Epcot's 2007 International
Food & Wine Festival

Party for the Senses

September 29, 2007

Chefs and Menus | Wines | Review | Photo Gallery

CHEFS AND MENUS

Ciaran Duffy, Tristan Restaurant, Charleston, SC
--Scallops with Cauliflower Risotto, Celeriac, Coconut Curry Sauce

Pascal Oudin, Pascal's on Ponce, Coral Gables, FL
-- Roasted Loin of Axis Venison, Creamy Polenta, Juniper Berry Reduction

Aimee Rivera, Victoria & Albert's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
--Tamari-glazed Duck with Tsukemono and Bamboo Rice

Anette Grecchi Gray, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, The Colony, TX
--Three Beans Two Ways: with Cilantro-Cumin Lime Vinaigrette and Whole Wheat Lavosh Crisp

Paul Hazzard, Roland Muller, Joel Schaefer & Jerry Stasi, WDW Product Development Team
--Baby Mozzarella with Tomato Lollipop and Prosciutto Hash

Damien Besson, Bistro de Paris, France Pavilion, Epcot
--Soupe de Moules de Bouchots au Safran
(Mussel and Saffron Soup)

Stefan Riemer, Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resort
-- Chocolate Three Ways: Chocolate Mousse, Foam and Macaroons

Mike McCarey, Mike's Amazing Cakes, Redmond, WA
--California Strawberry Lemonade Cake

Tony Marotta, Spoodles, Disney's BoardWalk Resort
--Cheese Ravioli and Fire-roasted Eggplant with Sun-dried Tomato Emulsion and 10-year-old Balsamic Vinegar

Dean Max, 3030 Ocean Restaurant, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
-- Curry Corn Soup with Maryland Crab Salad

Bob Waggoner, Charleston Grill, Charleston, SC
--Seared Diver Scallops in Pineapple, Pink Peppercorn and Cilantro Salsa

Brian Sward, Le Cellier Steakhouse, Canada Pavilion, Epcot
--Hazelnut-crusted Lamb with Guatemalan Coffee and Mint-scented Tapioca

Tjetjep Sudiswa, Boma - Flavors of Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
--Spicy Ostrich Bobotie

Joe Wilson, Narcoossee's, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
--Smoked Beef Tenderloin with Heirloom Apple Salad, Cacao Nibs and Goat Cheese

Eric Brennar, Tony's Town Square Restaurant, Magic Kingdom
--Apple-brandy glazed Pork Medallions with Apple and Cranberry Slaw

Dominique Macquet, Dominique's, New Orleans, LA
--Sugarcane Brochettes with Swordfish

Sutilak Martin, Liberty Tree Tavern, Magic Kingdom Park
--Rotissage of Pork, Preserved Radish Hachee, Crispy Aubergines

James Kleinschmidt, Banquets, Disney's Contemporary Resort
--Chicken Saltimbocca

Todd Gray, Equinox Restaurant, Washington, DC
--Lump Crab and Sweet Corn Beignets with Creme Fraiche and Bottarga

Jose Gutierrez, Encoure Restaurant and Bar, Memphis, TN
--Golden Gazpacho with Grilled Shrimp

Page Weibley, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park
--Root Beer Braised Bison Short Ribs with a Vanilla-scented Fondue and Candied Bacon

Edgardo Ruiz, Banquets, Disney's Yacht and Beach Club Resorts
--Demi-braised Beef with Coconut and White Balsamic Toy Box Tomatoes and Green Tomatillo Jelly

Cheese
-- A selection of International Cheese
-- Kerrygold Cheeses and Butters from Ireland

Chocolates
-- Culinary Source

Gian Flores, Johnson and Wales University, Providence, RI
-- Chocolate Bombe with Vanilla Custard and Macerated Raspberries

Lothar Neumaier, Pastry Chef, Epcot
--Spice-infused chocolate bonnet and Sabayon with Mango Sauce

Antony Osborne, Culinard, Birmingham, AL
-- Pineapple Nage, Frozen Coconut Sabayon

WINERIES/BEVERAGES

Maison Louis Jadot
Mission Hill Family Estate
Guenoc
Montes Premium Wine

Moet & Chandon Champagne
Cape Classics
Chimney Rock Winery
Nobilo
D'Arenberg
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Achaval Ferrer
Zolo
Freixenet
Bollinger Champagne
Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
Rosemount Estate
Kaiken
Penfolds
Santa Ema
Remy Martin
Samuel Adams

PARTY FOR THE SENSES
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2007

by Debra Martin Koma
Senior Editor, ALL EARS®

Ouch! That's starting to hurt!

