend to sit in the back, so that if they have questions they can speak with me without interrupting or making any big intrusion on the demo itself.
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| Recipe for the trout dish |
I was very excited because Chef Kevin was featuring trout as his protein, and I'm a huge fish fan. I also love that when you arrive at a demo, you have the featured recipe available. I could tell right away that I would be mostly OK with the trout minus the Champagne Lemon Butter Emulsion (which sounded amazing).
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| Amy Meddins (Wine Representative) and John Ekin (WDW Emcee) |
First up was a brief introduction to the featured wine pairing for this demo. Amy talked about the Chalone Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, although I will say her discussion was much briefer than some of the demos I've experienced. I actually quite liked this as it gave us more time with Chef Kevin, who had not one but two dishes, and also gave us an opportunity to chat with Amy afterwards. Emcee John Ekin is always very good and quite entertaining. It's pretty obvious that they have a good rapport and that they are seasoned pros at this.
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| Our wine sample. I quite liked it, and it paired nicely with the trout. |
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| Chef Kevin begins his demo |
I will say that I had not seen Chef Kevin live before. He's very personable, fun, and makes the demo light-hearted and funny! And you really learn a lot. I appreciated that he really gave us his culinary viewpoint and his perspectives on fresh, sustainable ingredients. You can also tell how much he highly values simple & quality ingredients. He talked a lot about some of the problems with getting really fresh & quality fish in Florida (crazy, but true!) and that he gets his fish from the fishmonger Foley's in Boston.There's definitely a high level of attention to detail in every part of Raglan Road and the food served there. It was rather impressive to hear some of the things that they do to ensure that quality. Here's a brief video from the demo that I shot of him explaining about fish.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3jyGvQ5DW8Of course, a demo wouldn't be a demo without some shameless plugging of books and kitchen gadgets, etc. And this one was no exception. Chef Kevin has tons of great books and even some fantastic pans. I loved that he really made this funny as our emcee talked with him about them. Humor was definitely a theme throughout this presentation.In fact, one lovely audience member got to experience this first-hand as he called her on stage. There was some fun banter between the two of them, and he even left the stage at one point telling her to finish her dish as she answered a food related question. And of course, he popped back up on the other side of the stage to surprise her.
All the while, Chef Kevin was actually cooking (not something you see at every demo). He really described his dish well and explained his choices and how Irish cooking really is very simple & flavorful! I was so excited to see that when the tastings came out, I actually had a very similar looking dish to the dish others were being served. Mine of course was missing the potato mash and the sauce, but otherwise, it was a very composed dish.
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| Trout |
I have to say, that bar none, this was the best culinary tasting I'd been to at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival, to date. The fish was so flavorful and perfectly cooked. The fish was very crispy and yet maintained its delicate texture. I was in love with the toasted almonds and the green bean salad that accompanied it. It was seriously amazing. Paired with the wine, this was an excellent dish.As we finished Chef Kevin began discussing dessert. He had a lemon tart that was to be served as the second course. Now, normally you only get one dish to taste at a demo like this, so this was a real treat for guests to have two. Based on the recipe, I really expected that I wouldn't get anything or maybe just some fresh berries and I was OK with that. However, what happened next turned out to be a big surprise for me. Chef Kevin asked if I was in the audience. Uh-oh! I knew where this was going -- Sarah was going to officially be a part of the demo! He asked if I could come on stage.
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| Hey that's me! |
Chef Kevin talked a lot about how Celiac disease is very common in Ireland and how they try to make their dishes as naturally GF as possible. He also asked me about my special diets and if I was celiac or gluten intolerant. It was nice because it provided a quick opportunity to discuss the seriousness of being GF and how chefs can address this. The audience could also learn how Raglan Road offers a very gluten free friendly menu because of this. I really appreciated Chef Kevin's very good knowledge of gluten free diets but also the fact that he was making me a dessert, which is a rare treat. As he said it was for me to feel "spoiled rotten." Love this!
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| This photo is copyright http://www.extrawdwmagic.com/ |
I have to say, I was pretty nervous up there, but Chef Kevin really tried to put me at ease. That and Amy also offered me up some extra wine--that always helps! The dish he prepared for me was super simple, and I really want to make it at home. It was a homemade meringue which he toasted and a compote of fresh mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) which had been mixed with some sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice, and flambeed with Grand Marnier (or Cognac...I was a bit too excited to remember). It looked gorgeous and almost too good to eat (well almost!)
