REVIEW: Turkey Poutine, Spicy Apple Cider Margarita, and More from Merry Mashups Marketplace at the 2022 Festival of Holidays in Disney California Adventure

Alicia

Updated on:

REVIEW: Turkey Poutine, Spicy Apple Cider Margarita, and More from Merry Mashups Marketplace at the 2022 Festival of Holidays in Disney California Adventure

“Savor flavorful cuisine with hearty flair” is how Disney describes the Merry Mashups marketplace, available during the 2022 Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure. We had great luck with this booth last year, which offered unique, but tasty mashups, so we’re excited to see what combinations they’ve created this year!

merry mashups 2022 booth 1

Menu for the Merry Mashups Marketplace at Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays 2022

merry mashups 2022 booth 2

Food:

  • Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese – $8.50
  • 🆕 Turkey Poutine – $8.00

Beverages:

  • 🆕 Spicy Apple Cider Margarita – $15.00

Photos of Menu Items from the Merry Mashups Marketplace at Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays 2022

merry mashups 2022 food 1

Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese – $8.50

Esquites-style Mac & Cheese with Carnitas, Salsa Macha, Spiced Puffed Rice, Freeze-dried Corn, and Chopped Cilantro

dca-festival-of-holidays-2021-merry-mashups-18-8609843

The mac & cheese was great, as always. The carnitas was flavorful and juicy and lent a nice smoky contrast to the heavy cheese sauce.

dca-festival-of-holidays-2021-merry-mashups-19-2274342

The puffed rice added some crunch, which was needed. It says it’s spicy, but it wasn’t.

dca-festival-of-holidays-2021-merry-mashups-17-7104554

However, it was gooey, cheesy, and amazing. If you like your mac & cheese with some meat, this is a winner.

*NEW* Turkey Poutine – $8.00

Layers of Roasted Turkey, Sweet Potato Bites, Cheese Curds, and Gravy, topped with Frosted Cranberries

turkey poutine 2

This is probably the most holiday-appropriate dish we’ve had so far, as we are closer to Thanksgiving than we are to Christmas.

turkey poutine 7

This combination of turkey, crispy sweet potato tater tots, gravy, cheese curds, and cranberries is just spectacular. Each of the individual component parts is beautifully well done, and coming together, they all sing in harmony.

turkey poutine 1
turkey poutine 8

The turkey is surprisingly moist and delicate. Alongside the very-sweet sweet potato bites and the rich gravy, this is a well-assembled dish.

turkey poutine 9

This one is high in the running for best of the festival, and we will definitely be coming back for this time and again.

*NEW* Spicy Apple Cider Margarita – $15.00

Reposado Tequila, Apple Cider, House-made Ghost Pepper-Cinnamon Syrup, Raspberry Syrup, and Lime Juice, garnished with an Apple Chip

spicy apple cider margarita 4

Our first sip of this was mostly ghost pepper-cinnamon syrup, leading to a large dose of heat and a good amount of fear for what was to come. But once it’s mixed in, the spice is still definitely present, but considerably more manageable.

spicy apple cider margarita 6

The sweetness of the apple cider and the raspberry syrup is cut slightly by the lime juice and finally blessed with a kiss of heat from the ghost pepper syrup that only strikes at the back of the throat so as not to singe your taste buds and throw off the flavor experience for the rest of the festival.

spicy apple cider margarita 5

We don’t know if this will be our favorite cocktail of the festival, but it’s definitely our favorite so far.

Watch our video review of all the Festival of Holidays marketplaces:

The Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays will be running from November 11, 2022, through January 8, 2023, leaving you plenty of time to try all of these mashups!

For more Disneyland Resort news and info, follow Disneyland News Today on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. For Disney Parks news worldwide, visit WDWNT.