My Disney Easter Basket

Easter in my house growing up always meant colored eggs and baskets full of plastic grass topped with candy and sweets. And, as we know, Disney’s big on the whole candy and sweets thing, so I wanted to share with you some of my favorite Disney sweets. These would definitely be in my personal Easter basket:

The Disney Food Blog Easter Basket

So, why these particular goodies? Let’s take a look at my Easter basket contents — and a few items that just didn’t fit! — and hopefully you’ll find a few new treats to try!

Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles
Easily my all-time favorite candy, Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles can be found in Epcot’s UK pavilion. For those of you who haven’t tried them, think: fruity jujubes coated with sugar. Then make them about 100 times better than fruity jujubes coated with sugar, and you have Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles.

When these come in rolls, the candy is circular, but [Read more…]

Animator’s Palate Reimagined for the Disney Dream

By AJ 4 Comments

Animator’s Palate, the well-known, standard-to-all-ships, Disney Cruise Line restaurant has always been an attraction for the “transformational” experience it gives to guests. In the past, the restaurant has slowly bloomed from black-and-white surroundings to full-color depictions of Disney animated favorites throughout the evening while guests dined.

Disney is polishing and upgrading that “transformational” experience in the Animator’s Palate restaurant on their brand new Disney Dream cruise ship. When walking into the restaurant,

…it will feel like you’ve entered a classic animation studio, filled with character maquettes, paint brushes, colored pencils and other tools of the trade. Throughout the restaurant are sketches from the Disney•Pixar film “Finding Nemo.”

Animator's Palate "Before:" (c) Disney

Throughout the meal, the room will transform into an underwater dining space. The “sketches” will [Read more…]

Guest Review: Artist Point

By AJ 20 Comments

You guys are in for a treat today. One of the best food photographers I know has agreed to write a guest blog about her experience at Artist Point in Disney’s Wilderness Lodge! Thanks to Morgan Rooks for this culinary adventure.

Artist Point

I had long wanted to try Artist Point, located at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. I would often eye the menu listed at AllEars, my eyes lingering over particularly alluring delights like venison pot stickers and cedar plank roasted salmon, while my fiance would frown at the suggestion — having remembered a bad experience from years past.

Finally, my chance would come in January 2010, due to my dear fiance’s parents, who have rekindled their love for the establishment. It was the last day of our vacation when we boarded the boat from Magic Kingdom. The hull cut its way through inky black waters, past the lights of the Contemporary, headed to the dock of Wilderness Lodge. We reached our destination, and the long wooden dock, flanked with intricate lanterns that called us into our Pacific Northwest inspired destination.

Wilderness Lodge Walkway From Dock

Atmosphere
The restaurant is elegant, yet earthy and rustic, which gives it a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere. Lighting — styled like the lanterns we saw outside — hung over head, and a wall of long windows offers a view of the wooded lands that surround the resort.

Artist Point Lanterns

Tall wooden beams emulate the majestic trees of the [Read more…]

Cantina de San Angel Concept Art Released

By AJ 15 Comments

In addition to the Italy Pizzeria concept art, Disney has also released concept art for the expanded Cantina de San Angel!

From the rendering, it looks like the Cantina will be primarily an enclosed structure with some outdoor al fresco seating outside. According to Disney, this restaurant will seat 400. We’ve heard it will have both counter service and table service components. This restaurant is scheduled to open this Fall, just in time for the 2010 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.

Looks like this will be yet another “book it early” spot to view Illuminations, Epcot’s nightly fireworks show!

More Info

Cantina de San Angel construction pics.
More News on Cantina de San Angel refurb and Via Napoli

Epcot Italy Pizzeria Concept Art Released

By AJ 10 Comments

The newest piece of information in the Epcot Pizzeria puzzle has been released: concept art!

Image copyright Disney

Based on this image, we now have a better idea of what to expect from the newest restaurant in Walt Disney World, scheduled to open this Fall just in time for the 2010 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival!

It looks like Italy will have a whole new “neighborhood” back behind the current Tutto Italia, and that the pizzeria building will sit perpendicular to its outdoor dining area. The restaurant will seat 300.

More Info
Click here for Italy Pizzeria construction pics

Click here for the Naples Menu, which represents a sister restaurant to the Epcot Italy Pizzeria. We think the menus will be somewhat similar.

Anniversary and Honeymoon Treats in Disney World

By AJ 36 Comments

This post is part of the DisMarks Disney Blog Carnival! If you’re a Disney fan, be sure to head over and check out all of the other fantastic Disney blogs in the carnival!

You’ve heard all about the Disney Birthday Treats that some restaurants share with their guests in celebration. Today we want to share with you a few fun treats that have been received by Disney honeymooners, which are often the same congratulatory treats given to those celebrating their Anniversaries, as well.

California Grill Honeymoon Presentation

As many of you know, my husband and I split our honeymoon between Disney World and Hawai’i last Fall, and there are several things to consider when planning a “DisneyMoon!” You can plan an official extravaganza with Disney Honeymoons, or you can keep the planning more personal. We did the latter, but were still able to celebrate “Disney-style” through the generosity of a few of our favorite Disney restaurants.

