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Coke vs. Pepsi

Which do you prefer?

Wednesday’s refillable mugs blog post made me realize that I haven’t yet done a food blog about one of the most critical facts about Disney food:

You can’t — and I mean CAN’T — get Pepsi products at dining establishments in Disney World.

This is due to a long-running Coca Cola sponsorship deal with Disney. For those of us who took the Pepsi challenge back in the 80’s and were shocked to find out that we are, in fact, Pepsi addicts, this is not the greatest news. But I had to mention it for two reasons:

1. If you’ve never been to the Disney parks/resorts and you ARE a “Pepsi-only” guy or gal, I wanted to give you a heads up. Contingency plans? If you have a car, head to Wal-Mart, Publix, CVS, etc. to grab yourself a couple of six-packs. If you don’t have a car, ask your Disney resort front desk or valet cast member to call you cab and high-tail it to the nearest Pepsi-permitting spot to stock up. If the cab idea isn’t your speed, you can purchase the goods prior to your arrival through a grocery delivery service like Garden Grocer.

2. I’m wondering if you Disney Parks experts can share with the rest of us how you get your Pepsi fix on property. E.g., what has been your experience with grocery delivery services?, where’s the closest place you’ve found to buy Pepsi products (Can you buy the stuff at HESS?)?, are there off-site restaurants you work into your schedule?

Looking forward to your answers and insights! Just click on “comments” up by the blog title!

Updated Recipe: School Bread from Norway’s Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

By AJ 26 Comments

Updated: May 17th, 2020

School Bread is one of my favorite eats in Disney World, and I can’t wait to share this not-too-sweet-but-completely-awesome recipe with you!!

Epcot Norway School Bread

Pastry
Ingredients
2 cups water
1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast
3 1/2 ounces sugar
2 1/2 ounces butter (melted)
1 teaspoon cardamom
2 pounds flour
1 whole egg

Method
Heat water and butter to 95 degrees. Mix flour, sugar, cardamom, yeast, water, and butter together for five minutes until dough is stiff. Form it like a ball and place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let proof for 45 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size. Roll the dough out like a sausage and cut into five ounce pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and put them on a non-stick sheet pan and let them proof for 30 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes in 375 degree oven. Let cool or ice while warm for a thinner glaze, but let cool before adding custard.

Vanilla Custard (or substitute vanilla pudding)
Ingredients
1 2/3 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon corn starch

Method
In heavy saucepan bring milk to a boil. Set aside. In bowl, beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until the mixture doubles by volume. Add the hot milk a few drops at a time to temper the eggs. Mix well after each addition. Place in metal mixing bowl and place over double boiler. Dissolve cornstarch in a little water and add in a thin stream while stirring constantly until it thickens to proper consistency. It must not boil. Cool by placing pan in ice bath.

Icing
Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk or water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
8 ounces shredded coconut

Method
Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and water or milk (use small amounts until proper consistency is achieved) to make icing and place in shallow pan. Form hole in bread using finger. Dip bread in icing (hole side down) and sprinkle with shredded coconut. Using pastry bag, squeeze vanilla custard inside of hole and swirl at top for decoration.

Recipe Credit: Modified from KeyIngredient

Starting Oct. 27th: Make Your Disney Dining Reservations 180 Days in Advance

By AJ 8 Comments

Easier to Get at 180 Days Out?

It’s time to start thinking about your food 6 months in advance again, my friends! It’s being widely reported that, starting October 27th, 2009, Disney Dining reservations can be booked 180 days in advance of your check-in date.

Don’t forget that you can now book online! Also, you can find maps and menus on the Disney website.

Happy planning!

Disney Cookbooks

By AJ 11 Comments

In addition to eating Disney food, a lot of us like to try our hand at it at home! For those of you who want to bring Disney into your kitchen, I’ve compiled a few Disney-themed cookbooks for consideration.

