Blooming Bites and Savory Sips Return for 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival
Set among millions of blossoms, classic topiaries and live entertainment, garden-themed food and beverage offerings are returning to the 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. In 2013, Disney added food booths to the line up for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival for the first time and back for a second festival year, the 11 food and beverage marketplaces have been renamed “Outdoor Kitchens.”
The kitchens will be places where chefs will be cooking a variety of new and popular returning menu items, including vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. At The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews Outdoor Kitchen, Piggylicious Bacon Cupcakes and Smoked Turkey Ribs are on tap with a lineup of great brews. Last year’s top menu picks like the Watermelon Salad with local baby arugula, feta cheese, pickled red onions and balsamic reduction will return for an encore at the Florida Fresh Outdoor Kitchen.
Urban Farm Eats will be the new Outdoor Kitchen on the promenade with a sustainable garden featuring tilapia, eggplant and other farm-raised treats. Guests can try new menu items including The Land pavilion-Grown Eggplant “Scallop” with Romesco Sauce, Ghost Pepper Dusted Tilapia with Winter Melon Salad and Mango Chutney, plus red and white vegan wines and gluten-free beer.
Outdoor Kitchens, including location and food and beverage offerings are below. Menu items noted with ** are part of TRYit, Disney’s campaign that encourages children to try something new.
The 21st Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs from March 5 to May 18 and the outdoor kitchen lineup includes:
Florida Fresh (next to Germany pavilion): Watermelon salad with pickled onions, baby arugula, feta cheese and balsamic reduction; shrimp and stone ground grits with andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes and cilantro; **Florida kumquat pie.
Hanami (near Japan Pavilion): Frushi – pineapple, strawberries and melon, rolled with coconut rice, topped with raspberry sauce, sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with whipped cream; Temaki hand roll – sliced Panko fried chicken, curry sauce, rice and pickled julienne carrots wrapped with Nori; ** Hanami sushi –combination of salmon, scallop and beef-topped rice balls served atop a shiso violet sauce; Japanese puffed rice cakes with green tea whipped cream and azuki.
Jardin de Fiestas (near the Mexico Pavilion): tacos al pastor – corn tortilla filled with achiote-marinated pork, garnished with grilled diced pineapple, onions and cilantro; quesadilla de hongos con queso – flour tortilla filled with mushrooms and cheese; flan de chocolate Abuelita (Mexican chocolate custard).
Fleur de Lys (France Pavilion): Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal –dumplings with vegetables and mushrooms; confit de canard, pommes de terre Sarladaise – pulled duck confit with garlic and parsley potatoes; ** macaron à la fleur d’ Oranger – Orange blossom macaron with white chocolate ganache.
Lotus House (near China Pavilion): Beijing-style candied strawberries; spring pancake with grilled chicken and green apple; vegetable spring rolls.
Pineapple Promenade (near Canada): Pineapple soft serve (with Myers’s dark rum, Parrot Bay coconut rum or without rum); sweet potato cinnamon waffle with pineapple soft serve.
Primavera Kitchen (Italy): Caprese – Fior di latte mozzarella, roasted peppers and olio verde; three-cheese manicotti; torta di ricotta – Lemon cheesecake with limoncello-marinated strawberries.
Taste of Marrakesh (near Morocco Pavilion): Lamb brewat roll with prunes and sesame; Harissa chicken kebab with couscous salad; Moroccan pancake with honey, almonds and argan oil.
Urban Farm Eats (World Showcase): Pickled beet salad with goat cheese cream, mizuna and pistachios; **land-grown eggplant “scallop” with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash; ghost pepper-dusted tilapia with crisp winter melon slaw and mint oil.
The Smokehouse (near American Adventure): Pulled pig slider with cole slaw; smoked beef brisket with collard greens and jalapeño corn bread; ** smoked turkey “rib”; bacon cupcake with maple frosting and pretzel crunch.
The Buttercup Cottage (near United Kingdom Pavilion): Baked potato and cheddar cheese biscuit with smoked salmon tartare; ** field greens with strawberries, toasted almonds and Farmstead stilton; pork and apple sausage roll; lemon scones with berry preserves and crème fraiche.
Intermissions Café (Festival Center): Grapes; fruit & cheese plate; vegan trio; Southwest chicken wrap; tuna salad with pita; side salad; Asian tuna salad with noodles: Caprese Push-Pop – tomato, mozzarella and balsamic.
