It’s hard to believe that Mrs. All in WDW and I returned to the “real world” only a week ago. SO much has happened since we finished enjoying our tour through Epcot’s 2013 International Food & Wine Festival that it seems like the whole experience happened ages ago!
What have we been up to in the past week?
Well, we’ve seen all three of our appearances on Travel with Rick. His episodes covering Brazil, Australia, and Singapore were a blast to record! Did you catch them? We can’t wait for our next opportunity to join Rick in bringing the best of WDW to you – our fans!
The FREE (!!!) All in WDW Food & Wine ’13 Pre-Festival e-Book has hit the ‘net with quite a few of you requesting a copy. If you’re going to Food & Wine, take our e-Lists with you. Send an email to [email protected] for your FREE copy. Did I already say “FREE”? Oh, and here’s a secret … work on the first revision is already underway! Stay tuned!
Finally, our local “super-computer” has been busily digesting variable after variable in a valiant effort to re-forge the All in WDW Pre-Festival Top 25 into its final form. And, just this morning, it issued our honorable (and dishonorable) mentions.
So, here you are … follow along for the next few days as we proudly introduce the official All in WDW 2013 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Final Top 25! Bon appetit!
Starting at the bottom – with a “Dishonorable” Mention – if you followed our crusade through World Showcase, you know where I’m heading. You “got” me again, Germany. You used false advertising (unfounded rumors, actually) to reel me in, and I got “burned”. Same ‘ole breakfast sausage, same super-small bun. For us, it goes without saying that this item weighs in as “Not Recommended”.
Roast Bratwurst – Germany
Germany! What were you thinking?!
Actually, I’m going to be-labor this point a bit. The best part of this dish was the “hidden Mickey” mustard! Germany, you REALLY have to step it up in 2014. In fact, I don’t know what your problem is! I already did the work for you! Did you even read what I wrote in my piece – Imagineering Food & Wine: Germany – on Kingdom Magic Vacations’ Blog? No, you didn’t. Here …
“For 2013, given the chance to write the menu, I would lean back on one of my favorite dishes (and, a traditional German favorite) – Pork Schnitzel. I would bread it in Panko and cover it with a delicious gravy. Then, I would serve Beef Sauerbraten with Potato Dumplings.”
Would that REALLY be so hard, Germany? Really? Arrgh!
When I presented the Pre-Festival Top 25, I mentioned that we’d likely try a few of the items from just ‘off’ the list – the Honorable Mentions, as it were. Well, we tried three, but only one was a success. We’ll talk about that dish later, but Greece’s Taste of Greece and New Zealand’s Venison Sausage, by our account, are, also, “Not Recommended”.
Venison Sausage – New Zealand
My initial comments say it all. “I think the black currant reduction was too sweet. And, I didn’t like the overall taste of the [sausage].” Was it the venison? Was it the way the meat was seasoned? I don’t know, but this plate was a ‘no go’.
Pre-Festival (Honorable Mention): Venison Sausage (New Zealand)
Taste of Greece – Greece
The htipiti (a dip of feta cheese and roasted red peppers) at the top left in the picture was outstanding. The eggplant dip (greenish and near the bottom right) was only so-so. Likewise, the calamari (see the little white bits near the olives?) wasn’t especially noteworthy. The dish was good but not great, and one serving was plenty.
Pre-Festival (Honorable Mention): Taste of Greece (Greece)
Lemongrass Chicken Curry – Singapore
A surprise member of the “final” Honorable Mention list is going to be Singapore’s Lemongrass Chicken Curry.
Pre-Festival #22: Lemongrass Chicken Curry (Singapore)
If you recall, Singapore’s curry entered Food & Wine’s Opening Weekend at a pre-ranking of #22. Well, as I reported earlier in this post, one of our pre-festival “honorables” fared quite well in its unscheduled tasting. Since that “mystery” dish makes its way into All in WDW’s Final Top 25, something has to fall out of the pre-festival ranking and into “oblivion”. Sorry, Singapore. Quoting Rick Howard, ‘You did it to yourself’.
Singapore is simply another marketplace that did not read my “imagineering” work on Kingdom Magic Vacations’ Blog. They would have learned that they should have upgraded their menu by adding Butter Chicken in 2013. If they had heeded my advice, I’m sure they would have had a “winner”!
My friends, the real results start tomorrow. Please stop back to find out what dishes finished at #’s 21 to 25 in the official All in WDW 2013 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Final Top 25!
