Vegetarians-Party For The Senses??

[floridagirrl2]

I had planned to do PFTS last fall during the Food and Wine Festival until I read the previous year's menu--looked like I wouldn't have enough to eat as a vegetarian (dessert only plus wine would not be enough for me). Have any of the vegetarians on the board gone to PFTS, and if so, was there an adequate variety of food for you?

 

[heathriel]

If you tell them in advance, they'll have vegetarian items prepared for you. It won't be all-you-can-eat.

I've never been able to justify the expense for those parties, which is distressing, because I can't eat the majority of the food and the stuff they will serve me is the same as you would get anywhere else.

 

[floridagirrl2]

Thanks for the response, heathriel! I guess I'll keep skipping Party for the Senses, then--sounds like I will be better off just booth-hopping around the World Showcase like I always do.

 

[heathriel]

Yeah, I enjoy the booth hopping - one thing I've learned in all my years of F&W festing though (and I've been to all of them) is GET THE RECIPES before you eat anything. The people in the kiosks have no idea that there's beef juice in the wienkraut, etc. The recipe book is available at the Welcome Center for like $7, well worth it

 

[floridagirrl2]

Thanks for the heads up--had no idea there's a recipe book!

 

[bavaria]

I'll be getting the recipe book too, Floridagirl2!!!

I agree about not knowing ingredients - I have had a few bad experiences as there was taboo items in my meal, which resulted in some pretty ill days at WDW in past. I am VERY careful now and if the server is unsure, I either pass or have them ask someone.

 

[floridagirrl2]

Bavaria, I can always count on running into you in a vegetarian food thread.

Yeah, I took the server's word that the potato pancake and sauerkraut at the Germany booth was vegetarian--now I will know to check the recipe book! Last year, I found 3 ostensibly vegetarian samples at the Food and Wine Festival--the Morrocan hummus and rice, Indian curry, and potato pancake with sauerkraut.

 

[heathriel]

The potato pancake was wonderful

My favorite F&W Vegetarian item: Irish Whisky Flan in Ireland

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Yeah, I enjoy the booth hopping - one thing I've learned in all my years of F&W festing though (and I've been to all of them) is GET THE RECIPES before you eat anything. The people in the kiosks have no idea that there's beef juice in the wienkraut, etc. The recipe book is available at the Welcome Center for like $7, well worth it

What a great bit of information! I am raising one vegetarian and one omnivore, so every meal can be a challenge! Thanks!

 

[heathriel]

It's all too easy to ruin a vacation because of something seemingly innocuous like eating the wrong food.

I'm exceptionally careful whenever eating out; one of my dietary problems is I'm allergic to a gazillion varieties of mushrooms - so anything done in truffle oil, or with bits of pureed mushroom, or other "invisible" mushroom ingredients can knock me out for days. A server wouldn't know that, and the Disney chefs at counter service or at the kiosks probably have no idea, as the food was mostly prepared in the Disney Kitchens. And this is not something I can take chances with, so I have to be very diligent.

A few years back this actually saved me, as there was a risotto (or something similar) that was cooked with a bit of truffle oil. There was no way of knowing that by looking at it; if I hadn't had the recipe card (they gave away the recipes for free back then) I would have been very, very ill.

 

[bavaria]

In some ways I'm glad it's not just me, but sorry that it has happened to others. I couldn't figure out why the 'veggie' taco salad at POR felled me completely for 2 full days, until a cook at POFQ said 'oh no, they are not veggie - we cook the shell in the same oil as the chicken fingers' Just that was enough to have such a bad impact.

Sadly, when people are not fully trained, they won't know the ingredients every time. I have learned to really push for information, and if a server is unsure and can't find out for me, I'll pass.