With Disney, at Disney, about Disney. It was one and the same at Dining through the Decades, a Tribute to Walt, one of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival's many special food events in 2014.
That photo is just to tease you. Let me share the background first.
Throughout Epcot's multiweek gastronomic celebration, the park hosts several big-deal food and wine events. I got to try a new one called Dining through the Decades, a Tribute to Walt Disney.
The event was in a grand space with cool lighting and an amazing decor with a purplish hue. Forgive my rotten iPhone photos, but these will give you an idea of just how glamorous this space is.
Within this cool space, several food stations set out dramatic displays of five or more dishes each. Wines were poured freely as guests wanted them. Video screens showed photos and quotes of and by Walt. Entertainers sang hokey songs and told tales about Walt's food preferences--essentially, he preferred simple meals to fancy ones and loved chili. We even heard one wild tale about his wife letting him have it during what should have a nice dinner party. Go Lillian!
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Fellow guests were an absolute highlight. At one point, singers were belting out the Hokey-Pokey. In the center of the dining room, in the VIP section for guests who paid extra, about two dozen people, mostly ladies, stood up from their indulgent dinners to put their right leg in and their right leg out, shaking their bottoms all about, until that Hokey-Pokey was over and done with. Such fun!
The food stations were themed as follows:
1901-1924: Beginnings--Casual Dinner Station
1925-1955: Family and a Mouse--Sunday Dinner Station
1937-1955: The Golden Age--Late-Night Snack Station
1955-1963: Disneyland & TV--One-Pot Dinner Station
1964 an Beyond: Spoonful of Sugar Desserts
We had chicken-fried cube steak with white truffle gravy. We ate pulled beef shortrib on brioche with caramelized onion relish. We feasted on panko-crusted veal cutlets with wild mushroom gravy. And, bravely, we hesitantly sampled charred Spam and quail egg biscuits with honey aioli. At all stations, chefs cooked foods right "on stage," so we got to see the food sizzling and smell the aromas.
Below are the photos that came out best. I'm pretty sure I labeled them correctly. Go ahead, eat your heart out. Most of the foods were incredible--truly impressive. As for that first photo of the Mickey-shaped Jell-O: Couldn't do it. Didn't try it. But it sure looked pretty.
You'll have to imagine the fingerling potatoes with leeks and fennel, the smashed potatoes infused with sour cream and chives, and the shredded pork on corn bread with apple-pear barbecue sauce and micro greens. I was too busy eating to take more pictures.
Hurry to sign up for a remaining Epcot Food & Wine special event, and plan on returning in 2015.
Eat enthusiastically, Rona