EPCOT

2008 Festival

Celebrity Chefs
Eat to the Beat
    Concerts
Fun Facts

Rate and Review
-- Free Exhibits and Demos
-- Special Ticketed Events

AllEars® and Reader
Reports
-- General Overview
-- Afternoon Tea with
   Stephen Twining,
    9/29/07
-- Cheese Tastings
     9/29/07
-- Cook, Book, & Bottle
      9/28/07
-- Food & Wine Pairing,
    Bistro de Paris
-- Food & Wine Pairing,
     Tutto Italia 11/12/07
-- Food & Wine Pairing,
     Coral Reef 10/17/07
-- Party for the Senses,
    9/29/07
--Signature Dining
  Inspirations from India,
   9/30/07
--South African Wine
    Adventure, 10/12/07
-- Sweet Sundays, 10/28/07

AllEars® and Reader
Reports
-- General Overview
-- Cheese & Wine Pairing
      Workshop 9/30/06
-- Cook, Book, & Bottle
      9/29/06
-- Exquisite Evening at
       Epcot 10/6/06
-- Food & Wine Pairing,
      Alfredo's
-- Food & Wine Pairing,
      Le Cellier
-- Party for the Senses
    9/30/06
-- Party for the Senses
     10/14/06
-- Sweet Sundays
     10/1/06
-- Twinings Tea Seminar
-- Wine School 9/30/06
-- Wine School 10/28/06
-- Wine and Food in
    Balance Workshop
    10/1/06

Brew Masters
Eat to the Beat
    Concerts
Exclusive Wine &
    Culinary Programs
Fun Facts
Guest Chefs
Special Exhibits
Children's Activities
Wineries

AllEars®
Reports
--General Overview
--Food & Wine
Pairings (Coral Reef and Alfredo's)
--Food & Wine Pairing Le Cellier 10/7/2005
--Food & Wine Pairing, Sushi, Sashimi & Sake
--Lunch and Learn 10/8/05
--Lunch and Learn 10/14/05
--Lunch and Learn 10/29/05
--Odyssey Cooking School 10/6/2005
--Party for the Senses 10/8/05
--Signature Dinner 10/9/05
--Spirited Ball 10/30/05
--Sweet Sundays 10/9/05
--Wine School 10/22/05

2004 Festival
General Info
Daily Wine Seminars
    and Culinary
    Demonstrations
Eat to the Beat
    Concerts
Experiences and
    Exhibits
Fact Sheet
Family Fun Events
Food Booths w/ Prices
Photo Gallery

AllEarsNet®
Reports
-- General Overview
-- Czarina's Low-Carb
Recommendations
-- Food & Wine
Pairings
-- Lunch and Learn 10/10/04
--Lunch and Learn 11/7/04
-- Party for the
Senses 10/2/04
-- Party for the
Senses 10/9/04
--Party for the Senses 11/6/04
--Signature Dinner 10/31/04
--Sweet Sundays 10/10/04
--Sweet Sundays 11/7/04
--Wine School
10/30/04

2003 Festival
General Info
-- Daily Wine Seminars     and Culinary
    Demonstrations
-- Experiences and
    Exhibits
-- Fact Sheet
-- Family Fun Events
-- Food Booths w/Prices

AllEars®
Reports
-- General Overview
-- Czarina's Low-Carb
     Recommendations
-- Food and Wine Pairings
-- Lunch and Learn Series
-- Party for the Senses
-- Reserve Dinner
-- Photo Gallery
-- Tips for Enjoying the
     Festival

2002 Festival
-- Overview and Events
-- Food Booths, $ and     Recipes
-- General Review
-- Signature Dinner
    Review

2001 Festival
-- Food Booths with
    Prices
-- General Festival
    Information
-- Grand Tasting Report
     and Photos
-- Czarina's Royal Table
-- Winemaker's Dinner     Report
-- Special Events
-- Seminars and Demos

