Review: New Items (and a Classic) at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion

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We are checking out some new finds — and taking a look at an old favorite! — at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe.

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

This quaint (read: tiny) spot in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion has a big cult following for interesting pastries and sandwiches. And it’s a great spot to try something a little out of the ordinary on your Drink Around the World stroll — Aquavit!

But today, we’re a sampling a few sweet treats that are new to us, plus one snack that we absolutely can’t visit Kringla without getting! Three guesses? ;-)

Let’s take a closer look.

Frozen Bundt Cake

Our first item is another entry into the wildly popular Frozen food team! It’s a Frozen-themed Bundt Cake.

You’d have to imagine that Elsa and Anna had a hand in putting this one together, since they both love chocolate. (Smart women that they are.)

It doesn’t look all that spectacular, does it? Just rich, Dark Chocolate Cake, Blue Icing, Coarse Sugar for a little crunch, and a Frozen Souvenir Ring in the shape of a snowflake.

Frozen Dessert

Frozen Bundt Cake

But it’s ah-MA-zing! I was shocked. I left it to eat until last as I thought it would be forgettable. But it super wasn’t. In fact, I still haven’t forgotten about it, and hope it’s there when I go back to Disney World next!

Frozen Dessert -- Cross Section

Frozen Bundt Cake — Cross Section

Just look at the dense, decadent cake! You actually don’t need frosting. (Whaaaa? Did I just say that??) It’s almost like a cross between a cake and fudge. So good!

Brown Goat Cheese Waffle

The next new treat I tried was the Brown Goat Cheese Waffle. I love Cheese, and I love the Waffles here at Kringla. So hey, why not?

The waffle is filled and topped with a traditional Norwegian Cheese called Ekte Geitost. It’s a type of Brunost, or “Brown Cheese” made from goat’s milk. The cheese is produced by boiling together milk, cream, and whey, until the sugars caramelize, giving the cheese its distinctive brown color and sweet flavor. See? You learned something today!

Goat Cheese Waffle Topping

Brown Goat Cheese Waffle Display

Here’s my Brown Goat Cheese Waffle, freshly made. You can see the [Read more…]

The Disney Food Blog Bingo Challenge!

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Guest Author Katie Roth took on the Disney Food Blog Bingo Challenge. Are you game? Let’s play!

A few weeks before my recent trip to Disney World, the Disney Parks Blog posted an article on a fun new way to experience the Disney parks: Bingo!

When I read this article, I immediately wanted there to be a Disney food version which prompted me to contact AJ at the Disney Food Blog.

Magic Kingdom DFB Bingo Card.

She developed a card for each park and I was lucky enough to be the beta tester! :) For this trip, we attempted the Magic Kingdom and Epcot food bingo cards.

Magic Kingdom Disney Food Bingo Card

The first card that we attempted to complete was for the Magic Kingdom. I absolutely LURVE Magic Kingdom food, so I knew this card would be a cinch to complete.

Our first treat was a Root Beer Dole Whip Float at Aloha Isle. It was in the high 80s with a packed park, so this cold and refreshing treat was welcomed.

While I love anything Dole Whip, and even though we got vanilla Dole Whip, I thought that the root beer actually didn’t taste the best with it …perhaps because it wasn’t the creamy, real vanilla ice cream that I’m used to? Maybe it was an off-day? Either way, I’ll probably need to get another one just to be sure. ;)

Root Beer Dole Whip Float.

Float!

As optimistic as I was that we would finish the Magic Kingdom bingo card, I am saddened and embarrassed to admit that we did not. :(

We got as far as the float and a popcorn and then threw our hands up in defeat – the Memorial Day crowds and our Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) just proved too much for us on top of attempting two bingo cards. We were, however, much more successful with the Epcot card.

Epcot Disney Food Blog Bingo Card

We were particularly excited about the Epcot food bingo card because [Read more…]

You Might Be a Disney Food Fan If…

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We here at DFB we welcome and embrace our fellow Disney Food Lovers!