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| This may have been one of my most favorite desserts I've ever had. Seriously! |
This dessert was so amazing. As you can tell by the photo, this was very a very light yet rich dessert. The meringue was out of this world! And the toasted part of the meringue, even better. I can't even tell you how good the berries were in that simple sauce. It was honestly divine.
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| Me with Chef Kevin |
As an overall, this was hands down the most dynamic and wonderful demo that I've been too. And not just because I was treated to delicious food (which I was) but also because Chef Kevin has a great presentation style and real enthusiasm and passion for food. It really exudes from him! He was so wonderfully kind and accommodating to my dietary needs that I can't wait until next year's demos. In fact, I'm hoping to participate in his big dinner that he usually hosts at Raglan Road. I think it will be a true treat.A special thanks to Chef Kevin, the Raglan Road team, and the cast members who made my visit extra special. For another terrific, non-special diets related review of this demo, head over to my friends at Extra Walt Disney World Magic for their review of the demo. They have amazing photos of the entire demonstration, with lots of great up close shots and descriptions of the demo itself! You can find that review HERE.
Singapore -- International Marketplace -- 2013 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on October 2, 2013 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not "official" information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2013 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
Menu from Singapore
Singapore is another one of those booths that I expected at least one of the dishes to be GF/DF. I did some investigation while at the Festival Center, looking at the cookbook, and it looked like the Mahi Mahi was definitely out. The "Singa" sauce contains soy sauce. Bummer! Of course, I asked upon arrival at the booth to see if either option would be safe.
Mahi Mahi Recipe from the Official Festival Cookbook
The cast member followed the same procedure as Brazil and radioed a chef. Just like in Brazil, she had it on speaker phone which was good because I could hear the responses. The chef said that the only the Lemongrass Chicken Curry was gluten free, and it happened to be dairy free as well. They use coconut milk in it, and you can really taste it too. So essentially one of the dishes at the booth was safe for GF & DF diners.
Lemongrass Chicken Curry with coconut and jasmine rice
This booth was a little busier than Brazil
Lemongrass Chicken Curry
I will say that I didn't love this dish. It was so-so for me. I found it to be a little too spicy for me (like really hot spicy. I needed water ASAP) It just didn't feel overly balanced for me. I liked the strong lemongrass and coconut flavor, and you could tell that they used real lemongrass. The chicken was also quite flavorful. My other big fault was that they didn't have spoons at this marketplace kiosk. This was very saucy, as you can tell and really needed the spoon!Overall, I wouldn't say it was a bad dish by any means, just maybe not my favorite curry I've ever had. It really didn't have a strong curry flavor at all (which I love), so to me it really wasn't super balanced. Still, to have a GF/DF option at this booth was nice. I just wish the Mahi Mahi was safe!Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
Brazil -- International Marketplace -- 2013 Food and Wine Festival
*This information on this booth was obtained by me on October 2, 2013 by visiting the booth first-hand. This is not "official" information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. For additional booth information visit the 2013 Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free Offerings Page.
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| Brazil booth menu |
Brazil is definitely one of those booths, that I knew the menu was likely to be gluten free and dairy free friendly given the previous years' offerings. This year, the menu consists of:
- Seared Scallop with Ragout of Tomatoes, Peppers, and Hearts of Palm
- Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Onions, Avocado, and Cilantro
I had heard from my friend Alexis over at Gluten Free in Orlando that both dishes featured were gluten free. This, of course, made me excited and hopeful that they were both dairy free too. Or at least one of them was dairy free. It seemed highly likely that the pork belly was GF/DF.Upon my arrival at the booth, I asked the cast member at the register if she could give me some information about gluten free & dairy free offerings. She immediately said, "I know for sure that both dishes are gluten free. We are getting asked that a lot." Well, yeah, gluten free people like to eat at Food & Wine too! Plus, Disney hasn't released an official map like they did last year due to liability, so I imagine they are getting a lot of questions. I asked if she knew about the dairy, to which she replied, "No." But, she also used the phones they have on hand to radio a chef. When she did, she left it on speaker, so I could hear everything. She asked if either dish contained any kind of dairy and noted that it was a special dietary need not a preference. The chef on the other end stated that both were dairy free. Of course, I wish I had been able to see the ingredients first-hand, but I was pretty confident based on the menu that I found in the festival center for the shrimp, that we were a go.
