Epcot's Food & Wine Festival Favorites

Food, wine, and a swingin' good time! These are a few of my favorites from this year's Food & Wine lineup, and here's why:

Zesty Cheeseburger and Cheddar Cheese Macaroni Handwich

L'Orange Cotton Candy (Found at Craft Beers)

Both of these items were a fair price and I was pleasantly surprised how big the cotton candy bag was! The Handwich is perfect for one, but the cotton candy can easily be shared amongst 3-4 people.

Eastern Florida Flight (Also found at Craft Beers)

My favorite beer in this flight was the Triple Chocolate Milk Stout, which you can purchase individually in a 6-8 ounce glass!

New England Lobster Roll (Found at Hops & Barley)

If you're a big fan of lobster, then you will think this $8 bite is worth it! The buttered, toasted bun and the sauce are what make this roll amazing, along with the heaping pile of lobster on top-Y U M

Cheese Trio (Found at Cheese Studio)

If you're a fan of flavored cheese (specifically Boursin cheeses) you will definitely enjoy this! I loved the sweet and savory flavors in the profiterole (left) the smoked salmon pinwheel was good, but the crostini was a little hard (middle) and the strawberry macaron was delightful! The pepper cheese on top was a nice balance against the sweetness (right).

Seared Scallops (Found at The Wine & Dine Studio)

This was a delicious dish and is a great dish to get when you want a more savory option that's more on the filling side! 

Crispy Pork Belly (Found at Brazil)

Not gonna lie, I thought the pork belly portion was way too small. The black beans were delicious, but I would probably go to the Canada pavilion and get the Filet instead. 

Spicy Hummus Fries (Found at Morocco)

Even though the portion was really small, I would get these again. I could seriously eat 3 orders of these (in one sitting) they were SO good!

Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle (Found at The Chocolate Studio)

Chocolate mousse, dipped in Liquid Nitrogen.....Frozen outside and soft, silky center.....I promise you won't be able to resist. The salted almond powder and whiskey caramel balance the chocolate flavor perfectly, and if I were you, I wouldn't share!

BaiJoe Punch and Beijing Roasted Duck Bao Bun (Found at China)

BaiJoe punch sure has a "punch" to it.....That vodka floater will have you speaking Chinese soon after you consume this. Once the vodka was mixed it was very refreshing, but then I experienced the Chilled Coffee in Belgium, and I said "Bai Joe" to this baby. The Duck Bao Bun was delicious, and was the perfect portion for one. 

Let's talk about my absolute favorites from the festival.......

I'm working on photos as we speak, but the Canada pavilion has my heart for two reasons:

Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup served with a Pretzel Roll

"Le Cellier" Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle-Butter Sauce

Doesn't that sound amazing?! Both speak for themself with how delicious they are.


And remember that Chilled Coffee drink I mentioned from Belgium? Well, this is what it's called:

Chilled Coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liquer

GODIVA. CHOCOLATE. LIQUER. I promise you will want to drink three more, it's that good! The only dangerous part is that it doesn't taste like alcohol, just coffee and Godiva-chocolate-y goodness.

Grab your passport, time to eat and drink around the world! Have fun, and enjoy!

I love the Wizarding World of Harry Potter more than any other lands in Universal; Here's why:

Upon purchasing an annual pass to Universal, I knew I was going to be spending a lot of time in the Wizarding World.

My boyfriend and I are huge fans of the Harry Potter series, so every trip to Universal includes lots of wizard magic. Let's just say we spend 80% of the time in the Wizarding World........We admit it.... We're Potterheads. 

The Wizarding World of Harry potter is so fun because you don't have to know all about the movies to enjoy it, it's very fun for Muggles, Witches, and Wizards alike! After my most recent trip to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, I wanted to share my love for Harry Potter, and more importantly, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and all of the fun thing it has to offer!

King's Cross Station

This London facade is more than just a pretty backdrop. Scan your park-to-park pass and you're on the next Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade! Not until you pass through Platform 9 3/4, of course! I love taking the Hogwarts Express because it's an easy way to switch from park to park, you can ride it to and from either park, and it's actually a ride! I'm not gonna spoil all of the details about how magical it is, so you'll just have to go see it yourself ( ;

Gringott's 

Escape From Gringott's is my FAVORITE ride in the Wizarding World (not gonna spill the beans on that one for you either), but I love visiting the goblin inside of the Currency Exchange! You can ask him questions, purchase trinkets, and......the best part.....exchange muggle money for WIZARD DOLLARS! And, Wizard Dollars can be used to pay for items in the Wizarding World! I kept mine as a souvenir, maybe I'll use it to buy a Butterbeer next trip. 

Honeydukes

                   

All of your pastel dreams will come true in this whimsical candy shop. I love taking photos inside of the store, their are so many cute photo-ops to not pass up! But more importantly, the candy is what we're there for. Wizarding candy comes in all forms, but my favorite way to snack while waiting in lines is with a goodie bag from the Self-Serve bar! My favorites are the Strawberry Banana Sour Ropes, Fizzy Wizzies, and Pineapple Cubes, but they feature many more types like infamous Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Jelly Beans! 

Hogsmeade

Hogsmeade holds a special place in my heart because it was the first land of the Wizarding World installment! The snowy tops of Hogsmeade add magical flair, but so do the singing frogs, and the magical windows (you're gonna want to bring your interactive wands for this). I personally like the attractions in Hogsmeade more, The Dragon Challenge is my absolute favorite!! (Ride the blue dragon for loops, and red for speed). 

Butterbeer, duh! (and Butterbeer Ice Cream)

I am convinced that Butterbeer was created by the Gods, and don't even get me started on the Ice Cream! The frothy marshmallow goodness, the smooth butterscotch flavor, UGH I'm craving one just thinking about it!!!! I have tried recreating it, and I am convinced it just can't be done. So until I can buy Butterbeer in large quantities, I'll be visiting Universal, over and over again, because let's be honest, we go for the Butterbeer. 

The Fire-breathing Dragon (in Diagon Alley)

The fire-breathing Dragon atop Gringotts Bank is an icon is Diagon Alley. The dragon spits fire apprximately every 15 minutes after roaring, Which you can hear from anywhere in Diagon Alley. Get your cameras ready!

The architecture

                                                                               


 I love to sit on a corner of Diagon Alley in the middle of the day, with a Butterbeer in hand, just looking at all the details in the buildings and architecture, I see something new every time! 

If you haven't visited The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I bet you do now! I hope you all get to visit this magical world real soon! 

Happy blogging, Muggles, Wizards, and Witches alike!