Attend a garden grazing event at the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival

Welcome back to The Perfect Pair, Laura and I braved our way into Epcot with open minds, empty stomachs, and a serious commitment to snacking. This time, we're tackling garden grazing EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival sampling Five plant-based bites This puts it on our must-eat list.

What’s holiday food without the perfect sip? With help from Katie, our recipe expert from Disney Eatswe're breaking down what we eat, what we drink, and why these combinations work so well.

Stay tuned, because as you wander with us to discover the perfect food and drink pairings and collect all your passport stamps, I'll show you free Garden Grazing Day treats.

Herding is easy with EPCOT—you're already trained to do it. only Pick up a festival pass and try at least five qualifying menu items Scattered throughout the park.

This is the hardest part of the day eating delicious food: every time you check out, Be sure to ask the cast to stamp your passport. You can eat every item on the list, but if you forget the stamp, you're basically just enjoying the snack like a person with no herding duties…what's the glory in that?

The best part is You can repeat the Garden Graze menu item Even on a different visit you will love it and earn another stamp for it. So, if you want five servings of street corn…we won't judge here on the Disney Parks Blog. Once you've collected five stamps, head to the redemption location to claim your prize, and you'll feel very accomplished (and probably satisfied).

Before heading to the Flower and Garden Festival, I learned some perfect holiday pairings from festival chef Tony. Tony tells us The menu items you'll be tasting this year might start with a quick sketch”, “I always carry a small sketchbook with me to jot down notes, quickly draw pictures of food, and capture inspiration through photos. “

His team then developed the concept, adapting it to serving sizes for an outdoor kitchen and taking care of every detail. Tony said: “[We] Plan every step of the execution—from preparation to elegant finishing touches like fine sea salt or custom-grown microgreens. “

Tony also told us The culinary and beverage teams work closely together to develop holiday food and beverage pairings. “We create dishes inspired by drinks, as well as drinks inspired by entrees. Our team works closely and regularly tastes these dishes together to achieve the best pairings and guest experience,” Tony said.

Finally, Tony talked to us about How a culinary team leverages actors' knowledge Ensure international cuisine brings authentic flavors throughout World Showcase. “The most effective way to achieve authenticity in a dish or flavor profile is to partner with someone with relevant heritage or experience. At EPCOT, we are lucky to have a diverse cultural lineup that represents communities from around the world. Often, we don’t have to look too hard to find expertise.”

📌Place: close to land

🥕Our pairings: Poke Bowl and refreshing non-alcoholic Frozen Island Escape smoothies

This cute little pavilion is located next to the Butterfly Gardenso once you’ve made some new friends, it’s time to hit up this outdoor kitchen.

The Poke Bowl features soft sticky rice with edamame, avocado, mango, pickled red onion and seaweed salad. Topped with a generous sprinkling of furikake and topped with a homemade umami sauce.

All three of us loved the fresh taste. Katie said in between bites, “Every bite tastes slightly different in the best way. The sprinkle of furikake adds that salty, toasty magic, and the sauce brings everything together, so the flavor is balanced and satisfying.”

For a hint of sweetness, the Frozen Island Escape Smoothie comes with just the right amount of fruity flavors, namely Minute Maid Peach and Mango. To keep it chilled, Outshine Frozen Mini Fruit Bars are attached to the top! As it slowly melts, it blends into the smoothie, adding a little extra fruity flavor that makes this drink half drink, half snack.

📌Place: The walkway between world display and imagination! pavilion

🥕Our pairings: Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with Non-Alcoholic Strawberry Basil Lemonade

Grilled street corn on the cob has taken over my Instagram feed since the festival began. Hand-held, juicy and full of flavor… let's just say I was affected.

Whole corn on the cob is slathered in a delicious garlic sauce and topped with Boursin's dairy-free garlic and premium herb cheese. Corn grilled by Beach Grubadjacent to Playalong Bay presented by Smucker's, creating a cool picnic atmosphere.

