Food & Wine Festival 2009: Round One

it is incredibly difficult to decide where to start! *so* many delicious menu options. after an observational trip around the World Showcase, and a few minutes in a cool spot, soaking up some air conditioning while i formed my plan, my first selections were...

Melbourne, Australia
Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula and Lemon Oil. Rosemount Traminer Riesling.

this was super light, a nice way to ease into the festival. the fish was fairly mild, and it tasted very good with the cherry tomato & lemon, especially. i am also a big Riesling fan, so i was happy that was the recommendation. this one was very sweet & fruity. my favorite. ;-)

Cape Town, South Africa
Seared Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Potato Puree and Mango Barbecue Sauce. Fairview Winery Pinotage.

i think this may have been my Round One favorite. i was a little skeptical about the sweet potato, because i am typically not a fan, but i was intrigued & decided to give it a shot. i am *so* glad that i did. the beef was so tender, it practically melted in my mouth. that barbecue sauce was to.die.for. it was just the right amount of tangy & zesty, as a barbecue sauce should be, with just a hint of sweet from the mango. i seriously considered licking my plate! and the sweet potato went with it so well. i think there was some cinnamon or some other "warm" spice mixed in with it. whatever it was, i really liked it. and for me to say that about sweet potatoes? big deal. the Pinotage was ok. it was the recommendation, but i am not a huge fan of red wines--they make your mouth feel "fuzzy" & can taste like "root cellar" (on the West Coast are two people who have to be mildly impressed that i have retained something from all their hard work at teaching me these things!), and that is precisely why i wasn't crazy about this one--which isn't a surprise when you recall what i said about the wine selection from Melbourne. the Pinotage tasted good with the food, but when i had two sips left to finish at the end, let's just say i didn't relish them. ;-)

Munich, Germany
Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce.

yum! apple strudel is no "taste adventure" for me, but i was wanting something "dessert-y" at this point and it's been a while since i've had some strudel. the vanilla sauce was so good too. i love me some vanilla!

New Delhi, India
Chilled Mango Lassi.

by this point, as i was heading out for the day, i wanted something refreshing. i chose correctly. this was a cool sweet drink, about the consistency of a slightly melted milkshake (still thick but not so thick you can't drink it), made from mango & yogurt. i sipped it all the way back to the Monorail. the perfect way to conclude Round One and leave me drooling with anticipation for Round Two!