Tag Archives: Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

Which Marvel Avenger are YOU?!

Good MORNING, Disney fans!  How are you on this fine Monday?  Are your busy weekends finally over?

What a weekend it was!  We’re having great weather down here in the Deep South.  Atlanta is bursting with activities.  How is the early Summer by you?

If you were busy this weekend, here’s what you missed …

On Saturday, I got the chance to experience the best of Southern cuisine at the 12th annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival.  The food was great.  The crowds were crazy.  Stop back and take a look at all the pics!

We also voted for our favorite Marvel Avenger.  If you didn’t get your chance, click the link a few words back and name your favorite.

For now, my man, is winning by an ever-slim margin.  Yeah, that’s right.  Iron Man rocks!

Man Anime

And, if that’s not enough, check out this next bit. While I was surfing the ‘net this weekend, I found this link … “Which character from ‘The Avengers’ are you?”

It only takes a few minutes to play, but it’s pretty fun.  Which Avenger character do you share the most personality traits with?  I took the challenge.

Despite my admiration for one particular character (uh, see the picture above), I answered the questions fairly and honestly.  I promise.  I was rewarded.  The quiz tells me …

“You are full of bravado, even though you’re secretly vulnerable.  You are snarky and quick-witted and sometimes that can rub people the wrong way.  However, you can also be counted on to back up your friends when it matters.  You’re easy to love and hate, often in the same moment.”

Just like Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, it declares!  Yeah, Iron Man!  Please come back and tell us … which Marvel Avenger are YOU?!

Oh, My! Atlanta Food & Wine Bedlam!

Bedlam!  It was absolute bedlam, I tell you! Chaos!

The 2014 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival was a complete mad house!  The 12th annual version of this foodie paradise resembled Disney’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival not in the least.

Welcome to Food & Wine!

Welcome to Food & Wine!

OK.  Like Epcot’s event, the food was good. Getting to the food, however?  Oh, boy, what a mess.  This is what it looked like shortly before we decided to call it a day …

Wall-to-wall people!

Wall-to-wall people!

Lines?  Uh, no.  Within that mass of people, there were no lines.  How did you know you weren’t stepping in someone’s way as you squeezed in front of a table to sample the chef’s cuisine?  You didn’t.

Uh, excuse me. Where's the line?

Uh, excuse me. Where’s the line?

I will never complain about long lines at Epcot’s party ever again.  Well, OK.  I probably will, but in comparison to Atlanta’s anarchy, Disney’s organization and queues are top-notch.

Pictures?  Forget it!  I shot what I could, and you’ll see them below, but with these two souvenirs in hand, I couldn’t hold food and an iPhone.

Thanks for the glasses!

Thanks for the glasses!

Of course, it was great to get a commemorative wine glass.  Especially since that’s what you needed to use to drink your samples of wine … and beer.  I even snagged a second one on the way out of the festival!

It was also great to have a cold, full glass of Stella Artois handed to you in the 90 degree Atlanta heat.  Even more generous, they told us to keep the glass!  But, uh, I should have prepared better and brought a backpack.  Or, a bag.

The food WAS good.  What we could get to, that is.  We had a LOT of BBQ.  Ribs.  Brisket sliders.  Pork belly.

Brisket slider.

Brisket slider.

Pork belly.

Pork belly.

But, the best of the bunch – maybe the best morsel at the entire show but something I, unfortunately, didn’t manage to eat enough of – was a piece of bacon-wrapped chicken.  Why was it so good?

Cream cheese-stuffed jalapeño.  When you bit into the bacon-wrapped chicken, you were blasted by the phenomenal flavor of the cream cheese-stuffed jalapeño hidden inside.  I can’t describe how good it was.

Uh, can I have the whole tray please?!

Uh, can I have the whole tray please?!

We went back before we left in order to try it again, as well as to get more pictures of its deliciousness, but they had sold out and closed down shop.  I’m going to miss that lovely little mouthful.

Anyway, this is what I’ve got.  I wanted to be able to post more food, but this wasn’t Epcot.  There was no slow and leisurely stroll from “booth” to “booth”.  There were no tables to stand by while we dined and took photos.

It was BEDLAM!  But, it was a fun experience.  Would I do it again?  Maybe not.  Too many people!  Will I miss that bacon-wrapped chicken.  Oh, yes, I will.