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| Recipe from the official cookbook for the festival |
I decided to order just the pork belly this time (now I have an excuse to update this post and go back for the scallop). I adore pork belly, so I was hopeful this would be really good.
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| Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Onions, Avocado, and Cilantro |
I will say taste wise, it wasn't bad. The pork belly wasn't as crispy as I would have liked it to be. The black beans were very mild and slightly bland. I liked the avocado and cilantro though. I'm not sure this would be a dish I'd get again and again, but it wasn't bad either. Honestly, I was just excited that a booth had two options that were gluten free & dairy free and didn't contain other options that would pose a big cross contamination risk. The great news about this booth is that the only two dishes they serve are safe for me to eat, so I really enjoyed that.I'm hoping to go back soon and try the scallop, as well.Have you been to this booth yet? What did you think of the gluten free & dairy free options here?
2013 Epcot Food & Wine Festival Gluten Free & some Dairy Free Offerings
*This map is being constantly updated as I find out information first-hand or through other blog readers. This map is meant to be a basic guide to the Food & Wine Festival and is not "official" information from Disney. Please always check with the cast members at each booth to confirm ingredients and safety based on your specific dietary need. If you have an update or addition to this list? Email Sarah at gfdf.wdw@gmail.com Updated 11/10/2013
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| 2013 Food & Wine Map |
International Marketplaces (number matches location number on festival map)1. Terra:
- Watermelon Juice - GF, DF (Sarah confirmed)
2. Brazil:
- Seared Scallop with Ragout of Tomatoes, Peppers, and Hearts of Palm - GF, DF (Sarah confirmed)
- Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Onions, Avocado, and Cilantro - GF, DF (Sarah confirmed)
3. Argentina:
- Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri sauce and Boniato Puree - GF ONLY
4. Australia:
- Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Myrtle and Rapini - GF, DF
6. Singapore
- Lemongrass Chicken Curry with Coconut and Jasmine Rice - GF, DF (Sarah confirmed)
7. China:
- Silk Ice Cream Ribbon (Mango, Strawberry, Coconut) - GF ONLY
9. Africa:
- Berber Style Beef with Onions, Jalapenos, Tomato, Okra, and Pap - GF (no confirmation if this is also DF) *This location has been warned for increased cross-contamination risks.
10. Cheese:
- Ask for cheese without the bread to make GF ONLY
12. Germany:
- Roast Bratwurst in a Pretzel Roll (ORDER WITHOUT THE BUN, *Note you can get an Udi's GF, DF bun at Sommerfest) - GF, DF
17. Florida Local
- Florida Shrimp Ceviche with Fire Roasted Vegetables and Micro Cilantro - GF, DF (Sarah confirmed)
20. New Zealand:
- Venison Sausage with Pickled Mushrooms, Baby Arugula, and Black Currant Reduction - GF, DF
21. Belgium:
- Chilled Coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liqueur - GF ONLY (*There is a potential risk for CC with Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, per the manufacturer)
22. France:
- Creme Brulee au Chocolate au Lait - GF ONLY
23. Ireland:
- Warm Chocolate Pudding with Bailey's Custard - GF (no confirmation if this is also DF but I suspect it is NOT) (*There is a potential risk for CC with Bailey's Liqueur, per the manufacturer)
24. Canada:
- Seared Rainbow Trout with Bacon, Frisee and Maple Minus 8 Vinaigrette - GF (no confirmation if this is also DF)
- "Le Cellier" Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce - GF ONLY (multiple confirmations from readers & Gluten Free in Orlando)
25. Greece:
- Griddled Cheese with Pistachios and Honey - GF ONLY (multiple confirmations from readers & Gluten Free in Orlando)
26. Refreshment Port:
- Orange Dole Whip - GF, DF
See the following images from the Official Food & Wine Festival Cookbook which includes recipes from some of the dishes above. *Note: All of the dishes above were confirmed by me, Gluten Free in Orlando or other blog readers.