Why do I say that? Well, after returning from the Epcot Food and Wine Festival's Party for the Senses for the sixth year running, I still feel that it's a wonderful experience -- but the price is creeping up toward the point of diminishing returns.

This year, this annual tasting of random samples of cuisines prepared by chefs from all over, paired with wines and other beverage, jumped in price from $125 to $135 per person. (That's an increase of $40 over the price the first year I attended this event in 2002.) And while you still get the chance of sampling wares from chefs from near (Liberty Tree Tavern, Spoodles, Boma, Tony's Town Square) and far (Washington, DC, Texas, Washington state, Rhode Island), the cost/benefit ratio is perhaps slightly lower than it used to be.

The basics of this event don't change from year to year, but if you've never gone to a Party for the Senses, here's what you need to know to prepare: As part of the event, you get preferred seating for the 5:45 p.m. "Eat to the Beat" Concert staged at the America Gardens Theatre. (This year, British singer Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart opened the series.)

When you arrive at the theatre, check in with the Cast Member there and receive a wristband that will get you into the Party for the Senses later. After the concert, walk over to the World ShowPlace (located in World Showcase between the United Kingdom and Canada pavilions), where you can pick up your program, souvenir glass and notched plate for the evening. At 6:30 p.m., the doors to the venue will open and you can join the crowds rushing in to find a table. If you choose not to attend the Eat to the Beat concert, you can proceed directly to World ShowPlace, where you will have to wait to check in and receive your glass, plate and program.

Once inside the cavernous World ShowPlace, locate a table for yourself and your party. There are both large tables that seat 10, smaller tables for six, and cocktail tables with high chairs for just a few people. There's still a rush for the best tables, but finally this year they seem to provide adequate seating for most attendees.

Colored fabric streamers are draped from the ceiling inside the World ShowPlace. It's a color-coding system that matches up with the colored sections of your party program. For example, if the taste treats you read about on the pink page sound appetizing, look up to find the "pink zone" -- that's where the tables with your desired food targets will be. There's no rhyme or reason behind the arrangement of the tables, so you can visit whichever areas you want, in whatever order you want. Best of all, you can return to any table again and again as often as you'd like until closing time at 9 p.m.

The event usually does a good job of mixing Disney chefs with those from around the country, but this year it seemed a little heavy on chefs from the World. In fact, better than half (14 out of 25) of the chefs at this Party were from Disney kitchens.

No matter. They still served up some good grub.

There were a few items featuring game or off-beat ingredients this year, and each of those selections that I tried were delicious. The Root Beer Braised Bison Short Ribs came from an unexpected source -- Chef Page Weibley of Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park. Tender and tasty, this was an interesting dish that I paired with Kaiken's Ultra Malbec Reserve. A great combo. Another game option, the Roasted Loin of Venison, was also very tender and not strong-flavored at all. But of all the non-traditional meats there, I think the true winner was the Ostrich Bobotie, prepared by Boma Chef Tjetjep Sudiswa -- a spicy, flavorful ground meat in a flaky phyllo pastry. This was one of the items that was definitely worth sampling more than once.

Since the offerings vary from week to week, it would be rather cruel of me to tell you how awesome the Beef Tenderloin with Heirloom Apple Salad was, or how big and juicy and delicious the Scallops with Cauliflower Risotto were -- since they probably won't be available when you visit. But I will tell you that you should be glad you missed the Diver Scallops in Pineapple, Pink Peppercorn and Cilantro Salsa. Shudder.

I must admit that this year there were a number of wineries that were new to me, scattered amongst the old standbys of Louis Jadot, Moet & Chandon, Rosemount and Penfolds. I found the Ultra Malbec Reserve from Kaiken (mentioned above) and the Guenoc Lake County Petite Sirah to be quite good, and will look for them on my next outing to the wine store. I also very much enjoyed the chance to again sample the Canadian wine, Mission Hill Estate Oculus, a red blend that I had tried last year at a Food & Wine Pairing event in Le Cellier (the restaurant in Epcot's Canada pavilion). That I know I can't find in a wine shop near me -- and that's a shame.

Adding an extra dash of panache to the evening are the ever-extraordinary performers from Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba, who performed periodically on a centrally located stage. (They did not stroll among the participants this year as they have done in years past -- or if they did, they never made their way to the very back of World ShowPlace, where I was seated.) These tiny tastes of the most excellent Cirque, along with occasional performances by a group of live musicians, complement the evening quite nicely.

I still do believe that if you want to splurge on just one big-ticket event during the Food and Wine Festival, the Party for the Senses is well worth the money. However, I will add that if the price continues its upward trend, this may well be the last year I attend.