Epcot's 16th Annual International Food & Wine Festival: Introduction & International Marketplaces

With Epcot's 16th Annual International Food & Wine Festival just over a month away the anticipation is building! This years theme is "A Passport to a World of Flavors" and features beautiful vintage style passport and travel icons, such as the 2011 logo seen below.

The six week festival serves up sips and tastes from countries spanning six continents. More than 25 international marketplaces showcase tapas sized portions of a vast array of dishes, ranging in price from $2 to $8. More details on the International Marketplaces will follow in this post, but for now here are some fun facts on the festival:

• Features more than 300 national and international wines
• Spans 45 days
• Offers 76 different tapas sized international bites
• Showcases more than 160 of America's most celebrated chefs and Walt Disney World Resort chefs
• Hosts 1,200 beer and wine seminars on over 100 topics
• Serves 33,000 bottles of wine and champagne
• Features 135 "Eat to the Beat" concert performaces
• Uses 1.2 million appetizer sized cocktail plates, 2.1 million Vanity Fair napkins, 750,000 beer cups, 690,000 sumptuous samples, 600,000 forks, 338,000 wine glasses, 100,000 miniature desserts, 3,000 gallons of soup and 1,500 pounds of strawberries!

Now, if that didn't make you hungry I don't know what will! The festival is open to all guests with Epcot admission and while there are some special events that will cost extra, be sure to stop by the Festival Center to experience the events included with the price of admission such as the Authentic Taste seminars and Authors Without Borders programs with special book signings. Also, check out the nightly the "Eat to the Beat!" concert series.

The International Marketplaces are the heart and soul of the Food & Wine Festival. They represent what the festival is all about, trying new dishes, experiencing new cultures and enjoying culinary adventures! In fact, this year Disney is offering guests a fun (and free!) souvenir. It's called the Marketplace Discovery Passport and it is available the the Festival Center and the Festival Store located at the entrance to World Showcase. These passports can be stamped at each International Marketplace to commemorate what delicious delights you sampled throughout the festival.

2011 brings three new marketplaces to the festival, Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Portugal! These booths feature exciting items such as Hawaii's Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet & Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise and the Seven Tiki Mai Tai (both pictured below, images courtesy of The Walt Disney Company). The Caribbean offers ropa vieja, a braised beef dish served over rice, and of course, jerk chicken! The intense flavors of Portugal will be showcased in a calamari salad with olives and smoked paprika as well as the traditional egg custard dessert, pastel de nata.

Kaula Pork Slider with Sweet & Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise

                              

Seven Tiki Mai Tai (and a hidden Mickey!)

So, I'm sure you are all wondering what the other International Marketplaces have to offer for 2011. Well, here is the complete list:

Australia

• Shrimp on the Barbie with Pepper Berry Citrus Glaze
• Grilled Lamp Chop with Potato-Goat Cheese Salad and Shiraz Reduction
• Lamington (chocolate and coconut covered yellow cake)
• Penfolds “Koonunga Hill” Chardonnay
• Greg Norman Estates Shiraz, Limestone Coast
• Lindeman’s “Bin 90” Moscato
• Penfolds “Thomas Hyland” Cabernet Sauvignon
  

Brazil

• Brazil’s National Dish - Feijoada (a black bean and pork stew)
• Seared Mahi Mahi with Steamed Rice, Hearts of Palm and Coconut-Lime Sauce
• LeBlon Frozen Caipirinha cocktail
  

Argentina

• Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Purée
• Beef Empanada
• Terrazas Reserva Chardonnay
• Terrazas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
• Terrazas Reserva Torrontes
• Terrazas Reserva Malbec
  

Caribbean

• Ropa Vieja (slowly braised beef) with White Rice
• Jerk Spiced Chicken Drumstick with Mango Salsa
• Frozen Rock Coconut Mojito
• Frozen Dragon Berry Colada
  

Mexico

• Rib Eye Tacos
• Shrimp Tacos
• Flan
• Dos Equis Beer
• Lime Strawberry Margarita on the Rocks
• L.A. Cetto Chardonnay
• L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah
  

Scandinavia

• Taste of Scandinavia - Shrimp Salad, Cured Salmon and Herring;
• Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries
• Rice Pudding with Driscoll’s® Only The Finest Berries™
• Carlsberg Beer
• Xante
• Xante Sunshine
  

China

• Black Pepper Shrimp with Sichuan Noodles
• Pork Pot Stickers
• Xinjiang Barbecue Chicken Stick
• Caramel-Ginger Ice Cream
• Tsing Tao Beer
• Dragon’s Hollow Chardonnay
• Green Tea Plum Wine Cooler
• Happy Lychee
  

South Korea

• Lettuce Wraps with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw
• Boolgogi BBQ Beef with Steamed Rice and Kimchi
• Myung Jak Bokbunjajoo (Raspberry Wine)
• Charm Soon Soju
• Bek Se Ju (Herbal Rice Wine)
  

South Africa

• Seared Filet of Beef with Smashed Sweet Potatoes and Braai Sauce
• Bunny Chow (Vegetable Curry in a Bread Loaf)
• La Capra Chardonnay
• La Capra Sauvignon Blanc
• La Capra Pinotage
• La Capra Shiraz

Cheese

• Cheese Fondue with Sourdough Bread
• Artisan Cheese Selection with Sweet Grass Dairy Thomasville Tomé, Delice de Bourgogne, Wyngaard Chevre Affineurs Goat Gouda
• Sterling Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Vitners Collection
• Sterling Riesling Vitners Collection
• Sterling Pinot Noir Vitners Collection
• Sterling Meritage Vitners Collection
  

