“Mangiare—savor a seasonal take on some of the world’s best-loved food and beverages at the Italy Pavilion!” is how EPCOT is promoting the Tuscany Holiday Kitchen at the 2019 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. We’ve never been big fans of any of the food booths for any festival found in the Italy pavilion, but with almost an entirely new menu this year, maybe this year will be different.
Menu for Tuscany Holiday Kitchen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
Food:
- 🆕 Bianca Neve: Italian Flatbread, Mozzarella and Parmesan – $5.00
- 🆕 La Genovese: Rustic Flatbread, Vidalia Onions, White Wine Braised Beef Tenderloin Tips and Mozzarella – $8.00
- 🆕 Collezione Barilla: Pennette Pasta, Sweet Sausage, Caramelized Onions and Creamy Sauce – $7.00
- Crespelle di Mele: Cinnamon Apple Fritters and a Vanilla Sauce Drizzle with Confectioners Sugar – $8.00
- Bacio al Cioccolato: Warm Hazelnut Chocolate Cake with Caramelized Berry Sauce – $10.00
- Panettone Mignon: Miniature Traditional Italian Christmas Fruitcake – $8.00
Beverages:
- 🆕 Peroni Nastro Azzurro Pilsner (5.1% ABV)- $5.50
- 🆕 Pinot Grigio, Santa Marina ($6/bottle) – $9.00
- 🆕 Chianti, Gabbiano ($7/bottle) – $9.00
- 🆕 Prosecco, Villa Sandi ($16/bottle) – $10.00
- 🆕 Corbinello, Montegrande ($15/bottle) – $10.00
- 🆕 Moscato Fior D’Arancio, Montegrande ($18/bottle) – $10.00
- 🆕 Italian Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila – $10.00
All three desserts return from 2018, though two of them come with slight changes: confectioner’s sugar replaces the chocolate caramel sauce on the Crespelle di Mele, while caramelized berry sauce replaces the vanilla mascarpone cream on the Bacio al Cioccolato. All beverages were previously seen at the Italy Marketplace Booth at the 2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
Photos of Menu Items for Tuscany Holiday Kitchen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
*NEW* Bianca Neve: Italian Flatbread, Mozzarella and Parmesan – $5.00
Both flatbreads feature a white sauce, and this one is actually quite good. The mozzarella and parmesan cheese blend well and the thin crust is nice and crispy.
As you can see, the cheese is quite stringy and gooey which goes well with the crispy crust. Overall a safe, simple option.
*NEW* La Genovese: Rustic Flatbread, Vidalia Onions, White Wine Braised Beef Tenderloin Tips and Mozzarella – $8.00
This other flatbread also features a white sauce, but it isn’t good at all. The beef is just gross and tastes like it is of extremely low-quality meat.
We would recommend you skip this “dish” at the booth as it is more expensive and much worse than the other flatbread option.
*NEW* Collezione Barilla: Pennette Pasta, Sweet Sausage, Caramelized Onions and Creamy Sauce – $7.00
Collezione Barilla is also a swing and a miss. The pasta is gross as it was very undercooked and there was far too little of the creamy sauce, making the dish taste quite dry.
Really, this is a simple dish that anyone could make at home and do much better, so we recommend you save your $7.00 and spend it elsewhere.
Crespelle di Mele: Cinnamon Apple Fritters and a Vanilla Sauce Drizzle with Confectioners Sugar – $8.00
These cinnamon apple fritters are drizzled in vanilla and confectioner’s sugar, leaving an overall milky texture contrasting with the crispy exterior. Not as much apple taste was present as was hoped, but overall, these were a pleasant surprise.
Bacio al Cioccolato: Warm Hazelnut Chocolate Cake with Caramelized Berry Sauce – $10.00
The favorite of the Italian reviewed foods, this warm hazelnut chocolate cake with caramelized berry sauce has just the right amount of density and richness. The delightful texture and the taste of the cake was boosted by the surrounding sauce. Worth your consumption.
Panettone Mignon: Miniature Traditional Italian Christmas Fruitcake – $8.00
Ah yes, a prepackaged offering at the Festival of the Holidays. We didn’t like this fruitcake, but it also wasn’t the worst dessert we had today, so keep that in mind…
The fruitcake is very moist and dense, not like a dry fruitcake most people imagine. Still, Panettone is essentially unflavored bread with raisins, so we’d recommend you skip this offering.
*NEW* Peroni Nastro Azzurro Pilsner (5.1% ABV) – $5.50
Peroni Brewery describes their beer as “a crisp and refreshing beer with a delicate balance of bitterness, citrus and spicy aromatic notes, combined with a fast and clean finish.”
*NEW* Pinot Grigio, Santa Marina ($6/bottle) – $9.00
Total Wine & More describes Santa Marina Pinot Grigio as “pale yellow in color, and contains aromas of citrus, nectarines, and peaches, with earthy notes. A light-bodied palate with a medium amount of acidity, and a short finish.”
*NEW* Chianti, Gabbiano ($7/bottle) – $9.00
Total Wine & More describes Gabbiano Chianti: “The bouquet is reminiscent of ripe plums spiced with pepper and wood nuances. The first sip reveals invigorating flavors of cherry, blackberry, and spice followed by a dry vivid finish.”
*NEW* Prosecco, Villa Sandi ($16/bottle) – $10.00
Villa Sandi describes their wine’s aroma as “…fruity and flowery with hints of ripe golden apple and small mountain flowers.” “The dry, fresh and flavorsome sensation on the palate is followed by a fruity and harmonious aftertaste.”
*NEW* Corbinello, Montegrande ($15/bottle) – $10.00
Christofanon Montegrande described their Corbinello as “a ruby red wine, from the red-fruit fragrance that recalls marascas and violets. It has a kind wrapping fresh and pleasantly tannic taste.”
*NEW* Moscato Fior d’Arancio, Montegrande ($18/bottle) – $10.00
Christofanon Montegrande describes Fior d’Arancio as “typical of Muscat, intense but delicate, with clear reminiscent of wisteria, white flowers and citruses.”
Italian Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila – $10.00
The margarita was quite good as it tasted almost like a melting lemon ice dessert. However, there didn’t seem to be much liquor in the drink, as we didn’t taste much besides the faint hint of tequila.
Overall, this is a tasty drink, but don’t expect to get much alcohol for your money here.
Location of Tuscany Holiday Kitchen at the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
Tuscany Holiday Kitchen is located adjacent to the Italy Pavilion in the World Showcase Promenade. Tuscany Holiday Kitchen is number 12 on the map below.
What was your favorite dish from the Tuscany Holiday Kitchen? Leave us a comment below!
Is the Italian “food booth” run by Disney or by the Patina group?? There seems to be such a disparity of quality from “within” the Italy restaurants to what is offered at the food booth on the promenade, one has to wonder where the issues lie.
Patina