EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, November 5, 2009

Rod and I took an afternoon and went out to the Food and Wine Festival at EPCOT Center on Thursday.  We were thrilled that the weather was picture perfect...and kinda surprised the crowds were so heavy.  Make that HAPPILY surprised--this is the company paying us a paycheck every week after all!!! Either people were trying to get out to the festival before it ended on Sunday or they were all like us--taking advantage of the beautiful weather.

We started out at Guest Relations to buy a wrist gift card to make the food purchases easier once we got to World Showcase.  (Thanks for that idea, Lori!)  I put $50 on the card and we humped it to the back of the Park.  Once there our immediate concern was getting Rod a beer--I was trying to pacify him--because I know how much he LOVES coming out to the Park when he is off work!!! 

We got all the way around to Morroco before he found an acceptable brew--don't laugh--Bud Light!  LOL  I thought he would want to experiment with some of the more exotic offerings, but, not this time.  We then went on up to the American Pavillion where the Sam Adams tasting was being offered.   Rod waited in line, while I went to get us a goodie or two.  I found the Austria booth where Lori had recommended the Mushroom Soup.  It was delicious and we finished our little sample while we waited for the presentation and tasting to start.  It was a beer kind of night for me, so I got a big cup of Sam Adams Oktoberfest.

After finishing there, we were just in time for the Eat to the Beat concert series.  Billy Ocean was performing--and while the music brought back memories, we decided to keep walking.  We stopped for the Pizza with Italian Ham and watched the train set running next to the Germany Pavillion.  The pizza got two thumbs up.  Remember, these are just little tapa size portions that Rod and I split...we ate lots of different things but only a bite or two of each.

Then we stopped at South Africa for the Beef Tenderloin, then China for the Pot Stickers and Mexico for the quesadilla.  All were good, but, we felt the first two were really good.  The sweet potato concoction with the beef was yummy.  The sauce on the pot stickers...fantastic.  The  quesadilla was missing something.  (I guess it is just hard to beat the Ale House Blackened Chicken Quesadillas with Black Beans and Rice!!) 

Perhaps our favorite thing at the F&W Festival was Argentina's Beef Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce .  It was on a bed of mashed potatoes and it was delicious.  I want a full meal of that beef and those potatoes.  We finished up with an Arepa at Chili's booth.  Rod had never had one before...and this one was better than those I have had at craft shows. 

 

We didn't stay out at EPCOT very long after making it all the way around the World...so we missed the Fireworks and Laser show.  But we had a great time.  We stopped at McDonalds on the way home--to use our Monopoly free McFlurry gamepiece...and Rod got a burger, fries and a shake.  So our total for the afternoon/evening was about $53 spent at EPCOT and $5 at Mickey D's. 

This concludes Date Night, November, 2009!  :)