Six New Flavors: 2014 Epcot Food & Wine Festival

We gallivant--or schlep, weather-depending--around the Epcot Food & Wine Festival every year. Themed marketplaces sell piping hot foods from several different countries. What's more, complementary wines and beers enhance each snack with satisfying finesse.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival logo

The stews, curries, dumplings and pastries change somewhat every fall, which is only a sliver of the reason the Festival seems fresh, even in its umpteenth go-round since 1996. (The Festival has WAY more than just themed marketplaces. Visit the official website to get a taste of the tastes available.)

Here are six newbies out of the 35 added to the line-up, fresh off the grills for 2014. All seven were very good, although I put my two tippy top favorites first.

Griddled "Yard Bird" with braised greens and housemade habanero sauce

Creme brulee caramel fleur de sel: sea salt-caramel creme brulee with caramelized sugar. Unbelievably delicious.

Roasted Verlasso salmon with quinoa salad and arugula chimichurri

"Ensalada de carrucho"--Caribbean conch salad with onion, tomato and cilantro. This is at the newly expanded and rethemed Puerto Rico marketplace.

Pork goulash with sauerkraut pierogi

Baked lobster Alfredo--this is a pasta casserole with macaroni and a chunk or two of lobster.

This year's Epcot Food & Wine Festival is a week longer than in the past. Lace up your walking shoes and arrive hungry, again and again, from September 19 thorugh November 10. Please share your favories, and your disappointments, in the comments area to help your fellow readers.

Eat enthusiastically, Rona

www.ronarecommends.com