2020 Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
2020 has been a year we will likely remember forever, as it was the first time in history our beloved Disney parks were forced to close for an extended time. Luckily, when Epcot reopened, so, too, did the festivals! The 2020 Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Holidays brought many old favorites and new items for us to try. Of course, we also love to look at all the decorations.
At first glance, it seems that only a few items are gluten-friendly, with most of them being in Mexico – thank you Chef Enrique! For those who have read my past reviews, you know that Chef Enrique is one of my favorites, and he takes great pride in creating healthy festival items.
Luckily, my talk again with the one and only Chef Ashley brought to light some other items that were gluten-friendly, but not marked, as well as some that could be altered to fit into a gluten-free diet. Paleo and keto options were rare, but there were some to mention.
As always, when in doubt – ask for a chef at the 2020 Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. Cross-contamination is a concern at festival booths, so avoid them if you have food allergies. Also, since suppliers can and do change, items may also be different from what I am posting here.
International Festival of the Holidays Gluten-Friendly Options
As we made our way around the world, we checked out the various food booths at the 2020 Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Holidays to see what was safe for us to eat.
Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen
We are going to start once again in Mexico, at Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen. Here you will find two wonderful items that are marked GF:
The first item is the Giant Tostada de Chorizo – a 10-inch wonder that you can easily share – but you will not want to it is that good. I apologize in advance for my lousy picture taking skills on this one. We were in such a rush to try it that I did not check to see that the photo was blurry.
The tortilla is a tlayuda – hand-made in one specific region of Mexico. It is deep fried in a separate fryer so that it does not come into contact with gluten. The toppings include Chipotle Black Bean Puree, Salsa Verde, Queso Cotija, Crema Mexicana, and Pickled Onion. Everything is made fresh each day, and there is no sugar in this dish.
In the photo below, you can see the dish broken down, highlighting the size of the tortilla, and all its components. That way, if you are dairy-free, you can request it without the Crema and Queso. As always, the beans here are outrageously good. We gladly created our own second tortilla and went to town on it. If you are on a paleo or keto diet, you can ask for the specific items you can eat on their own.
The other dish is the Tamal de Pollo, a wonderful option consisting of Braised Chipotle Chicken served in a Corn Masa. It is topped with Mole Verde, Queso Cotija, Crema Mexicana, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
For those on a paleo or keto diet, you will need to avoid this dish if you do not eat corn products. However, this is another healthy gluten-friendly item worth trying. The picture below shows the dish broken down.
L’Chaim Holiday Kitchen
Pastrami on Rye: if you omit the rye, you will still get a nice-sized serving of pastrami with house-made pickles and deli mustard. This is a good dish for those on a paleo or keto diet, as well.
Le Marche De Noel
Rillette de Saumon: if you omit the house-made bread, the salmon spread is gluten-friendly. We brought our own crackers and it was so good. I keep begging them to bring back the chocolate macaron lollipop – hopefully we will see it again some time next year.
There may not have been much to eat from the booth here, be we loved looking at the holiday decorations.
Yukon Holiday Kitchen
Seared Scallops with Parsnip Silk, Apple Chutney, and Hazelnut Croquant: there is dairy in the parsnip silk and the apple chutney, and gluten (soy) in the maple glaze. If you omit the glaze, the dish is gluten-friendly.
Mele Kalikimaka Holiday Kitchen
Lomi Lomi Salmon served with Tomatoes, Onions, Salmon Roe, Yuzu Mayonnaise, and Yucca Chips: this dish is not marked but it is gluten and dairy-friendly.
Festival Building Happenings
Inside the 2020 Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Holidays festival building, you will find some other food booths as well as not-to-miss decorations. My favorite was this recreation of the Capitol Building.
Festival Favorites
Blackened Bass: If you omit the fried okra, the dish is gluten-friendly. There is dairy in the grits.
Duck Confit and Dumplings: served with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Fig Reduction, this dish is a great gluten-friendly option. There is no gluten in the dish. The dumplings are made with potato starch and dehydrated potato. There is dairy in the dish. The reason it is not marked is due to suppliers and possible cross-contamination in the potato mix.
Worthwhile Treats – Not Gluten-Friendly
I had a long talk with Chef Ernesto about bringing gluten-friendly churros like the ones served at Nomad Lounge and Three Bridges and he is looking into it. I promised him we would all come running if they started to serve them there. For now, we did try the festival’s offering of a Dulce de Leche Churro, and it was yummy. However, as I am not usually a churro fan, I make the exception for the amazing GF ones, I will say I like the GF versions better. Regular churro fans should not miss this dessert, or the mini ones they serve at their quick service restaurant.
Holiday Hearth
While the cookies and cake are not gluten-friendly, I will say the Red Velvet Mini Bundt Cake was a worthy cheat. I cannot say the same about the Snowball Cookies, which we found dry and tasteless.
Because we were reviewing restaurants in both France and Mexico that day, we did not try all the festival foods. So, there you have it – another festival come to an end. Happy eating.