Food and Wine Festival Booths and Offerings Announced!

As you all know by now, Kristin will be in Disney World for the food and wine festival this year and she's more excited than words can truly convey. I'm so jealous that I could almost cry when I think about it! Even though I can't be there, I can live vicariously through her while salivating over the types of foods she may (or may not) be tasting. This year, there will be 29 booths, including 2 new ones: a booth of local Floridian flavors and a booth they are calling "Terra," which features vegan offerings.

Are you ready for the break down of the offerings? Because here it comes!!!!

Australia:
Shrimp on the Barbie with Pepper Berry Citrus Glaze
Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies
Lamington (Chocolate and Coconut covered Yellow Cake)

Beverages
Rosemount Estate Taminer Riesling
Rosemount Estate Chardonnay Semillon
Rosemount Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Shiraz
Rosemount Estate Shiraz Cabernet


Argentina:
Beef Empanada
Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Puree

Beverages
Terrazas Reserva Chardonnay
Terrazas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
Terrazas Reserva Torrontes
Terrazas Reserva Malbec


Belgium:
Steamed Mussles in Hoegaarden Beer Broth and Baguette
Belgian Wallfe with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashell Truffles

Beverages
Hoegaarden
Stella Artois
Leffe Blonde
Leffe Brune
Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Iced Coffee


Brewer's Collection:
Beverages only
Radeberger Pilsner
Altenmunster Oktoberfest
Altenmunster Dunkel
Hovels
Schofferhofer Weizen
Schofferhofer Grapefruit
Berliner Kindl Dark
Sion Kolsch


Canada:
Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta and "Minus 8" Onion Jam
"Le Cellier" Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce

Beverages
Neige Premier Apple Ice Wine
Neige Bubble
Mission Hill Family Estate Syrah
Moosehead Beer


Caribbean:
Ropa Vieja with Cilantro Rice
Jerk Spic Chicken Drumstick with Mango Chutney

Beverages
Bacardi Frozen Dragon Berry Colada
Bacardi Torched Cherry Frozen Cherry Limeade


Cheese:
Cheese Fondue with Sourdough Bread
Trio of Artisan Cheeses: Beecher's Flagship Reserve Cheddar, La Bonne Vie Goat Brie and Rogue River Creamery Echo Mountain Blue Cheese

Beverages
Sterling Vintner's Collection Sauvignon Blanc
Sterling Vintner's Collection Riesling
Sterling Vintner's Collection Pinot Noir
Sterling Vintner's Collection Meritage 


China
Mongolian Beef with Chinese Steamed Bun
Pork Pot Stickers
Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce and Pickled Vegetables
Mango Tapioca Pudding

Beverages
Tsing Tao Beer
Francis Ford Coppola Su Yuen Riesling
Francis Ford Coppola Su Yuen Syrah
Happy Lychee with Vodka
Sunny Guava with Coconut Rum 


Craft Beer
Beverages Only
Wimer Rotator IPA: Spice IPA, Portland, OR
Red Hook Pilsner, Portsmouth, NH
Blue Moon Seasonal, Golden, CO
Leinenkugel Berry Weiss, Chippewa Falls, WI
Florida Beer Company's Devil's Triangle, Florida
Abita Purple Haze, Louisianna
Full Sail IPA, Oregon
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Nevada


Desserts and Champagne
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Orange Cake, Raspberries and Pomegranate
Lemon Custard Verrine with Blueberry Compote
Dark Chocolate Mousse with Chili and Salted Caramel

Beverages
Nesquick Frozen Chocolate Foam
Nesquick Frozen Strawberry Foam
Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial
Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial
Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial
Moet & Chandon Imperial


Fife and Drum
Beverages only
Red Stag Lemonade by Jim Beam®
Red Stag Honey Tea Lemonade by Jim Beam® 


