Food and Wine Fest 2013: Round Two

Round Two kicked off the first day of a four-day weekend with three complete tours of the Fest. My mom was in town for a week long visit, and specifically wanted to try out Food and Wine Fest, so I was lucky enough to get multiple rounds in when I typically only venture over on Saturdays, flying solo. There are so many delicious things to try that the more opportunities I get to be there, the better it is!

I let her navigate (since her time to enjoy Food and Wine Fest was far more limited than my own) and we started out with...

MEXICO


Shrimp Taco with Purple Cabbage.

I look forward to this one each Fest. I will be a sad girl when this one gets changed out on the menu...but that isn't this year! There is a rib eye taco as well, but I just can't pass up this on. I love the crispiness of the breaded shrimp, the crunchiness of the cabbage, the tang of the lime juice, and the touch of heat brought by whatever that sauce is. I know Mexican food is no real "cuisine adventure" but that doesn't mean it isn't yummy!


Because it was still early, we'd scored a pretty great table in the shade along one side of the Mexico pavilion, so we stayed close by and tried out...

ARGENTINA


Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Puree. Terrazas Reserva Malbec.

The beef skewer is another Festival favorite that's been back several years running now. I know exactly what to expect from it -- tender beef on a skewer on a bed of what is very similar to mashed potatoes, and the real star of the show: that incredible chimichurri. It was just a good as I remembered. The wine was a new one for me, though! It was more spicy than berry but I really liked it with the beef and the flavor of the chimichurri.


It was getting warm and time for a refreshing treat!

CHINA


Mango Silk Ice Cream Ribbon.

According to my passport, there were a possibility of three flavors offered, but the only one available this day was mango, which happened to be my first choice anyway, so hooray for me! It was such an interesting dish. It was as if sorbet and shaved ice had a baby. The mango flavor was very subtle, which may have been a result of the airy consistency of the ribbons. It was light and very refreshing. (We won't discuss how my fortune implied that I would get more in return from the Universe if I would just give first. Hmph. I am not a taker more than a giver by any means, thank you very much, you cheeky cookie. If anything, quite the opposite, sometimes to my own detriment!)


Palates cleansed, we pressed on.

SOUTH KOREA


Lettuce Wrap with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw.

Another returning dish that I really enjoy, even though it is a little messy. The shredded roast pork is very juicy and flavorful. The "kimchi slaw" is really more of a coleslaw with a vinegar dressing and some spices with a mildly spicy mayo, so I can't speak for how authentic it may be, but it is amazing either way.


Time for something sweet!

GERMANY


Apple Strudel with Karamel and Vanilla Sauce. J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfurstlay Riesling Auslese.

I've never met an apple strudel or a Riesling I didn't like. I'm not sure how much more there is to say. Unless of course you don't care for raisins or sweeter wines--although the Auslese is not nearly as sweet as many other Rieslings I've tried.


At this point, I was a little full, so I tagged along as my mom tried a couple more things and then we decided to do some of the rides while we digested a bit. After Soarin', Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, and a spin on Test Track, we were back for more.

SCOTLAND


Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps and Tatties.

Scotland is a new country represented this year! And we got stickers for "being brave" and trying the haggis. (Not that we would have been brave enough to try *real* haggis, mind you, but how scary could veggie haggis be??) It. Was. Delicious. The haggis tasted like stuffing. It was seasoned really well. Of course anything stuffing-like would go well with mashed potatoes (tatties). I can honestly say I've never had rutabaga before (or better known as turnips, hence "neeps"). I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I like them quite a bit!


We kept hold on the bench we'd found and took turns getting our next dish, which was just next door.

HAWAII


Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise.

This has made my Top Five for as long as it's been on the menu, so you bet I was getting me one of these. Savory, sweet and spicy. It makes taste buds happy!


I have no idea how I still had room left at this point, but we kept on going.

GREECE


Spanakopita.

Keeping with the apparent theme of (mostly) revisiting old favorites, I had to have some Spanakopita. Flaky pastry. Savory spinach and cheese. You really can't go wrong here.


One...last...stop. And hopefully I don't explode.

FRANCE


Creme Brulee au Chocolat au Lait.

This has a delicate flavor, not excessively chocolaty, and they always get the consistency just right. The caramelized sugar is always my favorite part, but they've done chocolate so many years in a row now, that I wish  they would mix it up with a new flavor. Not that that stopped me from getting it again. Obviously.


Thank God we walked 5.6 miles. Otherwise I'm not sure we would have fit in the car for the trip back home.