Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival 2018

We made a mad dash, 24 hour trip to Orlando this weekend to check out this year’s International Flower and Garden Festival, and it didn’t disappoint! This is our 4th year doing F+G together, and it just keeps getting better! I grew up going to this festival every year, but that was before they added in Outdoor Kitchens, and as a kid the topiaries were not that exciting. Now Flower and Garden might be my favorite Epcot festival, and Epcot just isn’t the same without the bright colors and flowers.

Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions and Herb Sour Cream {Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market}

Fried Cauliflower with Capers, Garlic Parsley and Chili Ranch Sauce {Taste of Marrakesh}

Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey Blistered Grapes and Sunflower Brittle {The Honey Bee-stro}

Spicy Blackened Shrimp and Stone-ground Cheddar Cheese Grits with Brown Gravy and Local Sweet Corn Relish {Florida Fresh}

John is a huge fan of the Potato Pancake, and I think he’s gotten it every year. Also, we clearly have a thing for cauliflower, but these were two very different dishes. The Fried Cauliflower was cheesy and incredible, and the Roasted Cauliflower had a really cool sweet and salty thing going on, but they were both good! The Shrimp and Grits were interesting. In retrospect, we’d get it without the corn relish because there was a TON of corn, but the shrimp, grits, and gravy were pretty spectacular together. A few other great options that aren’t pictured are:

Beef Brisket Burnt Ends and Smoked Pork Belly Slider with Garlic Sausage, Chorizo, Cheddar Fondue and House-made Pickle {The Smokehouse}
Pear Cider-brined Shredded Corned Beef with Braised Cabbage and Branston Dressing with Pears {Cider House}
Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with Steamed Rice and Coconut Lime Sauce {La Isla Fresca}
Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple-wood Smoked Bacon {Northern Bloom}
Beef Tenderloin Tips, Mushroom Bordelaise Sauce, Whipped Potatoes with Garden Vegetables {Northern Bloom}
Ginger Beef Yaki Udon: Thin-sliced Beef, Onions and Noodles tossed on the grill with Soy and Ginger {Hanami}
Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade {Pineapple Promenade}

Macaron au Chocolat en Sucette: Large Chocolate Macaron Lollipop {Fleur de Lys}

The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival runs from February 28 – May 28 this year, and we’re hoping to make another pass before the festival ends. If you haven’t experienced this festival yet, you need to make plans to attend soon! It’s our favorite festival for a reason!