Florida Local - NEW BOOTH!
White Corn Arepa with Mangalitsa Pork Rilette and Zellwood Sweet Corn Salad
Florida Shimp Ceviche with Fire Roasted Vegetables, Fried Plantains and Cilantro

Beverages
Florida Beer Company Florida Lager
Florida Beer Company Key West Southernmost Wheat
Florida Orange Grove Key Limen
Florida Orange Grove Hurricane Class 5, Florida White Sangria


France:
Escargots Persillade en Brioche
Coq au Vin sur Gratin de Macaroni
Creme Brulee au chocolat au lait

Beverages
Chardonnay, Bouchard aine & Fils
Merlot, Chateau de Mercade Bordeaux
Sparkling Pomegranate Kir
Eiffel Sour Cosmo Slush


Germany:
Schinken Nudel (Pasta Gratin with Ham and Cheese)
Roast Bratwurst in Pretzel Roll
Apple Strudel with Karamel-Vanilla Sauce

Beverages
Selbach-Oster Estate Spatlese
JH Selbach Riesling Classic
JH Selbach Riesling QbA Red Label
Niersteiner Spiegelberg Dornfelder
Radeberger Pilsner
Altenmunster Dunke


Greece:
Greek Salad with Pita Bread
Griddle Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey
Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki
Spanakopita
Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt Cups

Beverages
Domaine Skouras Moscofilero
Domain Skoura St. George
Sigalas Assytiko
Alpha Axia Syrah


Hawai'i:
Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise
Tuna Poke with Seaweed Salad and Lotus Root Chips

Beverages
Seven Tiki® Mai Tai
Heitz Cellar Chardonnay
Kona Brewing Company Big Wave Golden Ale
Kona Brewing Company Pipeline Porter


Hops & Barley
Linda Bean's® Lobster Claw Cuddler® Chilled with Herb Mayonnaise
Linda Bean's® Perfect Main Lobster Roll®
Linda Bean's® Maine Home Style Clam Chowder
Pumpkin Mousse with Craisins and Orange Sauce

Beverages
Samuel Adams Boston Lager®
Samuel Adams® Seasonal
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat®
17th Anniversary Festival Beer - Samuel Adams® Chocolate Bock
Samuel Adams Light®
Samuel Adams® Cream Stout
Samuel Adams® Latitude 48 IPA
Angry Orchard Cider


Ireland
Lobster and Seafood Fisherman's Pie
Kerrygold® Cheese Selection: Aged-Irish Cheddar, Dubliner and Cashel Blue with Apple Chutney and         Brown Bread
Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey's Ganache

Beverages
Guinness
Bunratty Mead Honey Wine
Bunratte Potcheene Chilled Irish Coffee


Italy:
Ravioli di Formaggio All'emiliana (Baked Cheese Ravioli, Creamy Beef Bolognese, Parmesan, Mozzarella)
Salsiccia e "Papacelli" Napoletani (Sweet Sausage, Red Pepper, Ciabatta Bread)
Cannoli al Cioccolato (Chocolate-covered Cannoli Filled with Ricotta, Chocolate, Candied Fruit)

Beverages
Moretti Beer
Prosecco Zardetto
Pinot Grigio Mezzacorona
Chianti Castello di Quercetto
Italian Margherita


Japan:
Spicy Hand Roll (Tuna & Salmon with Chili Pepper, Soy Sauce & Sesame Oil Topped with Kazan Volcano Sauce)
Karaage Hand Roll (Crispy Chicken Breast with Sushi Rice and Spicy Mayonnaise)
California Roll (Avocado, Cucumber, Crab, Mayonnaise, Smelt Roe Rolled in Sushi Rice and Seaweed)
Sukiyaki Beef Pan (Marinated Thinly Slice Rib Eye with Sauteed Onions and Teriyaki Sauce Served in a bun)

Beverages
Kirin Ichiban Draft Beer
Sake-Kikusui Super Dry, Junmai
Sake-Bishounen Junmai Ginjo
Sake Strawberry Mist


