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Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Officially Launches on May 27th!

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Officially Launches on May 27th!

by | May 10, 2022 | Disney, Epcot, Orlando

The new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction officially opens for launch at EPCOT on May 27, 2022. Our team members at My VIP Tour took the opportunity to go on an intergalactic quest to save the galaxy during the Annual Pass holder’s Advance Preview Event. And we can’t wait to share our experience with our families!

To find the new attraction at EPCOT, head over to the World Discovery neighborhood, where you can find other popular attractions such as Mission: SPACE and Test Track. 

 

Book with My VIP Tour to start the planning process! Reach out to our team at info@myviptour.com or fill out a Get a Quote form. 

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Guardians of the Galaxy Queue – Source: David Roark, photographer

Our Experience on the Ride

 🚨 Spoiler Alert! If you like surprises, skip to “Request to Join the Virtual Queue”

Described as an “omnicoaster,” the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind ride is one of the world’s largest fully-enclosed coasters and will offer a ton more firsts from Walt Disney Imagineering. The innovations include being the first reverse launch coaster on a Disney ride, plus guests will board 360-degree rotating vehicles for the intergalactic adventure.

Upon arriving inside the building, the queue line winds up around the Galaxarium, which also features an incredible projection show showcasing the intergalactic wonders that connect Terra (Earth) and Xandar, the planet the Guardians of the Galaxy help save in the first film.

Of course, we see the legendary cosmic outlaws during the pre-show – Rocket, Groot, Drax, Gamora, and Star-Lord (a.k.a. Peter Quill). We also get a few words from Nova Prime herself, played by Glenn Close. And the newest face to enter the Guardians of the Galaxy universe is actor Terry Crew. We loved seeing him play his new role as Centurion Tal Marik, the Commander of the Starcharter and close advisor to Nova Prime.

Aboard the Starblaster, Terrans (all riders who inhabit the planet Earth) will blast off to a fantastic musical score featuring songs from the first two films. We could best describe this ride as if Rocket Roller Coaster and Space Mountain had a baby. The steel tracks felt super smooth during our ride, making us feel like we were floating in outer space. There are no significant drops, but the reverse launch and few dips and spirals can be dizzying for some. Although, our team is happy to report that we felt more of a rush of energy during our preview and loved every moment of the ride. There are many fantastic rides and attractions in Disney World, but we’re confident this will be a new fan favorite for thrill-seekers!

Source: Getty Images

Note: This dark thrill story coaster is for 42in (107cm) or taller guests if you are a family with children.

Request to Join the Virtual Queue 

“It’s almost save the galaxy time,” and we can’t wait for our families to experience this incredible new attraction, which will open with a virtual queue. Disney announced, “Guests need to use the My Disney Experience app to enter the attraction. A standby queue will not be available. Each guest can enter the virtual queue no more than once per day.” Families will also have the opportunity to purchase an Individual Lightning Lane entry to the attraction. 

How to enter the virtual queue

Beginning at 7 a.m. on the day of your park reservation, with a valid ticket or pass and a Disney Park Pass Reservation for EPCOT, you can check for an available boarding group via the My Disney Experience app* and request access to the virtual queue. Guests with an EPCOT reservation can make virtual queue requests before heading to the park in the morning. If you are with one of our expert VIP guides, they can assist with requesting access to the virtual queue. 

At 1 p.m., there will be another opportunity to join the virtual queue for anyone who couldn’t join a boarding group earlier in the day. Remember that everyone must be inside EPCOT to access this second virtual queue opportunity.

To give as many guests as possible the chance to save the galaxy, each person can enter the virtual queue no more than once per day during regular park hours. Please note: joining the virtual queue does not guarantee the ability to experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Virtual queue during extended evening hours

Families staying at a Disney Deluxe Resort, Disney Deluxe Villa Resort, or other select hotels will have an additional opportunity to join the virtual queue at 6 p.m. on select dates during extended evening theme park hours. Guests with this benefit do not need to be in EPCOT to request to join at that time.

