Tasting My Way Around The World…Take 1!
After attending the Annual Passholder preview of Journey of Water, I spent part of my day sampling cuisine from around the world at a few of the Global Marketplace kiosks. Since I had limited time this trip, I only got to try a few items which I will share below, but I will be back in both October and November to enjoy the festival again.
My first stop of the day was at the Fry Basket. I love fried pickles and beer, so naturally, I had to try the Fried Pickles with Dill Ranch and the Stone Brewing Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager. Both of these were new menu items this year. The coating on the pickles had a good flavor and was nice and crispy, but the pickles were a little soggy…not bad but they could have been a little bit crisper for my liking. But all in all, they were good and I would probably give them another chance. The Lager was very light and refreshing with a hint of lime. I will be back to get this beer again on a future trip.
Pro Tip…All of the marketplace kiosks offer two sizes for their beer choices. A 6 oz for $5.50 and as 12 oz for $9.50. Obviously, the 12 oz is a better value, but I decided I better stick with the smaller sizes this time since I did have a flight home that evening.
Next, I made a stop at Flavors From Fire. My normal go-to at this booth is the Smoked Corned Beef, but today I decided I should try something new, so I opted for the Chimichurri Marinated Skirt Steak Taco. The steak had a good flavor and the pickled red onions and cilantro-lime cream added to the flavor, but it was served at an oddly cool temperature and the corn tortilla was super dry. It was still good, but I will probably get the Corned Beef next time, as it is one of my favorite dishes of the entire festival. I also got the Saugatuck Brewing Company Bonfire Beer. This brown ale was excellent. It had a malty, rich flavor and is another one I will return for.
As I made my way around the World Showcase, I decided to make a quick stop at The Alps kiosk to try their Key Lime Radler from Stiegl Brewery. It was light and refreshing, but definitely on the sweeter side…not as sweet as cider, but sweeter than I normally like. It was good, but not something I would probably get again, as there are too many other things I want to try.
I can’t make a trip around the world without stopping in my favorite pavilion, Morocco, for another one of my festival favorites…the Stone-baked Bread with Hummus, Chermoula, and Zhoug Dips. I had to wait a few minutes for a new batch of the bread to come out of the oven, so it was piping hot and fresh. All three of the dips are excellent and pair well with the bread. I will be back to get this at least one more time on my upcoming trips. I also really wanted to try the Pistachio Cake, but I was fairly full, so will have to try it next time.
My final stop of the day was at the Ireland kiosk. I was originally going to get a Kilkenny’s Irish Cream Ale, but I was hot and not really in the mood for a heavy beer, so I decided to get the Guinness Baileys Coffee Shake instead. I have had it in the past as it is always a good choice if you are looking for more of a dessert-type drink. It was a perfect way to end my day of snacking around the world.