Mexico:
Crispy Shrimp Taco with Chipotle lime Mayo and Cabbage Served on a Flour Tortilla
Taco de Filete with Cascabel Pepper Sauce and Scallions Served on a Flour Tortilla
Natilla de Cajeta (Caramel Custard Served with Sauce)

Beverages
Dos Equis Beer
L.A. Cetto Chardonnay
L.A. Cetto Petite Syrah
Lime Strawberry Margarita on the Rocks
Tequila Flight: Tequila Bianco, Reposado and Anejo


Morocco:
Kefta Pocket (Ground Seasoned Beef in a Pita Pocket)
Merguez Sausage (Beef and Lamb Sausage with Grilled Peppers and Onions)
Baklava

Beverages
Casa Beer
Amazigh Red
Sangria
Mimosa Royale


New Zealand:
Seared Sea Scallop with Kumara Red Curry Puree and Apple Radish Salad
Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney

Beverages
Kim Crawford Pinot Grigio
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Kim Crawford Un-Oaked Chardonnay
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir


Poland:
Kielbasa & Potato Pierogie with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream
Zapiekanki-Toasted Mushroom, Caramelized Onion and Cheese Bread with House Made Ketchup

Beverages
Chandon Carneros Chardonnay
Tyskie
Belvedere® Frozen Lemon Apple "Tea" 


Scandanavia:
Taste of Scandanavia: Cured Salmon, Herring and Shrimp Salad
Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries
Rice Pudding with Driscoll's® Only the Finest Berries™

Beverages
Iron Horse Fairytale Cuvee
Xante
Xante Sunshine 


Singapore:
Beef Rendang with Jasmine Rice
Seared Mahi Mahi with Jasmine Rice and "Singa" Sauce

Beverages
Tiger Beer
Marques de Caceres Satinela
Singapore Sling


South Africa:
Seared Filet of Beef with Smashed Sweet Potatoes and Braai Sauce
Spinach and Paneer Cheese Pocket

Beverages
Fairview Savignon Blanc
Fairview Pinotage


South Korea:
Lettuce Wrap with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw
Mung Bean Pancake with Shrimp and Kimchi Sauce

Beverages
Bohae Black Raspberry Wine - Bokbunjajoo
Chung Ha Soju Fruit Slushy
Chung Ha Soju


Terra - NEW BOOTH!
Trick'n Chick'n Curry with Basmati Rice featuring Gardein Chick'n Breast
Chili Colorado with House Made Chips & Cashew Cheese, featuring Gardein Beefless Tips
Chocolate Cake with Passion Fruit Sorbet and Coconut Foam

Beverages
Paul Dolan Sauvignon Blanc
Paul Dolan Pinot Noit
Silk® Berry Smooth   



 Everything looks so tasty but the booths that we're most excited about are Belgium, cheese, dessert & champagne (most the champagne part, but the yogurt panna cotta sounds delectable), the Belevedere® Frozen Lemon Apple Tea from Poland, Terra and a few other offerings like the spinach and paneer cheese pocket from South Africa. If I were able to go with Kristin and Marco, I'd be all over the Mexico and New Zealand booths as well. Normally, Kristin drags Marco to Middle Eastern restaurants all over the New Jersey/New York area. I wonder how he will think WDW's Middle Eastern food compares?

If you're looking for more in depth information on the food and wine festival, or you're looking to book a trip for the festival, check out the following websites. They will be incredibly helpful and should at least stir up your appetite.

Official Disney webpage for the Food and Wine Festival: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/marketplace/

Illuminating EPCOT blog:  http://www.illuminatingepcot.com/food-wine-festival-2012/food-wine-booths/

All Ears (our favorite source for everything Disney): http://allears.net/index.html

Go ahead, tell us what you would be most excited about sampling.

Have a magical day.
Michelle

What is YOUR Favorite?