Restaurant Tips for Those Celebrating Honeymoons or Anniversaries
If you’re planning to commemorate your marriage in Walt Disney World, letting the restaurants in on your celebration is both free and easy, and it can really add to the festive atmosphere of your vacation. Consider these Dining Tips when you’re planning your Disney honeymoon or celebrating your anniversary: [Read more…]

Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: March 28, 2010

By AJ Leave a Comment

Our Goodies at the Wishes Dessert Party

Well, folks, “when it rains, it pours” regarding Disney food news this week! Here’s a recap from DFB before we launch into the Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up.

The Wishes Dessert Party in the Magic Kingdom is now booking through May.
Additional news and rumors were reported about Epcot’s Italy pizzeria, and Cantina de San Angel.
Three restaurants in Epcot will have Extended Dining Hours through April 10th.
A Chef’s Counter option may be coming to Flying Fish Cafe
The April/May Tables in Wonderland Events have been announced.
In Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Studio Catering Company has re-opened with a new menu

Plus, if you’re a Disney blogger, considering joining the DisMarks Disney Blog Carnival this week!

Now, on to the Round-Up! For those of you who are new to Disney Food Blog, each week we scour the web for some of the best Disney food writing around, then highlight it on our Sunday blog post. Enjoy!

Cupcakes Take The Cake showcased the Disney World Cupcakes from our “You Won’t Believe This!” snack series! (Nope, we’re not afraid to toot our own horn!)

Disney History Institute talks Disney and General Mills, with a focus on a Disney-fied August 1955 issue of The Modern Millwheel of General Mills.

Main Street Gazette has an awesome post about “Widowmaker Fries.” Don’t know what they are? Neither did we… check it out!

DF ’82 takes us on a tour of Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost in Disneyland Paris Resort.

Gorillas Don’t Blog has an enchanting post and some keen photos of the current whereabouts of the Disneyland Carnation Truck from Carnation Corner.

Tasty Chomps goes to Epcot’s Sommerfest! Yum!

Disney Every Day reviews Whispering Canyon Cafe…and has a really big knife to boot!

Babes in Disneyland shares a pic of an adorable Disneyland Easter Treat!

WDW Radio‘s Lou Mongello takes us on a video tour in search of the best snack in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

SamLand’s Disney Adventures pays homage to his Flying Fish Cafe “Chef’s Counter” meal (I wish there were pictures, but the descriptions of the courses are mouth-watering). Scroll down to mid-post for the restaurant visit.

AllEarsNet blogger Mike Bachand brought pics back from the first Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Garden Town Breakfast.

Disney Parks Blog reports new evening hours at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill.

OC Register highlights a “Cheap Disneyland Kids’ Meal That’s Not Nasty.” You HAVE to love that title.

Cakewrecks shares a coolio “UP” cake…keep scrolling down and you’ll find it!

DIY Disney: Disneyland Hotel Banana Bread and Prime Time Meatloaf

By AJ 1 Comment

This week, I was sent some great DIY Disney photos from Max, who writes the Designing Disney blog. Max was inspired by Chef BigFatPanda’s handiwork in the kitchen when he created the 50’s Prime Time Cafe Meatloaf and decided to make his own version!

And, of course you need a little something sweet after dinner! I think Max made a great choice with the Disneyland Hotel’s banana bread!

Here are the resulting pics — looks delish… (click on pics to see larger version):

“Pièce de résistance”

Disneyland Hotel Banana Bread
I’ve included the recipe for this one at the end of the post. The meatloaf recipe can be found here.

All ready!

Max — Thank you for sharing your culinary prowess with us! Bon Appetit!

Disneyland Hotel Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
* 1 cup butter [Read more…]

Chocolate Desserts You Might Have Missed…

By AJ 6 Comments

While many have sampled Coral Reef‘s famous “Chocolate Wave” and Le Cellier‘s deep, dark Whiskey Cake, we wanted to show you three chocolate desserts in Walt Disney World that might be a bit “under the radar”…

Portobello Restaurant, Downtown Disney
This dense, rich confection is called Chocolate Paradise, and is described on the menu as a rich chocolate layer cake with chocolate ganache & toffee crunch. Now, you all know me as a frosting-lover, and while this cake didn’t have much, the moistness of the cake itself nearly made up for it.

Also, rarely is a dessert “too rich” for me, but this one almost did me in. This is absolutely one of the most delicious chocolate cakes I’ve ever had — highly recommended the next time you’re in Downtown Disney. And, don’t worry — I’ll be highlighting my review of Portobello on the blog very soon!

Chocolate Paradise at Portobello, Downtown Disney

T-Rex, Downtown Disney
So…the Ice Age Indulgence is described as such: Layers of ice cream sandwiches, fudge sauce, whipped cream and Heath Bar Crunch, and it’s intriguing to say the least! It’s the exact dessert you’d have made as a kid if you were left alone in the house with a freezer full of ice cream sandwiches — admit it, you [Read more…]

Wishes Dessert Party Confirmed — Returning March 28th! Book Now!

By AJ 13 Comments

Reservations are currently being taken for the Wishes Dessert party! (Thanks @ikristina!)

FYI — I’m hearing from readers on facebook that they’re not taking reservations past May 28th at the moment.

Click here for lots of Wishes Dessert Party photos, and my review from our Dessert Part in October 2009.

Specs
This event includes a self-service buffet at the Tomorrowland Noodle Station with sweets, beverages and exclusive viewing of Wishes. To reserve a space, prepayment is necessary. Currently the Disney Dining Plan is not accepted. Reservations: 407-WDW-DINE.

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