***Epcot Food And Wine Festival Info 2008***

[BriarRosie]

You were right - I was referring to Signature Dinner (Evening Attire). Last year's signature at CA Grill - I was able to cancel due to its being surprisingly vegetarian with a last minute fish dish. How was it?

I did go to that event, and I enjoyed it. I did request the fish dish in advance, and the halibut served was outstanding. But considering that the chef at California Grill came from Flying Fish, it's not surprising.

I think it's in Oct 14 part 2 or something in my Larded and Loaded link w/index. My food pictures sometimes are a little blurry, but I think show the general idea. I did mention that as a girl from the Midwest who loves her beef, I was happy I broke out of my comfort zone a little.

 

[BriarRosie]

Favulous?

That's a perfectly cromulent word.

I think "favulous" is what Hannibal Lector says after he's enjoyed you with the fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Phhhht phhht phhht phhhht.

 

[redzinner]

Last note - there are the ineveitable show-offs who sit in the first row and ask a million questions, the answers to which they already know. Just ignore them and sit near the waiter stations and quietly ask for refills on the wines you really like.

Excellent advice! Cheers! :wine: (I wish we had a wine glass smilie)

 

[chip&dale&fun]

Sorry if this has been posted before? I tried to skim through the prior 114 pages, but didn't see anything?

PFTS - should I pack a dress? Or is it casual? Can we wear shorts/shirts & go right in from the park? Or should we plan on heading back to change before?

Thanks!

Adding to the responses that most folks wear nicer clothes, we have found it is better to head back and shower and change so we are fresh and ready for the party - rather than dragging in right from the park.

 

[gismo1554]

If you're looking for something like the South African Wine Adventure, it sounds like the new City Tastes events are going to be pretty similar - kind of like a smaller version of PFTS based around a specific region. If they can just improve the food plan (spread things out so one long buffet line doesn't happen), I'm hoping these events will be just like the South African event last year.

Or were you looking for something specifically African?

We were really looking for African or Australian and we're only there for the Louisiana one. Being someone who doesn't eat Seafood or Fish I'm a bit put off this one looking at the offerings at the Louisiana food booth. Might just go to Boma's instead lol

 

[gismo1554]

Excellent advice! Cheers! :wine: (I wish we had a wine glass smilie)

I just use this one - Its usually the amount I drink anyway. See as me and DBF managed to pollish off a magnum of Cab Sav last night lol

- Where did he come from? Haven't seen him around before how cute!

 

[ghidorah97]

Well, we consider ourselves very lucky that we planned our trip for that first week of November, when most of the things we wanted to do were happening. And with some of the other events cancelled this year (Exquisite Evenings, Discovering Wine), we decided to try some new things. Here's what we booked:

10/31 - City Tastes - Italy
11/1 - South African Wine School (we were torn since we liked the old version, we'll have to see how it is at 3 hours, hopefully the "celebratory reception" includes some kind of food)
11/1 - PFTS
11/2 - Sweet Sundays w/Gale Gand (never done one of these)
11/2 - V&A Signature Dinner
11/3 - Sake, Sushi & Sashimi F&W pairing (never done one of these)
11/4 - Mediterranean F&W pairing (never done one of these)
11/7 - bluezoo Signature Dinner
11/8 - PFTS

And I'll do my best to put together some good reviews

WOW, great schedule! I've met (and enjoyed her cuisine) Gale Gand several times, and she is fantastic. A great person and an even better pastry chef (one of the best in the US IMHO). I'm already drooling thinking about reading your reviews! Enjoy!

 

[redzinner]

I just use this one - Its usually the amount I drink anyway. See as me and DBF managed to pollish off a magnum of Cab Sav last night lol

- Where did he come from? Haven't seen him around before how cute!

But I like Guinness too. Brilliant! What's a person to do!

You are a better woman than me to be able to do a mag between the 2 of you and still be able to write full sentences the next day!

 

[jiminyfan]

I too am going to both of those events!

PFTS , Oct 18th and Regional Lunch on the 19th

I cannot wait for both. They will be totally different atmospheres and styles and should be a fun weekend.

Here I am, chiming in.



I'll be at the Burgundy one.



The French Regional Lunches aren't the Wine Schools, but I suppose I'll have to take photos for you Chelsi.

 

[jcvalenti]

Last note - there are the ineveitable show-offs who sit in the first row and ask a million questions, the answers to which they already know. Just ignore them and sit near the waiter stations and quietly ask for refills on the wines you really like.

Hey - I'm one of those show-offs Hopefully they'll have a waiter station near the front row so I can impress the crowd with my nuanced knowledge of Napa terroir AND get many refills of the best selections.

I think I'll jot down some talking points to share with the crowd about how the harvest time shift in mean humidity accross the valley impacts the mountain vineyards differently from those located on the valley floor. I kid, I kid !

Frankly, the 3 hour length sounds just about perfect to me; especially with the reception to follow. I figure if I make it out of there by 5:15, I should have no problem sprinting to the Contemporary for dinner at 6.

 

[Me&3]

My brochure found its way to my house in Florida .

 

[cdtommie]

Was just catching up on the posts in the last day and was surprised that so many people are SA Utopia fans...this is just a novelty beer to me - there are some really rare beers that I'd rather have such as Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien (I guess my beer snobbyness is making an appearance this morning).

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Going by the schedule this year and past years it seems that certain people, like Todd English are always there near the end of the Festival. Guess I want to try and get there later in the Festival the next time I attend.

 

[jcvalenti]

Going by the schedule this year and past years it seems that certain people, like Todd English are always there near the end of the Festival. Guess I want to try and get there later in the Festival the next time I attend.

I would imagine that a lot of the guests with close ties to Napa want to stick around there through the harvest (when the valley is absolutely hopping), so that's probably why some of them only drift down to Orlando near the end of Food & Wine.

 

[cckovach]

Booked yesterday around 9am central - PFTS October 4th.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I would imagine that a lot of the guests with close ties to Napa want to stick around there through the harvest (when the valley is absolutely hopping), so that's probably why some of them only drift down to Orlando near the end of Food & Wine.

Maybe. I noticed that Todd English was there last November, as well as this November, and he's one I'd really like to see, but my trips have always been late Sep / early Oct.

 

[TDC Nala]

I figured out what to do about the fact that I arrived November 1 and had no events until November 6 - I eliminated half my trip. I arrive on 11/5 now and will not be spending a full week at the festival - just a bunch of weekends.

And now I can get leave to go back to Disneyland's festival - if they have it again.

 

[PNO4TE]

Excellent advice! Cheers! :wine: (I wish we had a wine glass smilie)

How about this one?

By the way... I like your new avatar!

 

[dizneykid]

How about this one?

By the way... I like your new avatar!

I love it!!!

 

[BriarRosie]

Was just catching up on the posts in the last day and was surprised that so many people are SA Utopia fans...this is just a novelty beer to me - there are some really rare beers that I'd rather have such as Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien (I guess my beer snobbyness is making an appearance this morning).

I like Utopia (or is it Utopias? I see it listed both ways) because it's so different. It doesn't taste like beer, more like a cognac.

And my best advice to those first timers at PFTS:
If you want to try that sample of Utopias, visit the Sam Adams table EARLY. They WILL run out of it.

And now I can get leave to go back to Disneyland's festival - if they have it again.

They better have a festival again at Disneyland. I spent a lot of time filling out that online survey. I wonder if I should keep next May open...