Guests will need a valid admission and a theme park reservation for the same park on the same day to experience extended evening hours. Or guests may experience extended evening hours if they have a ticket or annual pass with the Park Hopper option and first enter the park where they made their reservation.

How to purchase individual Lightning Lane entry
Families with valid park admission and a park reservation can purchase individual Lightning Lane entry in the My Disney Experience app* via the Disney Genie service on the same day of their visit, subject to availability.
Virtual queue and individual Lightning Lane entry are only accessible via the My Disney Experience app.

If you have questions or need assistance registering for the virtual queue or purchasing an individual Lightning Lane entry, our knowledgeable team at My VIP Tour is available to help!

If Guardian of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and EPCOT are on the top of your list, our team at My VIP Tour is here to offer the ultimate Disney concierge service to assist with your upcoming vacation.

Book with My VIP Tour to start the planning process! Reach out to our team at info@myviptour.com or fill out a Get a Quote form. 

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Cooking Around the World Showcase – Pan Fried Noodles from the Japan Pavillon

Cooking Around the World Showcase – Pan Fried Noodles from the Japan Pavillon

by | Aug 7, 2020 | Cooking Around the World, Disney, disney world, Epcot, My VIP Tour, Orlando

Cooking Around the World Showcase - Pan Fried Noodles from Japan Pavillon

 The next stop on my culinary adventures around the World Showcase is Japan. I am not going to lie, this one made me nervous. Would I have the right cooking equipment? Was I going to be able to find all of the ingredients I needed? Have no fear! I am happy to report back that my dish of Pan Fried Noodles was a huge success and a big hit with the family.

Pan Fried Noodles

Japan Pavillon
Teppan Edo

Out of the three sit down dining options located in Epcot’s Japan pavilion, Teppan Edo, Tokyo Dining, and Takumi-Tei, Teppan Edo is truly the star. Teppan means “iron griddle” in Japanese, so the name is very fitting for this hibachi style dining experience.  My family and I have been dining here for as long as I can remember. It is especially my husband’s favorite as he studied Japanese in college. Depending on the size of your party, you will be seated alone, or with a combination of other families all around a large flat top grill. Here your chef will cook your dinner with flair and serve an amazing meal along with a show. The recipe I used to recreate Teppan-Edo’s delicious noodles is by Dinner at the Zoo and can be found here.

Ingredients:
4 servings

  

  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup white onion
  • 1/2 cup green onions 
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 12 ounces cooked fresh noodles 
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

 
1. Heat 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil over medium high heat in a large pan. Add the carrots and white onions to the pan. 
2. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
3. Add the green onions and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the vegetables from the pan, and cover to keep warm.
4. Rinse the noodles under hot water to separate them.
5. Heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in the pan. Add the noodles and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned and crispy on the edges.
6. Add the vegetables back to the pan.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water.
8. Add the bean sprouts to the pan, and toss to combine.
9. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce has just thickened and bean sprouts have wilted.
10. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and additional green onions if desired, then serve.

 

Since this meal did not require too much cooking on the stovetop, my little ones were able to be a lot more hands-on, which they loved!

The veggies that this recipe calls for are shredded carrots, white onion and bean sprouts. I chose to shred the carrots and onions at home with my grater. However, you can buy them pre-shredded at the grocery story if you prefer.

The kids got to shred the carrots and onions and mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Mom stepped in when it was time to start cooking.

One tip I found online that turned out to be my saving grace was buying precooked noodles, which you can find in the international isle of your grocery store.

Since these noodles come precooked, all you need to do is rinse them and throw them in the pan and voila! The longer you keep the noodles in the fry pan, the crispier they get. The texture is needed in this dish so that everything is not too soft.