Some of these I’ve used, and some simply come highly recommended. There are cookbooks that have recipes for dishes you can get in Disney parks and cookbooks that have “Disney-inspired” recipes — many of them will be fun to use with kiddos in the kitchen, too!

As always, I’d love to hear your favorite Disney recipes. Are there any you’ve tried?

COOKBOOKS FOR EVERYONE TO TRY
Disney Recipes: From Animation to Inspiration by Ira L. Meyer and Marcello Garofalo: This is a great option for adults cooking with kids (or adults who feel like kids!). The colorful book contains recipes connected to Disney movies and Disney entertainment (think: “Lady and the Tramp’s Spaghetti Bella Notte” and “Pocahantas’ Savory Indian Corn Pudding”).

DisneyFoodBlog Notes:

Written in 2003, you miss out on recipes referencing Disney movies in recent history, but the classics are here.
With margin notes of “things kids can do” while in the kitchen, everyone can participate.

Delicious Disney by Pam Brandon

Written in 2006, this will likely be one of the most “true to life” cookbooks for those of you hoping to duplicate dishes you’ve had in Disney Parks, Resorts, and Cruise Ships. With modern recipes from today (including your favorite dishes from the likes of California Grill and Jiko) and classics from yesterday (some date back to the 60’s!), there’re lots to try.

DisneyFoodBlog Notes:

Pam Brandon is a guru of Florida travel and Disney cookbooks. An author and foodie extraordinaire, Pam is working on another cookbook for Disney and writes a Divas of Dish column.

Cooking With Mickey and the Chefs of Walt Disney World Resort by Pam Brandon: 224 pages of Mickey’s finest! This is another book that contains recipes from Disney World restaurants and chefs. This was one of the original Disney Resort cookbooks!

DisneyFoodBlog Notes:

Published in 1998, this may not have your most recent favorites, but it will most definitely have the classics.
This is a more straightforward cookbook and doesn’t have as many glossy photos as the others do. Those of you who find it distracting to flip through endless pages of photos to get to your recipe will love this one!
Note — there’s a new version of this cookbook published in 2004

Cooking with Mickey (Gourmet Mickey Cookbook) Volume II: The Most Requested Recipes from Walt Disney World and Disneyland by The Walt Disney Company:

This 298-page tome contains recipes from the chefs of Walt Disney World as well as Walt Disney’s personal recipes! You can also find recipes from the parks and resorts, including Disney World’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts and Polynesian Resort, and the Disneyland Hotel. Published in 2000.
DisneyFoodBlog Notes:

Word has it that this is the same book, word for word, as “Mickey’s Gourmet Cookbook” (not mentioned in this blog post). Probably no need to buy both!

The Disney Bakery: 30 Magical Recipes by Adrienne Berofsky: If your sweet tooth has been clamoring lately, this little book contains recipes inspired by Disney movies. Within its colorful pages, you’ll find Cinderella’s Cream Puff Coaches, Canine Crunchies, and Peanut Butter Dumbo Dunkers, among many others. The table of contents is arranged by movie, so be sure to decide what you want to watch before you head for the kitchen!
DisneyFoodBlog Notes:

If you couldn’t tell, this is another great one for adults and kids to enjoy together. The book won’t serve as a challenge for my professional baker friends, but it’s fun for a rainy afternoon!

COOKBOOKS TO USE WITH KIDS
Tiana’s Cookbook (The Princess and the Frog), Recipes for Kids by Disney Press: Here’s what Disney says, “This kid-friendly cookbook features recipes inspired by Tiana’s restaurant in The Princess and the Frog. With simple instructions, large photographs, and charming character art, the book features everything from Tiana’s famous beignets to a bayou smoothie. A star-rating system lets kids know how difficult the recipes are and the characters offer cooking tip. This charming cookbook is sure to please!”

The Disney Magic Kitchen Cookbook by Stephanie Karpinske: This is basically 128 pages chock full of your kids’ favorite Disney characters, end-to-end pictures, fun activities, and healthy eating ideas. Dory and Nemo’s Breakfast Cookies and Buzz’s Blast Off Burritos are just a couple of the interesting dishes you’ll be making together.