But sometimes you might not necessarily know when you’ve joined our ranks! So we’ve created this simple list of ways to recognize when you’ve crossed over to the dark side. ;-)

Do you fit any of these criteria? I can’t wait to hear from you about what your Disney Food Fan qualifications might be!

Let us know in the comments below what makes YOU a TRUE Disney Food Fan!

Here are a few of our favorites…

1. “No Be Our Guest reservation available? Time to change our flights.”

Yes. It happens. And don’t pretend you haven’t thought about it.

Be Our Guest Restaurant!

2. Your favorite t-shirt says “I ❤ School Bread“.

Yes. Yes it does.

3. Your “friends” who don’t know what a Citrus Swirl is have now been downgraded to acquaintances.

Unacceptable.

Citrus Swirl

4. You have been known to enjoy both the Grand Marnier Slush and the Grey Goose Slush…at the same time.

Who hasn’t?

Grand Marnier and Grey Goose Slushes in Epcot's France Pavilion.

5. Rides? What rides?

So much [Read more…]

More Great Disney Dining Tips from the Experts!

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A while back, we polled Disney Food Blog readers — Disney fans who have been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt — on their top Disney Dining Tips.

Not surprisingly, the top tip mentioned was the advice to make Disney Dining Reservations, since you don’t want to be shut out of your favorites or from the most popular restaurants. So this time around we thought it would be fun to ask about their SECOND best Disney Dining Tips!

Read on to see what our Disney Food Blog twitter followers shared as their second best Disney dining tips, and be sure to share in the comments whether you agree or disagree! Share YOUR tips to help your fellow Disney lovers!

Enjoy Some Disney Snacks

We LURVE our Disney snacks around here! And so do our readers! Many of the tips we received were about the favorite classic pre- and post-meal goodies we all love to tuck into in the Parks.

While Brian C. had a unique, sweet option on the mind (“Try the beignets!”), Twitter pal Amber B. writes, “Do NOT skip the Schoolbread!” We can heartily agree!

Norway School Bread

Whether you prefer a sweet or salty treat, there are plenty of cupcakes, cookies and specialty pretzels to choose from.

And if you need a little help selecting the treat you’ll try first, make sure to download our DFB Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks and our DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks.

Eat at “Off Hours”

Disney vacationers cannot live on snacks alone, though—there are too many great Disney restaurants!

Several of our twitter friends recommended taking advantage of “off” meal times by enjoying a late breakfast/early lunch, or a late lunch/early dinner! This is when the restaurants are less likely to be packed with families sticking to the traditional meal times.

Coral Reef in Epcot is even more serene during non-traditional dining hours!

Paul B. tweets, “Off hours eating leads to taking advantage of shorter attraction lines during the normal meal times.”  So while everyone else is waiting in the lunch line, you’re able to hop onto Splash Mountain with a much shorter wait.

And when you are ready to enjoy your late lunch, not only will you have a quieter, more intimate meal, but you’re more likely to get a coveted window seat or other special seating area (like a car-booth at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater). Dining bonus!

Awesome convertible car booths at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater

Visit the Resorts for Meals

If you’re not able to take advantage [Read more…]

Try It! The “Epcot Classics” Snack Crawl

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We recently released our newest e-Book — The DFB Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks, and now we get to show off a little of what’s in it! This portable tome will take care of all of your cravings: Salty? Yep. Savory? Of course. Sweet? …Are you kidding me. ;-)

By now, you know that I just love food “crawls”, which are essentially little adventures to complete with your family and friends! Just eat each item to complete the crawl! And today I’d like to share the Epcot Classics Snack Crawl that we developed for our Epcot Snacks guidebook. But don’t worry — this doesn’t give too much away! We have five other snack crawls through Epcot in the book, along with 180 pages of snack reviews and other bonus items! Here we go…

Caramel Popcorn

Your first stop on the Epcot Classics Snack Crawl has quickly become an iconic spot in Epcot! Travel to Karamell-Küche, the luscious caramel candy store in Germany, and pick up some caramel popcorn. Deceptively simple, this stuff is addictive. Go ahead and get an extra bag — for midnight munchies, of course.

