if only my stomach were as endless as the menu options...

i went back to Epcot on Saturday for the final weekend of Food & Wine Festival. (ha! i just realized that i was there for the very first day (September 26) and the next to last day of the Festival.)

on my second circuit around the world...

...i started off at the Mouse Trap...

...with a trio of cheeses. starting at the far left, they are Dorothea (Holland), Manchego (Spain), and Asiago Pressato (Italy). the Asiago was very mild & almost like butter--very yummy! the Manchego was very dry & rather sharp--also yummy. the most interesting was the Dorothea. it was had a slightly sharp taste & was a little on the dry side, but it was made from potato! i tried a very little nibble to start with, unsure of what to expect of potato cheese (??) but it was actually really good! it tasted just like cheese but had a slightly starchy aftertaste.

i moved along to Vienna, Austria...

...where i ordered the beef goulash with a bacon dumpling. (although i admit to being very torn between this and the Tafelspitz--boiled brisket with red potatoes and horseradish cream sauce!) the goulash was very good, like a hearty stew. i had the Leth Riesling with it--by far the driest Riesling i ever remember tasting! it was still slightly sweet, but nowhere near as sweet as the other Rieslings i've had in the past. i'm no afficianado, but i know it tasted good with the goulash! ;-)

i did some wandering around at this point, enjoying the perfect weather and the moderate crowds (there are some photos in the complete album linked at the bottom of this post)...

...until i got to Krakow, Poland...

...and had *this*. this being the Chopin Vodka Raspberry Cocktail. YUM. you could not taste even a hint of the vodka, just the sweet raspberry puree. it was slightly frozen--not a slushie consistency, but not pure liquid either. did i mention YUM?? because YUM. i almost questioned whether there was even any vodka in it at all... but the slight buzz that hit me when i finished it verified it was there. by the way? YUM.

and finally, dessert in San Juan, Puerto Rico...

...Brazo Gitano--a guava jelly roll with shredded coconut. just the right amount of sweet...and the right size to fit in the space i had left in my very happy tummy.

there are always so many possibilities to choose from off the menu each year, but only a limited amount of room in my tummy for tasting. this worked out much better last year when Nichole and Daniel were here, because then you can each try a bite from each plate and have room for more tastes! ;-) consider that my Food & Wine Festival tip for you, if you ever go.

photos from my album:

EPCOT (2008)