DisneyFoodBlog Notes:

With a “School Lunch” section, fruits and veggies guide, and fitness log included, this can be a helpful learning guide for your kids when it comes to making healthy decisions in their everyday food and activity choices.

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Part II

By admin Leave a Comment

Here’s the second in this week’s Round-Up series! Thanks to everyone out there covering such great Disney Food topics!

Main Street Gazette bids farewell to Spoodles: Main Street Gazette designer Eric Hoffman provides a tribute to Spoodles and memories of his family’s most recent meal there.

Scott Joseph discusses Party for the Senses changes and Paradiso 37: Legendary food critic Scott Joseph gives his view on this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival Party for the Senses updates as well as his review of Paradiso 37.

The Orange County Register analyzes Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue menu changes in Disneyland: Scroll down through the article to catch the info about the barbecue. It follows some other interesting info about Disneyland’s recent changes and construction.

SoloFriendly recaps her trip to Tangierine Cafe: SoloFriendly reviews the very popular counter service restaurant in World Showcase’s Morocco pavilion — and explains why the name has that weird spelling!

StitchKingdom shares the new Cap’n Jack’s All-Day Menu: WDW’s Downtown Disney has added Cap’n Jack’s to its list of all-day eateries.

Disney World Rivalry: ‘Ohana Potatoes vs. Noodles

By admin 14 Comments

One thing that’s constant about Disney World is that it’s always changing, and that goes for restaurants as well. One in particular that can’t ever seem to maintain a dinner menu is the Polynesian Resort’s ‘Ohana. Over the many years I’ve been frequenting the World, ‘Ohana’s menu has been re-vamped at least four times.

I was there for the lazy susan with the fried rice. I was there for the pineapple with the caramel. I was there when they had the shrimp, and then they didn’t have the shrimp, and then they had the shrimp as an appetizer, and then they had the shrimp on the skewers again. I was there when the sausage came and went and came again, and when the chicken turned into turkey. Usually I just go with the flow. As long as I can get unlimited meat, I’m good to go.

But one of the recent changes was jarring. Nay…it was painful.

The loss of the scalloped potatoes.

RIP Scalloped Potatoes (photo courtesy Brett Young)

In around 2005 (correct me if I’m wrong), a new sheriff (i.e. chef) came into town (i.e. ‘Ohana) and changed up the whole service of the restaurant. The lazy susan, on which appetizers had been served family style, was replaced with white ceramic bowls of food. The pineapple bread briefly went AWOL. There were suddenly fried wonton chips instead of dumplings. The pineapple and caramel was gone. It was a massacre.

But then the potatoes came.

It was as though the heavens had opened. I was a huge fan of scalloped potatoes — always had been — and these were incredible. ‘Ohana suddenly gained a permanent spot on my Priority Seating Arrangement list. We started requesting that they just bring two dishes of potatoes at the beginning of the meal, because we knew we’d polish them off.

So you can imagine our displeasure when, just about a year later, we arrived to find this instead of our beloved potatoes:

'Ohana Noodles

Inquiring as to the absence of our potatoes, our server made it very clear that 1.) She was tired of answering questions about the potatoes, and 2.) The reason was because the potatoes had trans fats, and the NON-trans-fats version the chef had tried was not as well liked as the original.

Now, she didn’t explicitly state that the disappearance of the potatoes was New York City’s fault, but we all know it is. Bloomberg and his team are clearly to blame for this abomination. Sigh.*

So, folks, I know that many of you actually prefer the noodles to the potatoes. And I, too, agree that they’re fine, and that we’ve been guilty of eating our fair share of the healthier dish. But every once in a while I miss that scrumptious, buttery (i.e. lard-y) bowl of starch and onions. Yes. Yes I do.