Caramel Popcorn

Prefer something not-so-sweet to start out? Grab a classic, hand-twisted German pretzel instead! :-) Believe me; there’s plenty of sweet to come!

Funnel Cake

It’s time to make your way to the Funnel Cake Kiosk in the American Adventure pavilion to pick up a true theme park classic — Funnel Cake! It’s your choice whether you select one that is plain or covered in extra [Read more…]

Grand Launch: Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book

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We are absolutely thrilled to announce the Grand Launch of the Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book! And to celebrate, we’re offering a $2 discount this week only! Use code EPCOT at check-out!

Based on reader requests, we’ve created a detailed snack guide to help you find the best eats (and treats!) in Walt Disney World’s Epcot. You’ll see some of your old favorites as well as some snacks that you might have missed. We’ve kept most of the snacks in the $1-5 range, but there are a few big spenders in there. (Yep, that turkey leg is gonna cost you!)

The Disney Food Blog Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book

The DFB Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book is the fourth in our Disney Food Blog mini-guide series, created to supplement our massive Disney Food Blog Guide to Walt Disney World Dining e-Book. Here you’ll find in-depth information, photos, and reviews about classic and new-to-you Epcot snacks — in great detail!

Why Epcot snacks? Because you said so! :-) With the enthusiastic response to our DFB Mini-Guide to Magic Kingdom Snacks e-Book and the outpouring of emails asking for an Epcot version, we figured this would be the perfect next step. It’s no secret that some of our favorite snacks are in Epcot!

How Do I Get One?

There is absolutely no waiting to satisfy your snack cravings! This mini-guide is an instantly downloadable PDF guide with over 180 pages of information and advice on over 150 delicious snacks that you can savor in Disney World’s Epcot. Download your copy right now, and start planning!

Don’t Miss Out on the Best Snacks in Epcot!

This mini-guide is guaranteed to help you better plan your snacks and treats in Epcot, or your money back — we all know that treats in Epcot are just as important as a FastPass for Soarin!

The DFB Mini-Guide to Epcot Snacks e-Book includes: [Read more…]

Review: School Bread in Epcot’s Norway

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Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

School Bread has long been a beloved snack for many Walt Disney World visitors, and more guests are being introduced to its deliciousness every day. While we’ve mentioned it on the blog before, I’ve never actually done a full review of it! So let’s get started!

This treat, found in Epcot’s Norway pavilion at Kringla Bakeri og Cafe, is actually pretty simple. A sweet bread roll is injected with vanilla pudding or custard, then covered with sweet icing and toasted coconut. The School Bread recipe comes from a classic Norwegian snack (properly titled “Skolebrød”), which kids took to school in their packed lunches or parents sold at bake sales.

Epcot's Norway School Bread

The description aside, this is one of those Disney World snacks that actually isn’t too sweet! Which is possibly why so many people love it. This yummy treat won’t knock you on your kiester for the rest of the day — at least in my experience — so it gives folks a good “rest” snack before moving on with the rest of their Epcot touring!

Regarding taste and texture, the bread here is a cross between a cinnamon roll and a dinner roll. It’s not super moist — more springy. But the sweet vanilla custard is extremely smooth and abundant (my big worry before trying this snack was that there wouldn’t be enough custard — not a problem). And the [Read more…]

Ramping Up to the 2011 WDW Foodie Fest, October 2-8

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We’re gearing up for the 2011 WDW Foodie Fest events, which begin the first week of October — check out our schedule of events here!

WDW Foodie Fest

Isn’t Disney food even better when we share it with friends? We designed the WDW Foodie Fest as a party for Disney Food fans as we celebrate the opening days of the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival!

