Epcot International Food and Wine Festival 2019 is almost here

Say August 29, 2019 to a Disney fan and most will probably immediately think of the opening of Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge – and have no fear, that is where I will be on August 29. But when I am done exploring all the intergalactic awesomeness that Batuu is sure to hold, maybe a quick jaunt over to Epcot to sample my way around the International Food and Wine Festival for dinner. That is because the Food and Wine Festival is set to kick off this year on August 29!

This festival of deliciousness will run from August 29 through November 23 – allowing so many people to experience the tastes of the festival for themselves. Epcot’s festivals – whether the Food and Wine Festival in the fall, the Flower and Garden Festival every spring or the latest entry to the festival lineup, the Festival of the Arts in the winter – have become a star lineup in Disney’s repertoire to keep fans entertained, and fed!

With so many booths – this will be in 3 (!) parts as we examine each booth, the menu and what past years have brought. And without further ado, a look at what tasty treats await us at this year’s festival

Active Eats: This kiosk isn’t new and is usually tasty and offers some great options for less adventurous eaters – I have to admit, the loaded mac and cheese with a hard sparkling water sounds like what I will be enjoying.
Food:
Loaded Macaroni & Cheese with Nueske’s® Pepper Bacon, Cheddar and Leeks
Spice-crusted Verlasso® Salmon with UNCLE BEN’S® Quinoa & Ancient Grains Medley, Crushed Avocado and Sherry Vinegar (GF)
Fruit and Nut Energy Snack: House-made mixture of Apricots, Almonds, Pecans, Coconut, Puffed Rice and Chocolate Chips (V) (GF)
Beverages:
M.I.A. Beer Company HRD WTR Key Lime Hard Sparkling Water, Doral, FL
L’Ecole No. 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vines, Columbia Valley, WA
Evolution by Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Africa: This kiosk never disappoints for me – the hardest part is usually just picking one option. The shrimp and some Chenin Blanc sounds like a perfect combination of spicy and soothing.
Food:
Kenyan Coffee Barbecue Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato and Corn Mealie Pap and Kachumbari Slaw
Spicy Kenyan Vegan Githeri with White Beans, Pigeon Peas, Curry Rice Pilaf and Kachumbari Slaw (V)
Piri Piri Skewered Shrimp with Citrus-scented Couscous
Beverages:
Tusker Lager
Cederberg Chenin Blanc, South Africa
Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz, Western Cape
Groot Constantia Pinotage, Constantia

The Alps: This is another returning kiosk but I must admit, I don’t remember it – so it is new to me! This is another one that it all sounds good. I know that my husband will probably want the venison, my daughter will want the cheese…so I may just defer and steal some of each!
Food:
Warm Raclette Swiss Cheese with Baby Potatoes, Cornichons and Baguette (V)
Venison Stew with Crushed Potatoes
Blueberry and Almond Frangipane Tart with Crème Fraîche Cream and Blue Diamond® Almonds (V)
Beverages:
Domaine CARREL et Fils Eugène Jongieux Blanc
Cave De La Côte Rosé Gamay, Romand
René Favre Dôle, Chamoson
Frozen Rosé

Appleseed Orchard: This one really is new! It looks like the stars of this kiosk are the ciders – which is fine, but I think I would like to see a non-alcoholic cider here as well. I will have to see what the Frozen Apple Pie is to go with my charcuterie and cheese plate.
Food:
Charcuterie and Cheese Plate featuring Burton’s Maplewood Farm Applejack Brandy Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
Caramel-Apple Popcorn
Beverages:
Frozen Apple Pie (non-alcoholic)
M.I.A. Beer Company Apple Trappe Belgian-Style Tripel Ale, Doral, FL
Playalinda Brewing Co. Apple Pie Beer, Titusville, FL
Sea Dog Brewing Co. Green Apple Ale, Clearwater, FL
Ciderboys Lemon Cello Hard Cider, Stevens Point, WI
Collective Arts Brewing Cherry Apple Hard Cider, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Woodchuck Hard Cider Spiced Apple, Middlebury, VT
Forge Cellars Dry Riesling Classique, Seneca Lake
Conundrum Red Blend, California
Amavi Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley
tenshən Rhône Style White Blend, Central Coast
Lang & Reed Wine Company Cabernet Franc, North Coast
Frog’s Leap Zinfandel, Napa Valley
Kurt Russell’s Gogi Wines Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
Apple Blossom Sky: Fanta® Apple, Ginger Beer, Floodwall Apple Brandy, Burton’s Maplewood Farm Applejack Brandy Barrel Aged Syrup and Mini Marshmallows