Like many modern American families, the five of us: myself, my two sister and our parents; are spread across a few states and do not see each other as often as we used to.  One of the ways we maintain our relationships is through frequent texting and often, our texts have a Disney theme.   

Michelle and I may be the authors and administrators at Our Mousecapades, but a love for everything Disney spans our entire family.  We all share a love and a deep sense of nostalgia for Walt Disney World and something we frequently do is text each other our ‘Walt Disney World Favorites’.  This game, usually started by our eldest sister, Melinda, is all about naming your Disney favorites without thinking.  Basically one person will text the other four a question such as “What is your favorite Disney World hotel?” and we answer as quickly as possible, without thinking.  This is also a really fun game to play in person, especially on long car rides!   

We recently spent the bulk of a Sunday night engaged in this game and I thought I would share with you some of our questions and answers:

Q:  Top 5 Rides at WDW?

A:  Soarin’, El Rio del Tiempo (the original), Livin with the Land, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Pirates of the Caribbean, Toy Story Mania ( I know that is 6 rides, but these were the top six shared among everyone)

Q:  Favorite Classic Extinct Disney Attraction?

A:  Horizons, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Journey Into Imagination (the original)

Q:  Favorite Disney Sit-Down Restaurant?

A:  Jiko, The Rose and Crown Pub, The Biergarten

Q:  Favorite Disney Quick Service?

A:  Sunshine Seasons, Columbia Harbor House, Restaurantosaurus

Q:  Favorite Lounge or Place for Drinks?

A:  Victoria Falls Lounge (the overall favorite).  Honorable mentions were the lounge and pool bar at the Polynesian.

Q:  Favorite Disney Sidekick?

A:  Mike Wazowski, Meeko, Stitch (not really a sidekick, but who cares)

Q:  Favorite Disney Parks Snack?

A:  Popcorn or Dole Pineapple Soft Serve.

Q:  Favorite WDW Resort Lobby?

A:  Animal Kingdom Lodge, hands down.  Our Dad was the only one who said something else.  He loves the Polynesian.

Q:  Favorite Fountain in WDW?

A:  The Epcot entrance fountains, the Miss Piggy fountain in front of Muppet Vision 3D, the Spanish mission fountain in front of Pirates of the Caribbean and the fountain of the Venetian God in the Italy Pavilion.

Q:  Favorite Hotel Pool?

A:  Yacht and Beach Club!  Everyone loves the pool at the Yacht and Beach Club!

Q:  Favorite Classic Disney Cartoon on Disney TV (in the WDW Resort hotel rooms)?

A:  Lambert the Sheepish Lion and Camping Trip

Now, these are just some of the questions we asked each other and every time we play this game we ask each other different questions.  When we get the chance to sit down together as a family, we will sometimes play this game.  This is not only about sharing our Disney favorites, but a great way to bond through sharing our childhood memories.

For information on menus or for exceptional photos of the resorts check out allears.net

So, go, play, have fun and please, share with us the questions and answers your family came up with!  Until next time, have a magical day!

Love,

Kristin

The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue: All You Can Eat and All You Can Laugh

A Disney World family tradition that I will never forget is the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue dinner show. It’s a slap-stick comedic dinner show, loosely based on the traveling vaudeville acts of the 19th century Midwest. Found at Fort Wilderness resort, the Hoop-Dee-Doo does two shows a day, serving up innocent humor and delicious barbeque.

The show begins outside of Pioneer Hall – a large building with a log cabin feel – when someone from the wait staff invites a small child to ring the dinner bell. You follow the line into the hall (of course there is a line) and you’re seated at a table assigned to you when you make your reservation. At the time you make your reservation, you get to choose from three locations: location 1 has the best seats of the house. They are on the main level, along the stage and in the very center of the floor. Location 2 includes the perimeters of the main level, as well as the center section of the mezzanine, while location 3 includes the sides of the mezzanine. As someone who has sat in all three locations, the table assigned to you does not truly affect the many ways in which you can enjoy the show. Certainly, there are very specific tables that involve more interaction with the actors, strictly due to their location and the nightly targeted tables for comedic bits; however, sitting in the mezzanine is equally as enjoyable as sitting right next to the stage.