Brewer's Collection

• Radeberger Pilsner (German Pilsner)
• Altenmünster Oktoberfest
• Altenmünster Dunkel
• Hövels
• Schöfferhofer Weizen
• Braufactum Indra
• Braufactum Roog (Smoked Wheat Bier)
• Sion Kölsch
  

Germany

• Goulash Suppe
• Nuernberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll
• Apple Strudel Featuring Werther’s Original Karamel Sauce and Vanilla Sauce
• Selbach-Oster Estate Spatlese
• Selbach JH Riesling Kabinett
• Selbach JH Riesling QbA
• Selbach JH Riesling Classic
• Radeberger Pilsner (German Pilsner)
• Altenmünster Dunkel

Poland

• Kielbasa and Potato Pierogie with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream;
• Golabki (pork-stuffed cabbage)
• Belvedere Strawberry Chiller
  

Italy

• Ravioli Di Formaggio all’Emiliana (baked cheese ravioli with creamy beef Bolognese sauce, Parmesan cheese, and melted mozzarella)
• Cappellini con Gamberi Piccanti (cappellini pasta with spicy shrimp)
• Cannoli al Cioccolato(chocolate-covered cannoli shell filled with sweet ricotta cheese, chocolate, and candied fruit)
• Primavera Smoothie
• Fantinel Prosecco
• Placido Chianti
• Placido Pinot Grigio
• Moretti beer

Hops & Barley 

• Linda Bean’s Lobster Claw Cuddler® with Drawn Butter
• Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster Roll®
• Pumpkin Mousse with Ocean Spray® Craisins® Brand Dried Cranberries and Orange Sauce
• Samuel Adams Boston Lager®
• Samuel Adams® Octoberfest
• Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat®
• 16th Anniversary Festival Beer - Boston Ale
• Samuel Adams Light®
• Samuel Adams® Cream Stout
• Latitude 48 IPA
• Samuel Adams® Blackberry Witbier
  

Singapore

• Shrimp Cake on a Sugarcane Skewer with Singapore Noodles
• Beef Rendang (coconut-braised beef) with Jasmine Rice
• Singapore Sling
• Tiger Beer
  

Japan

• Spicy Tuna Roll
• California Sushi Roll
• Tuna and Salmon Sensation
• Pork Kakuni
• Kirin Draft Beer
• Sake: Itami Onigoroshi
• Sake: Junmai Ginjo Masumi
• Tokyo Sunset
  

New Zealand

• Seared Sea Scallop with Kumara-Red Curry Puree and Apple Radish Salad
• Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney
• Mohua Sauvignon Blanc
• Mohua Central Otago Riesling
• Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc
• Whitehaven Pinot Noir
  

Morocco

• Kefta Pocket (ground seasoned beef in a pita pocket)
• Harissa Chicken Roll
• Baklava
• Casa Beer
• Ksar White
• Sangria
• Royale Mimosa
  

Portugal

• Calamari Salad with Fennel, Smoked Paprika and Olive Oil
• Linguica Sausage with Onions, Peppers, and Olives
• Pastel de Nata
• Fonseca JM Periquita Moscato
• Fonseca JM Periquita
• Fonseca Bin 27 Port
  

Belgium

• Steamed Mussels with Roasted Garlic Cream and a Baguette
• Belgium Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
• Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashell Truffles
• Stella Artois
• Hoegaarten
• Leffe
• Godiva Chocolate Liqueur Ice Coffee
  

France

• Escargots Persillade en Brioche (garlic and parsley snails in brioche)
• Coq au Vin sur gratin de macaroni” (red wine-braised chicken, mushrooms, pearl onions and macaroni gratin)
• Crème Brûlée au Chocolat au Lait (chocolate milk crème brûlée topped with caramelized sugar)
• Chardonnay, Bouchard Aîné & Fils
• Merlot, Chateau de Beauregard-Ducourt, Bordeaux
• Sparkling Pomegranate Kir
• Parisian Cosmo Slush (Ciroc Vodka, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice)
  

Ireland

• Lobster & Scallop Fisherman’s Pie
• Kerrygold® Cheese Selection: (Aged-Irish Cheddar, Dubliner and Ivernia Cheese) with Apple Chutney and Brown Bread
• Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Ganache
• Guinness Draught
• Bunratty Meade
  

Canada

• Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
• Maple and Moosehead Beer-Glazed Salmon with Barley Salad
• Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta
• Moosehead Beer
• Neige
• Neige Sparkling
  

Greece

• Greek Salad with Pita Bread
• Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey
• Chicken
  Souvlaki with Tzatziki
• Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt Parfait with Strawberries;
• Skouras St George
• Boutari Moschofilero
• Boutari Kretikos White
  

Desserts & Champagne

• Lemon Chiffon
• White Chocolate Macadamia Mousse with Dark Chocolate Pearls
• Tres Leches Verrine
• Moet & Chandon Ice Imperial
• Moet & Chandon Rose Imperial
• Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial
• Moet & Chandon Imperial
  

Hawai'i

• Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Dole
  Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise
• Tuna Poke with Seaweed Salad and Lotus Root Chips
• Seven Tiki Mai Tai
• Kona Longboard
• Kona Pipeline
  

Craft Beers

• Full Sail IPA
• Sierra Nevada
• Abita - Purple Haze
• Red Hook Pilsner
• Blue Moon
• Leinenkugal
• Key West Sunset Ale
• Widmer Hefeweizen

We still have a lot more festival to explore! Look for upcoming posts detailing culinary and beverage seminars,the Mexico tequila events, the Italy pairings, the Signature dinners and much much more. Only 37 days and counting...