2000 First Hand Report
2000 F&W Festival
1999 F&W Festival
1998 F&W Festival

Attraction Seating
   Photo Gallery
Basic Services
Calendar of Events
Character Meet and
   Greet FAQ
Extra Magic Hour
FASTPASS
Operating Hours
Overlooked
   Attractions
Rehabs and Closures
Ride Restrictions
Smoking Policy
Special Needs
    Travelers
    --Epcot in a
       Wheelchair
Ticket FAQ
Tips & Notes
WDW At Large

AT A GLANCE...
Attractions
Characters
Restaurants

FUTURE WORLD
Ice Station Cool
Innoventions
Journey into
   Imagination
Mission: Space
Spaceship Earth
Test Track
The Living Seas
The Land
--Soarin'
Universe of Energy
Wonders of Life

WORLD SHOWCASE
Mexico
Norway
China
Germany
Italy
American Adventure
Japan
Morocco
France
United Kingdom
Canada

ENTERTAINMENT
IllumiNations:
   Reflections of Earth
IllumiNations Boat
    Cruises
Innoventions Fountains
Live Entertainment
Off Kilter

SPECIAL EVENTS
Flower & Garden
   Festival
Food & Wine Festival

HOLIDAYS
Candlelight
   Processional
Epcot Storytellers
Holidays Around the
   World

TOURS

SPECIAL REPORTS
Chocolate Around the
    World
Far East Finds a Home
    in Florida - The
    Japan Pavilion
Exotic Treasures Found
    in Morocco
Ice Dreams and Rice
    Creams at Norway
Not Just Kid's Stuff:
    Cranium Command

ARCHIVES
Kristos
Lord of the Dance
Millennium Celebration
Millennium Village
Shockwave!
Surprise in the Skies
The Power of Blast!
Tapestry of Dreams
Tapestry of Nations

1982 Guide Map

OTHER THEME PARKS
Animal Kingdom
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Magic Kingdom

Disneyland
Disney's California
    Adventure

Universal Orlando
   Resort

Featuring Cat Cora
Author of Cat Cora's Kitchen
and
Host of Kitchen Accomplished

Sapphire Hill Winery

MENU

Course 1

Celery Root Soup with Black Truffled Haloumi Cheese
Wine: Sapphire Hill Chardonnay 2001

Course 2

Shrimp Salad, Garidesalata
Wine: Sapphire Hill Pinot Noir 2002

Course 3

Lamb Chops with Alma's Fruit Mustard
Wine: Sapphire Hill Syrah, Estate 2002

Dessert

Milk Pie
Wine: Sapphire Hill Zinfandel 2001

Lunch and Learn

by

Deb Wills
Editor-in-Chief, ALL EARS®

I had such a great time at the 2003 Lunch and Learn event I attended, that it was on my list of things to get tickets for in 2004. I was not disappointed. Just like last year, the three-hour event featured a winemaker and an acclaimed chef, who would prepare a four-course lunch. So on October 10 we "Lunched and Learned" with chef Cat Cora and John Hall from the Sapphire Hill winery.

I was a bit apprehensive initially because the event moved from a small intimate setting to the Odyssey pavilion. However, my concern was quickly diminished when I learned that only 35 persons would be attending the lunch.

It was a hot and humid morning as we waited outside the Odyssey for the event to begin. I met an ALL EARS® fan while we waited outside -- Karen (moseycat), who I had traded pins with before -- so it was nice to meet in person.

Promptly at 10:30 a.m. the doors opened and we walked into the dining area. Tables were set up for six persons each, everyone facing the stage. Each setting had four wine glasses, a glass of ice water and a booklet, which included the menu and recipes that would be prepared.

Pam Smith hosted the event and introduced our special guests, who each shared with us their background and what brought them to the Food and Wine Festival.

Warm, personable and energetic, Cat Cora quickly got the attention of all attendees by setting a very informal and relaxed tone for our time together. Cat encouraged folks to speak up whenever they had a question and also invited everyone to come onstage and see up close and personal how the food was prepared. I don't know whether it was her Greek heritage or her Southern accent and charm, but her rapport with the audience made for a very educational as well as enjoyable experience. She made cooking fun and easy to relate to!