The tables are covered in red table cloths, with tin plates, red and white checked napkins, a tin bucket full of green salad and a wooden block with fresh made corn bread, accompanied by the most delicious whipped honey butter in existence. The servers take your drink orders and deliver them to your table in mason jars! (In recent years, we’ve been collecting mason jars and using them as glasses, too! It’s a ton of fun.) Unlimited water, soda, juice, milk, beer and sangria are all included in the price of your “ticket,” while anything with hard alcohol will be an additional price clearly marked on the drink menu.

Once everyone is seated, you’ve ordered your drinks and had time to start munching on some leafy greens and tasty corn bread, the Professor and Smiling Jack begin playing away. Together, they entertain you with some toe-tapping ditties on the piano and the banjo; generally, I have known this part of the show to induce quite a bit of off-rhythm clapping from the audience. It’s fun, Midwestern music, expertly played and it continues throughout the show. About 5 – 10 minutes into the music, you suddenly hear a rumble from behind and in storm the Pioneer Hall players: Dolly Drew, Flora Long, Claire DeLune, Six-Bits Slocum, Jim Handy and Johnny Ringo.

A few musical numbers later, and your dinner is being brought to your table: fried chicken, ribs, mashed potatoes, corn and baked beans all served in tin buckets. Everything is all you can eat and everything is pretty delicious, good ol’ fashioned barbeque. (Unfortunately for Kristin, nothing on their standard menu is vegetarian. The standard vegetarian meal offered is grilled vegetables and pasta with marinara sauce. The vegetables are normally zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower. If you’re not going to be filled by this towering plate of veggies, then you should probably think twice about sitting for this dinner show.) Eventually, the show starts up again; however, you’re encouraged to keep eating. Your server will continue to bring you more buckets of food until you’ve decided that you’ve had enough. At the end of the show, “Ma” (the metaphorical head chef) whips up some strawberry shortcake that is served with great fanfare and lots of whipped cream.

As evident, the food at the Hoop – Dee – Doo Revue is very specific; aside from the vegetarian substitution, there are no options on the food menu. Although the food is delicious, from a meat eater’s perspective, you may want to think twice before booking the show if you’re not a fan of fried chicken and ribs. In all honesty, the show can be pricey with adult tickets ranging from $54.99 - $67.99 per person based upon the location of your table. (Luckily, gratuity and taxes are included if you stick to the drinks included in the original price.) If you’re a big “all-you-can-eat” diner and find nothing more enjoyable than barbeque and big laughs, then this dinner show is for you. Nobody rushes you and nobody makes you feel unwelcome.

Now that you have a run down of the food, it’s time to talk about the show! The actors are split up into pairs: Dolly & Six-bits, Flora & Jim, and Claire & Johnny. Each couple has a designated purpose to the show: Flora & Jim are your singing duo; Claire & Johnny are the designated dancers; Dolly & Six-bits provide the most laughs and the most entertaining conflicts. Each couple has some form of a romantic overtone to their interaction, no matter how dysfunctional that romance may be. These six actors spend probably about half the show interacting directly with the diners. Doing everything from singing small rhymes about where people come from to sitting in the laps of gentlemen and asking them to “toot,” these actors get right up in your personal space and make the audience a part of the show. The “big spectacle” at the end of the show requires the participation of 4 willing audience members, picked at random by the actors. It really is a lot of fun and it encourages everyone to laugh and to have a good time. If you don’t leave with your cheeks hurting, then this show was not for you. It’s good natured entertainment and fun for the whole family.