The best part of these noodle is that it can easily be a side dish or a main course! We decided to cook up some chicken to mix in with the noodles for the first night. For night two, we had the noodles as a side dish.

To make your Japan experience even more authentic, open a bottle of sake and bring out the chop sticks! We have sets that we purchased from the gift shop located directly underneath the restaurant.

All in all, this dish was much easier to make than I anticipated. Cooking it myself may not have been quite as fun as watching it made hibachi-style at Teppan-Edo, but this recipe is definitely one we will be making more often.

I planned on making the green tea mousse cake from Teppan-Edo’s dessert menu as well, however, it was not as easy or as successful as the noodles. It is The Japan Pavilion that has had me conceding that I am a much better cook than I am a baker!

Enjoy! (Tanoshi!)

Follow us on social media so you can follow our Cooking Around the World Showcase journey. Next week, we are recreating a special dish from Italy! Can you guess which one we chose?

About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Kara and I am so excited to help you plan a magical Disney vacation. My love of Disney started during my very first trip there in March of 1994. Disney quickly became my family’s “happy place”. There was never any question, when it was time for a vacation, we packed our bags and headed to the most magical place on Earth. Nowadays, it is extra special for me to experience the Disney magic again through the eyes of my 4 year old son, Liam, and 2 year old daughter, Jennie. Seeing their eyes light up when Mickey and Minnie pass by and seeing their faces all sticky from Mickey ice cream bars make special memories that only Disney can bring. I can’t wait to help you build those memories together as a family!

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Cooking Around the World Showcase – Baklava from the Morocco Pavillon

Cooking Around the World Showcase – Baklava from the Morocco Pavillon

by | Jul 29, 2020 | Cooking Around the World, Disney, disney world, Epcot, My VIP Tour, Orlando

Cooking Around the World Showcase - Baklava from the Morocco Pavillon

Next stop – The Morocco Pavilion! Located within the World Showcase at Epcot, this pavilion can be easy to overlook. There is no giant landmark that draws attention, no movie or ride found within, and no street performers. Without the bells and whistles of the other pavilions, guests can often walk right on through. If this is you, you are missing out on a plethora of unique merchandise, delicious tastes and smells and architecture that makes you feel like you’re wandering through a bazaar.

Baklava

Easy WDW

Morocco Pavillon
Spice Road Table

There are 3 dining options in The Morocco Pavilion:
1. Restaurant Marrakesh: a table service restaurant tucked away in the back of the pavilion with live music and belly dancers.
2. Tangierine Cafe: a quick service location offering casual Moroccan fare such as Mediterranean shawarma, kebabs, and hummus.
3. Spice Road Table: a table service restaurant with a beautiful indoor/outdoor setting located on the lagoon.

This week I created Baklava, which is a rich and sweet pastry that can be found on the dessert menu at Spice Road Table. I found a really great recipe posted online by Back To Our Roots, which I have included below.

Baklava Ingredients:
Serving Size: 1 9″ x 13″ pan

 

  • 1 lb raw, unsalted nuts
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp each of the following spices:
    • ground nutmeg
    • ground cloves
    • mace
    • ground cardamom
    • allspice
  • 1 16oz package phyllo dough at room temperature
  • 1 cup melted butter

Baklava Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
2. Chop the nuts very fine and mix the ground spices into them.
3. Unroll the phyllo and cover it with plastic wrap and then with a damp cloth.
4. Place 4 to 6 sheets of phyllo in the bottom of your baking dish and brush generously with the melted butter.
5. Sprinkle 5 to 6 tablespoons of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
6. Add 2 more sheets of phyllo dough and brush with butter.
7. Continue to layer the nuts and phyllo sheets, brushing the sheets with butter as you go, until you have used all of the nut mixture. For the top layer of phyllo, use 6 to 8 sheets, buttering each one.
8. Using a very sharp knife, cut the Baklava all the way through, into 4 long rows. Then cut diagonally to make diamond shapes.
9. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden brown.

