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All the World’s a Bog with Chef Ming Tsai at Food and Wine Festival

Editor: please welcome back guest author Suzannah!

Tuesday night I ventured over to Epcot for one of the Culinary Demonstrations for the 16th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The demonstration I attended was sponsored by Ocean Spray’s Craisins – not only a sponsor of the Food & Wine Festival, but also an official sponsor of both Walt Disney World and Disneyland parks. The chef for the evening was Ming Tsai, owner of Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts, author of two cookbooks: Blue Ginger and Simply Ming, and host of the PBS programs East Meets West and the Emmy nominated Simply Ming. Originally from Massachusetts, I’ve always been a fan of Ming Tsai and loved his cooking shows, so I was excited to see him create a dish for us.

Guests were greeted at the Festival Center (former Wonders of Life pavilion) with samples of Ocean Spray Craisins as they waited to be seated at tables in front of a demo kitchen stage. This was actually my first-ever culinary demo during the festival, I’m almost embarrassed to admit for the past 16 years I’ve been attending the Food & Wine Festival, I’ve only ever taken part in the Marketplace Booths and their delicious offerings, never a demo or seminar of any kind. I was pleasantly surprised at the presentation. For a mere $11-14 per person (depending on the chef), guests get an exciting cooking demonstration with a celebrity chef, either nationally known, or famous within the Walt Disney World Resort or local area. I had no idea we’d actually be seated at a table and get to enjoy the dish being prepared. I would definitely do this again and am now looking into future demos I can bring my husband or family back to.

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Gluten-Free Options at 2011 EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

My wife is back from her second trip to the EPCOT Food & Wine festival. That’s two more than me, so I’m pretty jealous. She keeps gluten-free due to allergies, and while the regular Disney dining is very accommodating, every year at the festival is a bit of a challenge.

Last year some one provided a great list of which foods were Gluten-Free, so we tried to find that again this year. Alas, Disney was playing coy, and our mileage varied when we asked the festival managers.

We were finally able to get a couple cooperative chefs. Combine that with my wife’s detective work and here is the final list. Please remember to ask for a Chef at each booth so they are aware of your allergy needs.

Australia: Shrimp on the Barbie, Grilled Lamp Chop
Brazil: Seared Mahi Mahi (hold the sauce)
Argentina: Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce (my wife’s favorite)
Caribbean: Ropa Vieja (hold the mango salsa)
South Korea: Lettuce Wrap with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw
Cheese: Cheese Plate
Germany: Goulash Soup
Hops & Barley: Linda Bean’s Lobster Claw Cuddler
Singapore: Beef Rendang
New Zealand: Seared Sea Scallop with Jumar-Red Curry
Portugal: Linguica Sausage, Calmari Salad
Ireland: Warm Choclate Lava Cake (is flourless)
Canada: Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta

It would be very nice if Disney would provide this list before the festival begins, instead of us having to compile it on our own.

Lots of photos below the jump:

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Ocean Spray brings Cranberry Flavor to EPCOT Food & Wine Festival

I wonder if these guys will be at EPCOT

The food and beverage partnership that was announced last October, is finally coming to fruition. The last few months have seen small changes at Walt Disney World restaurants. Craisins are now showing up in more recipes and on restaurant signs. And now, Ocean Spray will bring the Cranberry to the Epcot(R) International Food & Wine Festival. Chef Ming Tsai and Ocean Spray Growers will debut the first Cranberry Bog Exhibit celebrating the taste, health, and heritage of the Cranberry at the festival.

“Three quarters of Americans have never heard of a cranberry bog, never mind witnessed the beauty of the cranberry harvest firsthand,” said Ken Romanzi, Ocean Spray’s chief operating officer, North America. “Through our sponsorship with Disney, we are thrilled to educate a whole new group of people who might not otherwise understand the journey of their favorite Ocean Spray products, like Ocean Spray(R) Craisins(R) Dried Cranberries, from the bog to their favorite recipes.”

I’m actually a big fan of Craisins myself. I like adding them to my chicken salad or just eating them plain. I’m looking forward to this exhibit and maybe learning a few new uses for the flavorful food.

The full press release is below the jump:

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EPCOT Food and Wine Festival How-to Videos

Disney has released a whole series of videos highlighting recipes from this year’s EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. Here are a few of my favorites, I can’t wait to get home and try them.

[youtube_sc url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Ub5h8365Y width=520 height=294 rel=0]

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New Car Spotted on Test Track

A new car model was spotted on Test Track today by Twitter user @shawnathon33. Thanks to Shawn for permission to use his photos here. Apparently, more of these vehicles will be rolling out soon eventually replacing all the existing cars. I’m told that these are… Read More »New Car Spotted on Test Track

Photo that inspired EPCOT’s American Adventure

There’s one set in EPCOT’s epic American Adventure attraction that takes the story all the way from the Great Depression to the attack at Pearl Harbor. Brother’s Josh and Jared Stein found a photo that appears to have inspired that scene and shared it with The Disney Blog.

This photo was captured by renowned depression era photographer Dorothea Lange in July 1939 in Gordonton, North Carolina.

That General Store is still around just off route 49 and Wheeler Church Rd. As you can see from this image from Google Maps:

What do you think? Was it the inspiration?

Photo credits: American Adventure – AttributionNoncommercialNo Derivative Works Some rights reserved by Express Monorail, Dorothea Lange, Country store on dirt road, Gordonton, North Carolina, 1939 via the Library of Congress.

Update: One more photo of the store from Dorothea Lange below the jump:

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History of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics

Walt Disney led his company through the invention of many technologies. In animation there was the Xerographic Cell transfer process and the Multi-plane camera, just to name a few. But one of Disney’s most major inventions was the animation of the human figure in real… Read More »History of Disney’s Audio-Animatronics

Secrets of Backstage Meeting Rooms at EPCOT

Almost every attraction and pavilion at EPCOT has some sort of hidden room or lounge. Most of these were created as private entertainment spaces for the original corporate sponsors of the attraction. As Disney has moved away from the corporate sponsorship model, probably not by… Read More »Secrets of Backstage Meeting Rooms at EPCOT