The songs from the show have a tendency to get stuck in your head; therefore, you should be singing them for pretty much your entire life. Unfortunately for me, they recently revamped the music in the show and changed some of my favorite numbers. The opening number was not the same when we saw the show last September and that made me a little sad. However, the opening number that I know and love plays through my head every time I think about this show.

I do not want to give too much away; however, it is an amazingly good time. If you don’t mind interacting with actors and you enjoy eating your weight in barbeque, this is the show for you. It’s an easy boat ride from the Magic Kingdom and, if you’re lucky, the bus driver at the end of the night may drive you directly to your hotel or to a location where it is easy to access a bus to your hotel. Of course, you can always drive to the campgrounds and park in their main parking lot; however, I do not recommend this if you’re planning on indulging in some liquid cheer. Better to be safe and take the bus.

So the next time you’re headed to WDW, maybe you should consider the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue as a fun, care-free dinner experience. You can look up times and prices here: http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hoop-de-doo-musical-revue/

Until next time, here’s a YouTube link to my favorite opening number.

TTFN!

Update

Hello Everyone!

I know Michelle and I haven’t been keeping up with the blog and we apologize.  The past six weeks have been a whirlwind for us and I wanted to write a brief up-date on what has been going on in our lives.  Michelle has been especially busy with her move this coming weekend. She will be relocating to Washington D.C. to pursue a Master’s Degree in museum studies at George Washington University.  So with Michelle’s impending move and my crazy work schedule (I have been working 6 days a week, sometimes 7, for quite sometime now), we have had little time for blogging L.

However, things have quieted down a bit and I am so happy to report that my boyfriend, Marco and I are in the midst of planning a trip to Disneyworld for the up-coming Epcot International Food and Wine festival.  Marco has never been to the food and wine festival and I have only been once.  Needless to say, I LOVED it.  Attending the food and wine festival is, by far, one of my most loved Disney memories and I am so excited to share this experience with my Marco.  I am also so excited to be able to be in DISNEYWORLD on my BIRTHDAY (our travel dates coincide with my 27^th birthday)!  How AWESOME is it going to be to wake up in DISNEYWORLD on my birthday!!!!

Considering I have been the one to plan most of the Disney trips, I have decided to let Marco plan this one.  Marco loves the idea of staying at the Beach Club; he loves the location, the convenience to be able to walk to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios and he also loves the laid back décor and comfortable feeling the Beach Club resort offers.  However, considering the Beach Club is in a PRIME location, especially during food and wine, accommodations are a bit pricey. I have an annual pass, so we are anxiously waiting to hear what kinds of annual pass discounts Disney is offering for our travel dates.  If, even with the discount the Beach Club is out of our price range, we will be shacking up at The Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Information about annual pass discounts can be found at:

http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#discountmenu 

Or, if you have already booked you room, go ahead and call the Walt Disney World Accommodations line directly.  If the discount for the time you will be staying is still in effect, a representative will be more than happy to help you.

Another great thing I have discovered: Dunkin Donuts and JetBlue have partnered, offering a 10% discount on ANY JetBlue flight when you purchase certain 1lb bags of Dunkin Donuts coffee.  The discount is good for any one-way or round trip ticket to any available JetBlue destination as long as the ticket costs at least $100.  Unfortunately, the offer is only valid if you are flying out of Newark-Liberty International Airport in NJ or JFK, LaGuardia or Westchester County Airports in New York.  This is very convenient for us, considering Newark is our closest airport.  The flights need to be booked between July 1^st and September 4^th for any flight departing between September 5^th and November 7^th.   More information can be found here:   http://boardingarea.com/blogs/dealswelike/2012/07/05/10-off-jetblue-coupons-at-dunkin-donuts/

Well, that is all for now.  I will keep you up-dated on our travel plans.  Expect a review of the annual passholder benefits to be up soon as well!  Now if only I could decide where I want to celebrate my birthday dinner?  Jiko?  La Hacienda de San Angel?  Victoria and Alberts?

Have a Magical Day,

Kristin J