A peaceful BBQ "booth" ... a bit before the masses arrived.

A peaceful BBQ “booth” … a bit before the masses arrived.

Before it really got packed?!

Before it really got packed?!

Fried oyster and goat cheese.

Fried oyster and goat cheese.

A delicately prepared poached fish.

A delicately prepared poached fish.

A catfish slider prepared by Coast restaurant. I only point that out because its down the street from our apartment.

A catfish slider prepared by Coast. I only point that out because Coast is down the street from our apartment.

A deliciously prepared scallop. The accompanying risotto was awesome!

A deliciously prepared 1/2 scallop. The accompanying risotto was awesome!

Brats prepared on a Big Green Egg.

Brats with a mild “kimchee-type” slaw were prepared on a Big Green Egg.

Chef preparing servings of guinea fowl.

Chef preparing servings of guinea fowl.

How could you not end with a dessert of cherry-habanero pie?

How could you not end with a dessert of cherry-habanero pie?

Thank Goodness! The Pork Belly Returns!

Oh, so I’m days late on the latest Food & Wine ’14 “newsflash”.  You know me.  I do Food & Wine my way!

A few days ago, Pam Brandon of the Disney Parks Blog spilled the latest details.  By the way, I should express my thanks to Disney.  Food & Wine “tid-bits” seem to be coming out earlier this year.  Nice way to whet our appetities, Epcot!

As she reports, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – 2014 edition – opens its doors on September 19th.  Set to run a record 53 days this year, it charges on through November 10th!

Plan your trips, folks!  You won’t be sorry.  Why?  Lots of food, and lots of time to eat it!  Such as …

Roasted Verlasso Salmon with quinoa salad drizzled with arugula chimichurri.  Served by the new Patagonia Marketplace, I’m looking forward to trying this piece of fish.

Which leads me to wonder … will there be a Scotland booth this year?  They were the “home” of Food & Wine’s salmon in 2013.  Scotland made their debut at the festival last year in theme with Disney’s Brave, but will they return? I have already stated my belief that a Scandinavian kiosk will re-appear in support of the “Disney-verse’s” near-hysteria over Frozen.

Another new booth, “Farm Fresh Market replaces last year’s Florida Local Marketplace.”  According to Pam, they’ll be serving up a breakfast and dinner combination – “Bacon and Eggs”.  It will feature “applewood-smoked, pepper-coated bacon, sweet corn, potatoes, Hollandaise, and pickled jalapeños.  Sounds like a really loaded omelet.  Yum!

Another option to be offered by this market is the “Yard Bird”.  That will be a helping of chicken with braised greens.  Not much detail is given, but, if it’s seasoned well and cooked right, it should be tasty.

Perhaps the best news of Pam’s report is the return of Brazil’s Crispy Pork Belly with black beans, onions, avocado, and cilantro!  What a relief!  Mrs. All in WDW loved that dish in 2013.  If it weren’t to make its return, I don’t know what I would have done to sooth her ruffled feathers!

The REALLY crispy pork belly at the 2013 festival.

The REALLY crispy pork belly at the 2013 festival.

Last year, Brazil’s companion dish was a somewhat less-than-impressive Seared Scallop.  In 2014, the menu has been jacked up several notches with the inclusion of a Tilapia with coconut lime sauce and steamed rice.  In addition, you’ll be able to enjoy Brazilian Cheese Bread.  Hmm.  Can’t wait to see what that is.  I’ll pass on their Coconut Candy, but it looks like Brazil is angling to be 2014’s “Best Marketplace in Epcot”!

Finally, Poland returns … with a NEW version of their famous pierogi.  How does a Sauerkraut Pierogi sound?  I’m a bit apprehensive.  As much as I don’t like the marketplaces to be complacent and stagnant (I’m looking at you, Germany!), I’m going to miss Poland’s old pierogi recipe.

Pam mentions a Pork Goulash, but, from the way it reads, it’s a bit unclear if this is an accompaniment for the pierogi or a second offering altogether.  For my part, for now, I’ll treat it as its own dish.