I will admit, this recipe called for a run to the grocery store as it features many spices that I don’t normally use. However, now that I have them in my pantry, I will certainly find more recipes that call for Mace, Cardamom, Cloves and Nutmeg.

The recipe did seem a bit intimidating at first, but I actually found it quite simple to put together. First, I chopped up all of the nuts. I did this by hand with no problem, but if you have a food processor it would definitely make this step easier and quicker!

I then alternated layers of well buttered dough and the chopped nuts.

I decided to use puff pastry dough instead of the traditional phyllo dough, which is why my baklava looks slightly different. They came out a little fluffier and delicious!

After cutting my Baklava into diamond shapes and placing it in the oven, I got started on the syrup.

Syrup Ingredients:

 

  • 1 cup packed sucanat or brown sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • The peel from 1 orange – washed, cut in strips, and pith removed
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 whole cloves

Syrup Directions:

 

1. Combine the brown sugar and the water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add the honey, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel and return to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Remove and discard the cloves and cinnamon sticks. The orange peel is now “candied”.
5. Add the lemon juice and the vanilla and mix well.
6. Remove the syrup from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
7. After removing the Baklava from the oven, immediately spoon the syrup over the top. Allow the Baklava to cool completely before serving.

 

The syrup is what really brings this dish together and makes each bite melt in your mouth! With brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, cloves and orange peel, I could have just dunked my spoon in it all day.

The best part of my baklava making experience was that my whole house smelled like Christmas! With your baklava fresh, you can now cuddle up, put on Aladdin, light some incense, and feel like you are back exploring Morocco.

Follow us on social media so you can follow our Cooking Around the World Showcase journey. Next week, we are recreating a special dish from Japan! Can you guess which one we chose?

About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Kara and I am so excited to help you plan a magical Disney vacation. My love of Disney started during my very first trip there in March of 1994. Disney quickly became my family’s “happy place”. There was never any question, when it was time for a vacation, we packed our bags and headed to the most magical place on Earth. Nowadays, it is extra special for me to experience the Disney magic again through the eyes of my 4 year old son, Liam, and 2 year old daughter, Jennie. Seeing their eyes light up when Mickey and Minnie pass by and seeing their faces all sticky from Mickey ice cream bars make special memories that only Disney can bring. I can’t wait to help you build those memories together as a family!

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Cooking Around the World Showcase – French Onion Soup from the France Pavillon

Cooking Around the World Showcase – French Onion Soup from the France Pavillon

by | Jul 24, 2020 | Cooking Around the World, Disney, disney world, Epcot, My VIP Tour, Orlando

Cooking Around the World Showcase - French Onion Soup from France Pavillon

 

As we continue along Epcot’s World Showcase in our weekly Cooking Around the World blog series we find ourselves at the France Pavillon. After passing over the Pont des Arts inspired footbridge you will be met with cobblestone lined streets, flower carts, streetside artists and of course, a replica of the Eiffel Tower. This week I decided to recreate a dish from Chefs de France, which is one of our favorite restaurants to book for our families within the France Pavillon. And what better menu item to cook than their delicious French Onion soup!

French Onion Soup

France Pavillon
Chefs de France

French Onion Soup is a well-known classic. With a combination of sweet caramelized onions, rich beef broth and a delicious cheesee crusted top, this is the ultimate comfort food. Thankfully, it is super easy to make as well! The recipe I chose to follow was found on Spend With Pennies and it turned out amazing. Follow along below to see the process!

Ingredients:
6 servings

 

  • 3 large onions, peeled and sliced
  • ½ teaspoon brown sugar (optional)
  • ⅓ cup butter
  • 8 cups beef broth
  • ⅓ cup dry white wine
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 baguette
  • 3 cups gruyere cheese
  • 6 tablespoons fresh parmesan cheese

Directions:

 

1. Slice onions ¼” thick then cook them for about 30-45 minutes while stirring occasionally over low heat in melted butter until golden.

