Scoop!! They’re Out!! The “Food” & Garden Menus are Here!! Yahoo!!

They’re HERE!!  Oh, my gosh, they’re here!  Yes, I am beyond excited!

Sometimes it pays to have a little bit of insomnia!  I decided to pop by Walt Disney World’s web site very early this morning, and this is the “treasure” I found:

Florida Fresh

  • 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

The watermelon salad is very refreshing.  The shrimp and stone ground grits were one of the best in the show last year … as far as we were concerned.

Shrimp 'n Grits

2013’s Shrimp ‘n Grits

Hanami (Japan)

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

The hand roll and sushi intrigue me.  The “Frushi” was a popular pick in 2013.

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Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)

Tacos al pastor – achiote-marinated Pork Corn Taco (tortilla) filled with, 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

Liking the sound of that marinated pork.  Did I ever tell you I like to marinate my pork in Woodford Reserve bourbon?  No?  Well, that’s a story for another day.

Fleur de Lys (France)

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

Did someone say, “Duck confit?”

Lotus House (China)

Beijing-style Candied Strawberries
Spring Pancake with grilled chicken and green apple
Vegetable Spring Rolls

Forida’s, aforementioned, shrimp and stone ground grits finished at #4 in our Final Top 20 last year.  China’s spring pancake finished at #3.  They are outstanding!

2013's Spring Pancake

2013’s Spring Pancake

Pineapple Promenade

Pineapple soft serve Dole Whip
Pineapple soft serve Dole Whip with Myers’s Dark Rum
Pineapple soft serve Dole Whip with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
Sweet Potato Cinnamon Waffle with pineapple soft serve

TWO rum selections this year.  Count ’em!  TWO!!

2013's Dole Whip with Rum

2013’s Dole Whip with Rum

Primavera Kitchen (Italy)

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

Oh, I hope the manicotti can rival Food & Wine’s ravioli!

Taste of Marrakesh (Morocco)

Lamb Brewat Roll with prunes and sesame
Harissa Chicken Kebab with couscous salad
Baghrir – Moroccan pancake with honey, almonds and argan oil

The kebab has a chance with me.  What is a brewat roll?

Urban Farm Eats

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

I cannot wait to try a ghost-pepper dusted anything!  This has got to be spicy!

The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews (American Adventure)

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

Last year’s champ (the yummy pig slider) and runner-up (beef brisket) return!  Yahoo!!

2013's #1!  Pig Slider!

2013’s #1! Pig Slider!

2013's #2! Smoked Brisket!

2013’s #2! Smoked Brisket!

The Buttercup Cottage (United Kingdom)

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

It took us two tastings before the cheddar cheese biscuit grew on us in 2013.  I’m looking forward to the pork and apple sausage roll.

2013's Cheddar Cheese Biscuit

2013’s Cheddar Cheese Biscuit

Intermissions Café (Festival Center)

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

THERE you have it!  We waited, and waited … and, then, we waited some more!  But, they’re HERE!!  For the full layout, visit Walt Disney World’s page dedicated to the Outdoor Kitchens at the 2014 Epcot® International Flower & Garden Festival.

In the meantime, here’s a few of my initial thoughts …

I am very pleased.  Four of All in WDW’s 2013 Top 5 are returning for an encore this year!

I am going to miss the U.K.’s baked goat’s brie with kumquat chutney.  It was, surprisingly, phenomenal.  Will Florida Fresh’s kumquat pie be an adequate replacement?  We will see.

I’m surprised that Germany has been left out of the “mix” this year.  Even though it still wasn’t among the best, their “Food” & Garden offering in 2013 impressed me much more than anything they’ve put forth for Food & Wine!

What do you guys think?  We want to hear what you’d like to try!  Leave a comment here, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

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