Australia: This fan-favorite is back! This is usually one of the kiosks that we are all fighting over who gets the last bite. And it looks like several of our favorites are back! The shrimp are amazing and the lamb chops are my go-to favorite. None of the wines are my favorites, so we will probably skip the beverages on this one.
Food:
Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bushberry Shrimp with Pineapple, Pepper, Onion and Snap Peas (GF)
Roasted Lamb Chop with Sweet Potato Purée, Bushberry Pea Salad and Pistachio-Pomegranate Gremolata (GF)
Deconstructed Pavlova with Pastry Cream, Citrus-macerated Berries and Lemon Myrtle Meringue (GF) (V)
Beverage:
Coopers Brewery Original Pale Ale
Hope Estate “Wollombi Brook” Semillon, Hunter Valley
Franklin Tate Estates Chardonnay, Margaret River
3 Rings Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Belgium: Everyone goes after the waffles, and they are good (I like the berry one better than the chocolate) but let me offer some advice, skip the sweets and grab the beef with potatoes. Let me rephrase that, the gouda mashed potatoes. You will thank me later.
Food:
Beer-braised Beef served with Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes
Golden Malted® Belgian Waffle with Warm Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream (V)
Golden Malted® Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream (V)
Beverages:
Leffe Blonde Belgian Pale Ale
St. Bernardus Witbier
Delirium Red Fruit Beer
Stella Artois Hard Cidre
Chilled Coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Brazil: This booth is a yearly staple. And I have mixed reviews from year’s past – the crispy pork belly is always delish. The cheese bread is always meh and the seafood stew has gone both ways…so having said that, I will definitely be getting the pork belly again – and this year I may just pair it with that frozen caiprinha.
Food:
Moqueca: Brazilian Seafood Stew featuring Scallops, Shrimp and White Fish with Coconut-Lime Sauce and Steamed Rice
Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Tomato and Onions (GF)
Pão de Queijo: Brazilian Cheese Bread (GF) (V)
Beverages:
M.I.A. Beer Company Barbossa Black Beer, Doral, FL
Quinta de Azevedo Vinho Verde, Portugal
Quinta do Crasto Douro Tinto, Portugal
Frozen Caipirinha featuring LeBlon Cachaça

Canada: I may have to turn in my Disney fanatic card when I admit this – I am not a fan of this booth. Neither of these options are my favorite at Le Cellier and so to bring them out to the kiosk is just not my cup of tea. So *gasp* I will probably skip this one.
Food:
Canadian Cheddar Cheese and Bacon Soup served with a Pretzel Roll
Le Cellier Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce (GF)
Beverages:
Collective Arts Saint of Circumstance Citrus Blonde, Hamilton, Ontario
Château Des Charmes Vidal Icewine, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Château Des Charmes Merlot, St. David’s Bench

The Cheese Studio hosted by Boursin Cheese: Boursin was one of those novelty items that I always saw in the grocery story and never bought – did you cook with it, did you put it on crackers? It is the cheese that I am confused by – UNTIL (!) I found a recipe for a chicken dish coated in Boursin and then wrapped in puff pastry. Oh my yummy. Anyway, I digress – there is literally nothing on this menu that doesn’t look delish to me, so picking just one may be tough (but since I skipped Canada, maybe i can justify doubling up?)
Food:
Braised Beef “Stroganoff” with Tiny Egg Noodles, Wild Mushrooms and Boursin® Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce
Black Pepper Boursin® Soufflé with Fig Marmalade (V)
Maple Bourbon Cheesecake with Maple Bourbon Cream, Caramel and Pecan Crunch (V)
Beverages:
Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Blueberry Wine, St. Petersburg, FL
La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey
Domaine Saint André de Figuière Rosé, Côtes de Provence
Alta Vista Estate Malbec, Mendoza

China: Every festival I check the menu and every year I am disappointed that my candied strawberries haven’t returned. I suppose I will have to suffer through the Wuxi spareribs and a Year of the Piggy.
Food:
Wuxi Spareribs
Chicken Dumplings with Chinese Slaw
Mala Chicken and Shrimp Bao Bun
Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic Noodles
Beverages:
Mango Bubble Tea with Assam Black Tea and Milk (Non-alcoholic)
Jasmine Draft Beer
Happy Peach: Peach Liqueur and Dark Rum
Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec, Mango Syrup and Orange Juice
Byejoe Punch: Chinese Bai Jiu Spirit, Lychee, Coconut and Pineapple Juice
Year of the Piggy: Light Rum, Triple Sec, Lychee Syrup, Lime Juice and Sprite

Stay tuned this week for the remainder of the kiosks and treats we can expect to see at this year’s International Food and Wine Festival!