Food and Wine Fest 2012: Top 5

I have this rule for myself, when I am doing Food and Wine Fest, that I cannot repeat a dish until I've tried everything on my list once. I can't risk not having enough time or room. If everything goes according to plan, my Grand Finale Tour of Favorites can take place. Conveniently, this final round reflects my Top Five of the Festival (with the honorable mentions, of course--I *am* a Libra after all!).

This was difficult. Painfully, deliciously difficult. There were some repeats from last year and a lot of mental back-and-forth to reach my final results. They were all so going it was nearly impossible to pick one over another. If there were ranking numbers, I would have to going out at least five or six decimal points.

5. Spanakopita (Greece)


4. Zapiekanki (Poland)


3. Crispy Shrimp Taco with Chipotle Lime Mayo and Cabbage on a Flour Tortilla (Mexico)


2. Lemon Custard Verrine with Blueberry Compote (Desserts and Champagne)


1. Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise (Hawaii)


Honorable Mentions
Lobster and Seafood Fisherman's Pie (Ireland)

Pumpkin Mousse with Dried Cranberries and Orange Sauce


Favorite Beverage
(and I cannot believe the Cosmo Slush got unseated as my long-running festival favorite! but edged out, it was)
Florida Orange Groves Key Limen (Florida Local)