Our meal began with Celery Root Soup with Black Truffled Haloumi Cheese, which was paired with a Sapphire Hill Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, 2001 ($22.50/bottle). Cat no sooner began "sweating" the onions when a hand went up and asked the difference between sweating and caramelizing. She explained that the difference really had to do with presentation. For the celery root soup she wanted a clean pure color; if she were making a beef dish or one in which she wanted more color, the caramelized onions would have done that.

The soup was served with a toasted bread round that was topped with the Black Truffled Haloumi cheese and garnished with chervil. Throughout the morning, Cat related the ingredients and cooking to things we could buy and do back home. This made the discussion livelier and engaged the audience more fully.

John Hill talked about the chardonnay we were tasting, noting that 50%-75% was aged in stainless steel and the remainder in oak, and it was then blended for a more fruitful wine. I'm not much of a white wine drinker, but the chardonnay went well with the soup.

The soup was very tasty and a clear winner with everyone at our table. I had never had Haloumi cheese before and felt it complemented the soup. It's a white cheese from Greece, made from 100% sheep's milk. If you wanted to make the soup at home, Cat suggested that any grateable sheep cheese would be an acceptable substitute.

The second course was a Shrimp Salad, Garidesalata. Since I have a shellfish allergy, I passed on this course. Looking at the plates around the table, I could see this was another favorite, as just about everyone finished the entire serving. The shrimp were served on cherry tomatoes that had been sliced in half and topped with several delicate field greens. The dressing included red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Cat discussed how citrus and red wine have such different complexities that they usually go very well together with food. One person at the table said the shrimp was grilled to perfection and the flavors were all delicate, allowing the shrimp to take center stage on the taste buds. The Sapphire Hill Pinot Noir Russian River Valley, 2002 ($38/bottle), accompanied the shrimp salad. It was aged in French oak and was a light pinot noir, but in my opinion, not at all worth the price.

As the kitchen area was cleared to prepare for making the third course, Cat asked if there was anyone in the audience who didn't care for lamb. Several people raised their hands, but said they'd give it a try. She then asked the assistant chef if there was something else in the kitchen that could be prepared in case they didn't like the lamb. The chef visited each person after the lamb was served to see if they wanted something else. I thought that was very kind.

The wine selection was a Sapphire Hill Syrah, Estate Grown 2002 ($28/bottle). It was not filtered; I know because the sediment was all in my glass. I asked for a new glass of wine and was told there was no more. Someone needs to be more careful with unfiltered wines! From what I was able to taste, the Syrah wasn't something I cared for.

The Lamb Chops with Alma's Fruited Mustard, on the other hand, were outstanding. Even two of the non-lamb lovers at our table thought it was excellent. For me, the incredible cherry mustard made the dish. The lamb chop was from New Zealand and was accompanied by roasted vegetables (green beans, baby carrots, fennel) with a sprig of rosemary garnish.

Last, but not least, was the Milk Pie. I admit that when I saw this on the menu, I thought, "What's a milk pie?" Let me tell you, it was an awesome semolina custard between layers of filo dough, which provided a light crunchy top and bottom. It melted in your mouth and was the perfect ending to a great meal! The wine selection was the Sapphire Hill Zinfandel, Tom Feeney Ranch 2001 ($28/bottle). While I love red wines and have been known to drink them for all dinner courses including desserts, I didn't feel this one paired well with the milk pie. The zinfandel overpowered the dessert.

When all the food and wine were gone, Cat thanked everyone who helped out and even brought the chefs from the kitchen on stage. Everyone applauded heartily for a job well done. Afterwards, Cat signed books and posed for photographs. It seemed as though most everyone in attendance stayed around for this portion of the event.

All in all, it was a wonderful time and WELL worth the $75 per person. If you have the opportunity to attend a Lunch and Learn, I recommend it!