Let me know what you think about ‘Ohana’s changes — and about other dishes you miss at Disney World — by sending me a message or commenting on this blog post.

*Of course, in reality, I have no idea if this had anything to do with the decision. Or if the potatoes actually had trans fats. But it all made perfect sense at the time.

Potatoes photo courtesy @MrBrettYoung

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: July 26

By admin Leave a Comment

There has been SO much Disney food news this week! Free Dining Offer extensions, 2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival details announced, and an opening date for Cat Cora’s new Kouzzina restaurant (book your ADRs now), among other items! You can always catch up by visiting our Disney Food News section (you can get there by clicking on the little newspaper icon in the right sidebar).

In the meantime, there have also been some great Disney food posts on the web! Here we gooo!

SoloFriendly reviews Downtown Disney’s Wolfgang Puck Cafe: Another balanced review from SoloFriendly about her recent WDW trip. Great detail…and a scrumptious photo of some cobbler a la mode!

The OC Weekly highlights Disneyland’s Club 33: Few of us know the real deal on this membership-only club in Disneyland; this blog takes a look at the length of the waiting list and the cost to be a member…if that’s even an option anymore!

TheDisneyChick shares the recipe and photos of her foray into making Boma’s Melktart: Anyone who’s tasted this yummy dessert at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma restaurant knows that it’s yummy and likely none-too-easy to make! TheDisneyChick is always kind enough to provide photos of the process for anyone brave enough to tackle the recipe. (And, yes, it’s technically from July 15th, but it’s awesome, so it’s here.)

The TouringPlans.com Blog reviews Epcot’s Biergarten: Kristen shares insights into the decor, food options, and entertainment at Epcot’s Germany Pavilion table-service restaurant — and a photo of her companion’s liter of beer! (FYI. That’s a lotta beer.)

MissKim highlights here some Disneyland dining reviews from her recent family vacation: This is part three of her reviews section, so be sure to scroll back through the posts to catch parts one and two!

ScottJosephOrlando is polling for the best pizza in Orlando!: Okay, not really “Disney,” but for any of us who have tried to find a good slice in the World, you KNOW we need this information! Head on over and check the stats!

Have a great week all! I hope to see you over on our DisneyFoodBlog Facebook Page!

Disney World Free Dining Extended Through December 17th

By admin 1 Comment

Disney just announced that Disney Visa Cardmembers can now book the “Free Dining” package through 9/27-12/17 (codes EVN or GCA). Word is that this will be extended to the general public on Sunday.

Specs:
1. Book a full price WDW vacation package (3 nights minimum + at least a one-day theme park ticket).

2. If you’re in a value resort, the free dining package includes the Magic Your Way + Quick Service Dining plan. If you’re in a moderate or deluxe resort, the free dining package includes the Magic Your Way + Dining plan.

3. For those in a value resort, upgrading to the regular dining plan = $10/adult/day and $2/child/day; upgrading to the deluxe dining plan = $42/adult/day and $12/child/day. For those in a moderate or deluxe resort, upgrading to the deluxe dining plan = $32/adult/day and $10/child/day

4. You must book this offer by 9/26/09.

Le Cellier Cheddar Cheese Soup…to go?

By admin 17 Comments

Today the Food Blog has been shocked and excited to learn that maybe…just maybe…it’s possible to get Cheddar Cheese Soup from the Epcot World Showcase Canada Pavilion’s famous Le Cellier steakhouse without a coveted (and hard-to-get) advanced dining reservation! Guest poster James Chapman from the (soon to be live) DisneyfotoBlog.com shares his experience and photos.2012 NOTE: We have heard that the Soup to Go option has not been available for quite some time. 🙁

I first had the Canadian Cheese Soup at the 2008 Food & Wine Festival and absolutely loved it! I never would have thought that “cheese soup” would turn out to be one of my favorite foods from the event, along with the chocolate on chocolate dessert from the African cart, the Empanada de Queso from Chile, and Spanakopita from Greece.