2. Add wine, beef broth, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper and worcestershire. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Remove bay leaf and thyme and discard.

3. Meanwhile, slice bread and brush with olive oil. Broil 2 minutes per side or until golden. 

4. Ladle soup into ceramic bowls. Add 2 slices of bread in each bowl. Divide cheeses over bowls and broil until golden and bubbly.

 

The first step is to cut up all of your onions. If your eyes typically water while cutting an onion, try placing it in the freezer for about 5 minutes before cutting and make sure you’re using a very sharp knife when slicing.

It is important to cook the onions slowly and keep a watchful eye on them to ensure they do not brown and instead become soft and golden. If you would like to prep your onions the evening before to save some time, you can caramelize your onions in a slow cooker instead.

After my onions were the perfect color and texture, I added in the rest of the ingredients. This is when it became time to play the waiting game!

In order to successfully achieve all of those decadent flavors that make French Onion Soup so special it requires about an hour of simmering. Once finished the broth should be transparent with some caramel coloring. 

This next step is super important! Putting the sliced pieces of baguette in the oven and broiling them before adding them to the soup helps ensure that they do not immediately fall apart. 

I kept them in there for about two minutes per side and made sure they were perfectly golden. Having toasty bread is vital for the overall texture and structure of your soup.

Finally, I poured the soup into oven safe bowls, added the bread, placed the cheese on top and broiled it until it started bubbling. While any and all cheese combinations are acceptable, I highly recommend using gruyere as suggested – it is extremely flavorful and gives the soup a delicious, creamy texture on top.

All ovens are different, so be sure to watch your soup closely while broiling to ensure the cheese does not burn!

Overall, while this was the easiest recipe I have recreated so far, it was also one of the most flavorful. All of the ingredients really came together into a perfect and delicious combination. I thought my little ones (ages 2 and 4) would be skeptical to try this dish, as they are not the biggest fans of onions, but they surprised me by finishing their bowls clean! I can definitely see myself making this recipe again in the near future.

Follow us on social media so you can follow our Cooking Around the World Showcase journey. Next week, we are recreating a special dish from Morocco! Can you guess which one we chose?

About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Kara and I am so excited to help you plan a magical Disney vacation. My love of Disney started during my very first trip there in March of 1994. Disney quickly became my family’s “happy place”. There was never any question, when it was time for a vacation, we packed our bags and headed to the most magical place on Earth. Nowadays, it is extra special for me to experience the Disney magic again through the eyes of my 4 year old son, Liam, and 2 year old daughter, Jennie. Seeing their eyes light up when Mickey and Minnie pass by and seeing their faces all sticky from Mickey ice cream bars make special memories that only Disney can bring. I can’t wait to help you build those memories together as a family!

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Cooking Around the World Showcase – Scotch Eggs from the UK Pavillon

Cooking Around the World Showcase – Scotch Eggs from the UK Pavillon

by | Jul 17, 2020 | Cooking Around the World, Disney, disney world, Epcot, My VIP Tour, Orlando

Cooking Around the World Showcase - Scotch Eggs from United Kingdom Pavillon

 

 After our Canadian dish last week, the next stop along Epcot’s World Showcase brings us to the United Kingdom pavilion, which celebrates the cultures of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. With the Tudor style gift shops and thatched roof tea shops, you may feel as if you have stepped back in time. This week I wanted to create a dish unique to these cultures, that can be found on the menu at the Rose and Crown Pub. After searching the menu I decided that the Scotch Egg would be the perfect test of my cooking skills (and patience)! 

Scotch Eggs

United Kingdom Pavillon
Rose & Crown

A Scotch Egg consists of a hard or soft boiled egg, wrapped in sausage, coated in breadcrumbs and then baked or fried to breakfast perfection. You can find many recipes online, however I followed the one from Nerds With Knives. While the ingredients are simple, this recipe is a labor of love, so make sure you have space, time, and patience!