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| From Brazil: Seared Scallop with Ragout of Tomatoes, Peppers, and Hearts of Palm |
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| Canada: Seared Rainbow Trout with Bacon, Frisee and Maple Minus 8 Vinaigrette |
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| Australia: Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Myrtle and Rapini |
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| New Zealand: Venison Sausage with Pickled Mushrooms, Baby Arugula, and Black Currant Reduction |
For information on gluten free only reviews, check out my friend Alexis' blog: Gluten Free in Orlando (http://glutenfreeinorlandoflorida.blogspot.com/) Do you have an update or addition to this list? Email Sarah at gfdf.wdw@gmail.com
Food & Wine Festival -- 2012 -- Epcot
- White Corn Arepa with Mangalitsa Pork Rillette and Zellwood Sweet Corn Salad – $4.00
- Florida Shrimp Ceviche with Fire Roasted Vegetables, Fried Plantains and Cilantro – $4.25
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Overall, both had decent size portions for the price and both were really good. I'll be heading back to this booth again! Here is a recipe for the Ceviche from the Florida Local booth found in the 2012 F&W Festival cookbook on sale at Epcot. You can also find it over at the recipes page in a typed format:
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Food and Wine Festival -- 2011 Culinary Demonstration
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| Food & Wine Festival Demonstration with celebrity chef Suvir Saran (as seen in Top Chef Masters) |
I admit it, I love food. I consider myself somewhat of a foodie, in that I like food and good food at that (well, who doesn't?!). Outside of WDW, food allergies have sometimes stifled my ability to eat luxurious meals out. This is why I love WDW so much. I get so spoiled there. However, the one elusive area to me has always been special events. I often find that I don't get very much information from CMs when I call, and I've never been able to get a chef or event planner to contact me about those events (the MK Dessert Party, etc.). So, I've always been a bit trepidatious about trying to participate in an event with the unknown prior to the event. I'd hate to pay $50-$100 for no food or little food. That would be really frustrating (I'm already bummed enough as it is about not getting any cookies at the Christmas Party, but more on that when that review comes out).So when I saw that the food demonstrations were running at a nominal fee ($8-$15), I decided to gamble. I was debating between Chef TJ (the famous Chef TJ--he is amazing!!) or between celebrity chef Suvir Saran who cooks predominately Indian cuisine and is vegan. I was hopeful that even if I couldn't get my food requests in, he might be able to prepare something. I felt better when I purchased tickets because the standard Disney reservation came up, complete with allergy notifications. Of course, I found out later this was for naught.My travel companion and I arrived about 1 hour early, mostly so we could try to find out if we were or were not going to be able to eat anything and also to get a seat. (yes, the line filled up fast for this one and we were lucky to be in the near front of the line). We asked CMs when picking up our tickets. They said to find one of the staff managers setting up, which is what we did. We told them about our allergies and mentioned that we noted it on the reservation (to which they replied that the reservations don't actually do anything with those notifications--I sure hope they change that). Essentially, they went back and got the chef. Of course, we're used to that at WDW, but not with a celebrity chef :) Chef Suvir came out and was very kind and pleasant about the whole thing. He said the dish had some butter in it and the breaf wasn't gluten free. The dish was a Indian inspired shrimp with some type of bread. I mentioned that I knew he was vegan, and that was a big reason I chose to visit his demo. He said he was actually bummed because he wished he had known about the allergies ahead of time because he would have done his whole demo allergy free and vegan. He said not to worry, that he'd whip up some variation. Again, he couldn't have been nicer about it, and was very accommodating (as one can be 1 hour before a demo).We were instructed to let the servers know about our allergies and because it was a smaller group, they were pretty aware. During the demo, they brought us a modification of the dish. The shrimp and sauce were really good. Spicy but also very fresh tasting. The only real "downside" was the stale broken taco shell half that were holding our shrimp. Stale is an understatement. Not very good. But, I can't really fault them, since we had such short notice.
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| Spicy shrimp on a broken taco shell--shrimp was good, taco shell...eh not so much |
Overall, it was a fun experience, but a little disappointing too. I know that it is very hard to accommodate everyone when it's a demonstration or catered event; however, I'd love to see some improvement in the future. Had the reservation with the allergy notation worked, they would have seen that there were food allergies in that party and could have modified the dishes (or at least had a few modifications for us). I made a smart move by choosing a chef that I knew had experience cooking (or preferences at the very least) gluten free/dairy free meals and by arriving early. Otherwise, not much you can do.I hesitate to do any bigger events for this reason, but I'm hopeful that in the future, WDW will be able to do a better job at these events or perhaps have an event solely geared towards food allergies (omg that would be awesome!) Or a GF booth. I'm hopeful. With the new vegan booth in 2012, it's very possible!!!I'd give this a 5 out of 10, but would try a demo in the future. It's lower cost, so the gamble doesn't sting so badly. Maybe I'll give it a try this year with Chef TJ!Do you have any experience with F&W Festival demos or special events? I'd love to hear them!