Cheddar Cheese Soup, Breadsticks, and Moosehead Beet

Amy and I were fortunate to have two wonderful visits to the Food & Wine Festival last year: once during late September where the lines were 2-5 people deep, and then in early November on the last weekend of the event with the park slammed and the lines 10-20 people deep. We enjoyed both visits and had a great time tasting either a dinner, wine, or dessert from each of the 25 carts along the walkway. During our second visit in November, I had the opportunity to try the cheese soup from the Canadian cart, paired with a Moosehead beer, and both were delicious!

Having had the opportunity to try the cheese soup during the festival, I hoped that I would have another chance to taste it again during a future visit to Epcot. During our June 2009 visit, with Amy and Chloe enjoying a ride on Nemo at the Living Seas Pavilion, and while I was out taking photographs at the World Showcase, I decided to stop by the Le Cellier Steakhouse to see if I could purchase a “cup-to-go” for lunch!

Cheese Soup Thief

I wasn’t quite sure if I’d be successful as reservations are required, however, a kind host welcoming guests to the restaurant spoke to a waiter inside; within a few moments, I not only had a cup of cheese soup to go, but also three delectable bread sticks! I strolled up to the beer cart and purchased a Moosehead beer to go along with the soup and found a nearby quiet location to sit down and enjoy my feast.

Just to confirm, folks, you can order the soup any time of the year just by walking up to the podium at Le Cellier! There are no seasonal restrictions. Bon Appetit! –AJ

2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Details

By admin 5 Comments

Details are trickling out about the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival!

To book any and all activities and events, reservations open on August 11 at 7:00AM. Call 407-WDW-FEST (939-3378). Theme park admission is usually required, along with a reservation and extra payment for the event.

Check out the Disney Food and Wine Festival Page for info and more updates.

Culinary Adventures — Signature Dining Experiences
Celebrity chefs pair up with Walt Disney World restaurant big cheeses to develop a 5-course meal. Schedule and celebrity chefs include:

10/1 6:30 p.m. Jiko–The Cooking Place — Suvir Saran
10/1 7:00 p.m. Portobello Italian Trattoria — Tony Mantuano
10/13 6:15 p.m. Ragland Road — Kevin Dundon
10/15 5:30 p.m. Flying Fish Café — Tim Keating
10/16 6:30 p.m. bluezoo — Todd English
10/22 6:30 p.m. The Wave — Frank Brough
10/25 6:30 p.m. Victoria & Albert’s — Scott Hunnel
10/29 6:30 p.m. California Grill — Brian Piasecki
10/30 6:30 p.m. Wonders Retreat — Jean Claude Boisset vs. Jean Charles Boisset Wines
11/5 6:30 p.m. Cítricos — Phillip Ponticelli

Price: $100.00-$375.00 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Theme park admission is not required.

Food and Wine Pairing Meals
An old favorite returns.

Saturdays, 2:30–4:00 p.m. — Tutto Italia Ristorante
Mondays, 3:30–5:00 p.m. — Tokyo Dining
Tuesdays, 3:30–5:00 p.m. — Restaurant Marrakesh

Price: $55.00 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Theme park admission is required.

Mexico Tequila Tastings
A NEW addition!
La Cava del Tequila, Mexico Pavilion

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 3:00 p.m.

Price: $35.00 per person, plus tax. Gratuity included. Theme park admission is required.

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Coke vs. Pepsi

Updated Recipe: School Bread from Norway’s Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

Starting Oct. 27th: Make Your Disney Dining Reservations 180 Days in Advance

Disney Cookbooks

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Part II

Disney World Rivalry: ‘Ohana Potatoes vs. Noodles

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: July 26

Disney World Free Dining Extended Through December 17th

Le Cellier Cheddar Cheese Soup…to go?

2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Details

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POLICIES & CREDITS

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Category: Cult Favorites

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EBOOKS

POLICIES & CREDITS