Ingredients:
Makes 8 Scotch Eggs

  • 10 extra large eggs
  • 1 lb. pork breakfast sausage, raw, removed from casing
  • ¾ lb. ground pork
  • ¼ cup chopped mixed herbs (chives, sage, parsley and thyme)
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 6 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil
  • Coarse sea salt (optional)

This specific recipe calls for 8 eggs to be made, but since we are a small family and not hosting any dinner parties during quarantine, I decided to make just 4. Because of this, I opted out of the additional meats and stuck to just the mild Italian sausage. I also did not have nutmeg, so I used cinnamon instead.

Directions:


1. Boil eggs and peel.
2. Mix the sausage, ground pork, herbs, nutmeg, mustard, salt and pepper in a medium bowl and divide into 8 balls.
3. In a shallow bowl, beat the two raw eggs with a tablespoon of milk. In a second shallow bowl, add the flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumbs to a third bowl. Arrange in an assembly line in the order of flour, egg, breadcrumbs.
4. Put each meatball in the middle of a square of plastic wrap, then place another square of plastic wrap on top. Roll out meat until large enough to cover eggs.
5. Roll each egg in flour, then place in the center of the meat and cover. Dip each covered egg in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, then egg and then breadcrumbs.
6. Fill a pot a third full of vegetable oil and put on medium-high heat. Fry the eggs two at a time for 5-7 minutes.

 

After boiling and cooling the eggs, I started with the sausage mixture. 1 pound of sausage is just enough for 4 perfectly sized portions.

Each sausage ball is to be rolled thin enough to wrap around each egg. I used saran wrap, which can be a bit tricky to manipulate. Parchment paper would be a great substitute as it is easy to handle and you can still see the sausage you are rolling out.

Once each egg is wrapped up and covered in the flour, egg and breadcrumb mixture, it is time for the fryer. If you do not own a fryer you can fill a large pot with at least 3 inches of vegetable oil and fry 2 eggs at a time.

To get the oil to the perfect temperature wait until breadcrumbs turn golden, yet not burnt within a few seconds.

If the oil becomes too hot, the eggs will crisp on the outside, but the sausage may not cook through on the inside. Make sure the temperature is around 350 degrees for the perfect even cook.

My scotch eggs needed a little extra time so I decided to place them in the oven for a few moments to make sure the rest of the sausage was cooked through.

I couldn’t be happier with how these Scotch Eggs turned out. They were crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and the perfect savory addition to any breakfast (or lunch, or dinner)! My 2 year old couldn’t stay away from them, so this is definitely a dish that I will be making again. 

Add a black and tan and put on a British Disney inspired movie like Mary Poppins, and you would think you were right there in the UK yourself!

Follow us on social media so you don’t miss out on the next delicious Disney recipe!

About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Kara and I am so excited to help you plan a magical Disney vacation. My love of Disney started during my very first trip there in March of 1994. Disney quickly became my family’s “happy place”. There was never any question, when it was time for a vacation, we packed our bags and headed to the most magical place on Earth. Nowadays, it is extra special for me to experience the Disney magic again through the eyes of my 4 year old son, Liam, and 2 year old daughter, Jennie. Seeing their eyes light up when Mickey and Minnie pass by and seeing their faces all sticky from Mickey ice cream bars make special memories that only Disney can bring. I can’t wait to help you build those memories together as a family!

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Cooking Around the World Showcase – Cheddar Cheese Soup from the Canada Pavillon

Cooking Around the World Showcase – Cheddar Cheese Soup from the Canada Pavillon

by | Jul 8, 2020 | Cooking Around the World, Disney, disney world, Epcot, My VIP Tour, Orlando

Cooking Around the World Showcase - Cheddar Cheese Soup from Canada Pavillon

 

  Over the last few months of social distancing, I have learned that cooking and recreating recipes is one of my family’s favorite pastimes. At four and a half years old, my son gets a huge kick out of having some autonomy in the kitchen. He can measure ingredients, chop the veggies (with help from mommy of course), and always is ready to stir! Since we have not been able to physically visit the theme parks over the last few months, we do our best to bring the tastes of the parks to us. 