Currently there are four events scheduled during WDW Foodie Fest!

Sunday, Oct. 2, 2011: WDW Foodie Fest Main Event
Let’s all meet at Ariel’s in Disney’s Beach Club Resort from 11am-1pm.

This FREE event is available to everyone, and is an [Read more…]

Guest Review: Private Mother’s Day IllumiNations Dessert Party

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Welcome to guest author Mark Diehl with an illuminating ;-) review of an Epcot dessert party he created to honor the “mothers” in his life! He also inspired our upcoming WDW Foodie Fest Snack Attack dessert and fireworks event on October 4th — stay tuned as tickets will be going on sale today!

This was the second Mother’s Day we spent in Disney World, so I did some research and finally settled on an event we all could enjoy: a private IllumiNations Dessert Party.

It was not cheap, and while it was successful enough that I would want to do it every year, it was expensive enough that it was probably once in a lifetime for us. I got all of the information from Disney World private dining and once my contact Chris Ware (highly recommended, he was fantastic) sent me the sample dessert menus, I decided I needed to make my own custom dessert menu.

Decisions, Decisions

After bouncing around a number of ideas, I was able to narrow it down to 2, and ended up going with…neither of them.

Party of 6

The first idea was a dessert menu from the countries of Epcot. Each country was to be represented with a dessert item.  The following was my menu proposal:

School Bread from Norway, Apple Strudel from Germany, Napoleons from France, Churros from Mexico, Sticky Toffee Pudding from UK, Tiramisu from Italy, Kaki Gori from Japan, Baklava from Morocco, Caramel Ginger Ice Cream from China, Campfire S’mores from Canada, Funnel Cake from USA.

The price for this menu came back at $95 per person.  That may not sound bad, but when you consider that this was only for food and did not include the location rental, table set-up fee, or drinks, you can see it adds up [Read more…]

Disney Food Blog Special Event: Snack Attack, Featuring DFB Favorites

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Start your Disney Vacation with a bang! We’re excited to announce a new WDW Foodie Fest event that will take place in Epcot on the evening of October 4th, 2011! Join me and other Disney Food Blog readers for an evening of…

Fun, Food, and Fireworks!

The Snack Attack, Featuring DFB Favorites, is an event like none other! On October 4th, our guests will arrive at a private Illluminations Fireworks viewing location in Epcot (psst…it’ll be in the UK pavilion!) and get down to business — the business of eating, that is!

This dessert party doesn’t just offer a few generic cannoli and brownies. No sir. We’ve worked with Disney to provide a menu that will excite even the biggest Disney food fan! The menu of the evening will include a buffet of…

Starring Rolls’ Butterfinger Cupcakes
Classic Disney Popcorn
Animal Kingdom Lodge Zebra Domes
Mickey Ice Cream Bars
Norway’s School Bread
Writer’s Stop’s Carrot Cake Cookies
Boardwalk Bakery’s Cheesecake Brownies
Starring Rolls’ Red Velvet Cheesecake Cupcakes
And MORE!

What a great way to start the evening!

But that’s not all!! Once you’ve had your fill, relax and enjoy a fabulous view of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, Epcot’s outstanding fireworks spectacular, from our private viewing area! That’s right — no jostling for the best view, no saving seats. You’ve already got a great view, so just sit back and take it all in.

Illuminations, Reflections of Earth

Cost for this event will be $40 per person. Tickets will be limited! Ticket information will be announced soon on the Disney Food Blog Newsletter, our WDWFoodieFest.com website, and right here on the Disney Food Blog, so stay tuned.

Please note that this event will in addition to our Oct. 2nd Beach Club Resort event. You can see the WDW Foodie Fest schedule of events here!

Also — wanted to add that I got this great idea from a Mother’s Day event created by fellow blogger Mark D.! He’s written up a review of his event for Disney Food Blog that I’ll be sharing soon!