So, I said that I do Food & Wine “my way”?  What does that mean?  Well, if you’ve been around a while, you already know.  It’s time to rank the dishes!  Too early?  Premature?  You’re absolutely right!  Let’s do it anyway!  For me, they go like this …

  1. Tilapia
  2. Roasted Verlasso Salmon
  3. Crispy Pork Belly
  4. “Yard Bird”
  5. “Bacon and Eggs”
  6. Sauerkraut Pierogi
  7. Pork Goulash
  8. Brazilian Cheese Bread

What about you?  Not knowing any more about the dishes, what looks good to you?  Leave a comment here, on Twitter, or on Facebook and let us know!

Oh, and by the way … Food & Wine (Atlanta) starts today!  Stay tuned tomorrow on Facebook, Twitter, or here on All in WDW!  Pictures are bound to be coming your way!

Yes! Food & Wine is only a week away!

Yay!  I am so excited!  Food & Wine is only one short week away!

Huh?  What’re you talkin’ about, Bob?  The 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival doesn’t “take the stage” until September 19th!

Oh, so, OK.  The 2014 Atlanta Food & Wine Festival starts one week from today!  But, why should we care?  What’s the Disney “tie in”?

Well, Rick Howard and John Donahue of Kingdom Magic Vacations are coming to The ATL!  That’s right!  That’s what my excitement is all about.

You remember Rick and John, don’t you?  At last Fall’s Food & Wine, Mrs. All in WDW and I got the opportunity to guest host their video podcasts on Epcot’s Australian, Brazilian, and Singaporean festival marketplaces.

Griddled Lobster Tail

Well, next week, we’ll take them on a weekend tour through Atlanta’s Food & Wine as well as to several of our favorite ATL hang-outs!  Stay tuned to us late next week in order to follow along with all the fun and frivolity!

In the meantime, you can follow them this weekend as they tackle another city’s Food & Wine.  They’re taking on “The Big Easy”.  They’re in New Orleans!  Follow them on Twitter at @RickKMV, @TravelwithRick, and @johncdonahue!

Oh, and, by the way, did you catch the report that A.J. Wolfe and the Disney Food Blog published last week?  It spread the first real news we’ve seen about the 2014 edition of Epcot’s marquee event.  Check out DFB for the full text, but I’m intrigued that she reports that there will be a Patagonian kiosk.  Patagonia?

Patagonia is a region located at the southern end of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile.  Does this mean that Argentina’s booth disappears from the “party”?  I hope not. I just acquired a taste for their Grilled Beef Skewer.

At any rate, A.J. mentions that Patagonia might serve us a roasted salmon.  OK, I love salmon, but, like I said, will we still get our beef skewer?  She also tosses out the possibility of an arugula chimichurri.  Hey!  The skewers come with chimichurri!  Maybe there’s hope?

Apparently, the Brazil booth will return in 2014.  It will come with a Tilapia dish that includes a coconut lime sauce with steamed rice.  Sounds good.  It also sounds a bit like Singapore’s 2012-13 tilapia creation.  That was good.  I’ll bet Brazil’s will be as well.

This leaves me to wonder, however.  Will Brazil bring back their Crispy Pork Belly?  Uh, they’d better.  If not, Mrs. All in WDW will be pretty disappointed.

Evidently, the Florida (Local?) booth is being replaced this year!  In 2013, their Grass-Fed Beef Slider was dry as dust.  Their Shrimp Ceviche was “Just OK”.  In 2012, their White Corn Arepa was bland and greasy.  Maybe a change was due.

A.J. reports that, at the “Farm Fresh” marketplace, we’ll “… be treated to a new ‘Bacon and Eggs’ dish featuring applewood-smoked, pepper-coated bacon, sweet corn, potatoes, Hollandaise, and pickled jalapeños.”  Hmm.  Breakfast at Food & Wine?  OK. I’m intrigued.

Let me end with this … my BIG prediction.  Here goes … I’m going to predict that the Scandinavian marketplace will make its triumphant return in 2014.  It was excluded from the festival’s 2013 line-up.  It comes back this year!

Oh, who am I kidding?  That wasn’t that big of a stretch, was it?  After all, the Disney-verse is pretty Frozen-obsessed, isn’t it?  Let’s put it this way, if I’m wrong, credit me with one very bad guess.  If I’m right, you heard it here first!