Laura also raved about the famous handheld snack. “The grilled street corn totally lives up to the hype. It has a very rich garlic flavor and a creamy texture. Don't miss the extra corn in the foil packet!”

We paired the corn with strawberry basil lemonade, betting on the salty-sweet combo. This refreshing drink contains Minute Maid premium lemonade and strawberry hibiscus syrup, garnished with basil.

Katie says of the pairing: “The rich, garlicky corn brings a bold flavor that calls for something bright to balance it out. The Strawberry Basil Lemonade delivers just that, with crisp citrus and subtle herbal notes that break up the richness and refresh the palate between each bite.”

📌Place: between france and morocco

🥕Our pairings: Coconut Chocolate Pie Bizcocho and Bold Rock Paradise Orchard Hard Cider

Coconut Chocolate Tart Bizcocho features smooth coconut custard on a soft chocolate cake bathed in passion fruit caramel. This is a rare treat for those looking for a plant-based alternative to traditional flan.

Laura says, “The chocolate brings a rich flavor and the coconut custard brings a silky, beachy vibe. I love how the passion fruit caramel brings another layer of flavor to every bite.”

Katie loves Bold Rock’s premium ciderParadise Orchard Hard Cider did not disappoint. “Pairing this new hard cider with the Coconut Chocolate Flan Bizcocho is a great move as it gives you a bright sip that complements the rich flavors of chocolate and coconut in the dessert.”

📌Place: An outpost between China and Germany

🥕Our pairings: Seasonal Fruit Parfait with Boyd and Blair Lavender Martini

Seasonal Fruit Parfait with plenty of icy fruit is always what you need on a Florida afternoon and The gentle heat of the sweet chili sauce radiates from every bite. Creamy Dole Fresh Squeezed Mango is the perfect combination with cold fruit chunks.

Katie loves the flavor of lavender in the Boyd & Blair Lavender Martini, “The lavender aroma is rich, but not overpowering. Yes, it's floral, but grounded. The cocktail itself remains crisp and smooth from start to finish.”

Laura says: “This drink feels like you've walked into a garden party. It's a relaxing yet sophisticated drink that can be sipped slowly. When served with a parfait, it's elegant and has an earthy taste.”

🥕 Our matches:Lumpia features plant-based pork and beer and cider flights

The weather is getting hotter in the afternoons at EPCOT, so it’s a great time to enjoy some air conditioning and good food on the Odyssey.

The plant-based pork spring rolls come in the form of three spring rolls, served with yuzu sweet and sour sauce, and a green papaya salad on the side.

We each made a roll specifically, and Katie had to give her seal of approval, “The spring rolls made with plant-based pork are so delicious, in these bite-sized spring rolls that just beg to be soaked in the spicy yuzu sweet and sour sauce. If someone hadn't told me, I wouldn't have known it was plant-based.”

Laura says: “This refreshing green papaya salad adds just the right amount of crunch and brightness. It makes the whole dish feel light yet satisfying.”

Beverage flights (beer/cider):

What better to pair with three cute rolls than three cute drinks? I encourage you to try each beer as you go, but Central 28 Beer Company Grapefruit Pale Ale is our top pick Paired with Lumpia.

Katie says of our favorite pairing: “The bright citrus flavor of the pale ale blends perfectly with the rich deliciousness of the plant-based pork spring rolls, adding crunch and balance to every bite.”

📌Location: Pineapple promenade near the port of entry

🥕treat: Vanilla soft serve ice cream and Dole pineapple

For me, it's pure bliss in dessert form; I can't have a lot of lactose in my diet, so creamy plant-based snacks are always a dream. Vanilla and Dole Pineapple are the perfect combination of creamy and richthe vanilla keeps things smooth, and the pineapple brings enough zing to make every bite refreshing.

This treat comes in a memorial garden glaze cup that reminds me of our day every time I use it at home. It’s a well-deserved reward for our dedicated grazing in the garden.