Cheddar Cheese Soup

Canadian Pavillon
Le Cellier Steakhouse

For the second entry of our Cooking Around the World Showcase blog series, we decided to make the delicious Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup from Le Cellier, one of our favorite signature dining restaurants located at the Canada pavilion within Epcot’s World Showcase.

If you have ever had the opportunity of dining at Le Cellier, you know how special this location is. Known as one of the top steakhouse restaurants on Walt Disney World property, reservations for both lunch and dinner book up extremely quickly. It’s a great location for a celebratory occasion, or a romantic dinner for two.

Disney recently released the recipe for their famous Cheddar Cheese Soup on the Disney Magic Moments blog.
I have added the ingredients as well as the directions to the recipe below:

Ingredients:
Serves 10

  • 1/2 pound of bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups chicken stock
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 pound white cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Coarse salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup warm Canadian golden lager or any pale lager-style beer
  • Chopped scallions or chives, for garnish

Directions:


1. In a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven, cook bacon, stirring, over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
2. Add red onion, celery, and butter and sauté until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes over medium heat.  Whisk in chicken stock and bring to boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add milk and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Do not boil after milk is added.
5. Remove from heat and add cheese, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Blend with immersion blender until cheese is melted and soup is smooth. Stir in warm beer.  If the soup is too thick, thin with some warm milk.
6. Serve the soup hot, garnished with chopped scallions or chives. 

I made a few adjustments to the recipe as I didn’t have all of the ingredients listed on the website. I used Cholula hot sauce instead of Tabasco, skim milk instead of whole milk and mild yellow cheddar cheese instead of white cheddar. One of the best parts of cooking is that you can make small adjustments to recipes based on what you have in your own fridge or pantry, and still come out with a delicious dish at the end!

My son and I decided to chop and prep as many ingredients as necessary before even turning on the stove top, which saved us a lot of time once we were going through each step of the recipe.

We used a dutch oven for this recipe, however most larger pots will do the trick as well.

Once the bacon was cooked, and the veggies were soft, we added the flour and chicken stock to make a rue. After 30 minutes of boiling and simmering, we added the final ingredients. 

I do not own an immersion blender, so we used a regular blender in two separate batches, which took a little extra time, but worked great!

The very last part of the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of pale lager style beer to be mixed in. Since this is the very last thing to be added, and doesn’t cook off with everything else, you can certainly notice the beer taste.

I happened to really enjoy it, however, my husband did not. Feel free to leave the beer out if you prefer, or perhaps add a little less than what the recipe calls for, as it will not make or break the end results

This recipe certainly will feed 10 as advertised (my family of 4 will have plenty of leftovers).

It isn’t as heavy of a soup as I expected it to be, so it is a great addition to a lunch or dinner, but can also stand as a meal on its own. I did not have the garnishes on hand, but the addition of scallions would have been the perfect finishing touch.

Most importantly, It was a hit with my four year old. With his stamp of approval, we will certainly be making Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup again!

 

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About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Kara and I am so excited to help you plan a magical Disney vacation. My love of Disney started during my very first trip there in March of 1994. Disney quickly became my family’s “happy place”. There was never any question, when it was time for a vacation, we packed our bags and headed to the most magical place on Earth. Nowadays, it is extra special for me to experience the Disney magic again through the eyes of my 4 year old son, Liam, and 2 year old daughter, Jennie. Seeing their eyes light up when Mickey and Minnie pass by and seeing their faces all sticky from Mickey ice cream bars make special memories that only Disney can bring. I can’t wait to help you build those memories together as a family!

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