A Spring Break First

My friend came to me just over a month ago in quite a state because her friend had bailed on their spring break plans at the last possible second. Instead of the angry rant I was expecting, I found myself confronted with pleading puppy dog eyes, begging me to come to Florida and go to Disney.  All I could think was “oh dear, someone’s going to disown me” as I called my Mom to tell her that I would not be home for spring break. My mother you should know, cares very little for theme parks, zoos, or anything of the like and certainly has very little patience for large crowds and anything she deems kitschy. As a result I have never been to a theme park, let alone Disney, even though I have wanted to go ever since I saw the old ads on the VHS tapes of our overused princess movies.

I’ll be honest in saying that I was highly skeptical of what Disney had to offer and was second-guessing my choice of destination while we waited for our flight at Bradley airport. Why had I chosen this elusive, rather costly endeavor, when I could be at home, comfy, and baking to my heart’s content? The warm Florida night air did wonders do dissipate my worries and when I saw that our apartment had a small, but relatively well equipped kitchen, my contentment in my decision soared.

Our first day was at Epcot, where my friend had made dinner reservations at Teppan Edo, a hibachi restaurant in the Japanese section of the park. Her reasoning: it sounded cool, not that she knew what hibachi was.  I was already on sensory overload from everything there was to see and do in the park so that I forgot to take pictures of our food, something I am still kicking myself for. 

We sat at a table with six others and were greeted by a playful Japanese chef. She immediately took to drawing Mickey Mouse with oil on her cook top, then continued to sauté a bevy of fresh vegetables, udon noodles, and various meats, repeating the Mickey Mouse theme multiple times alongside some impressive knife skills and spatula flipping and twirling interludes. I received an aromatic, colorful, heaped plate of sizzling vegetables and tender udon. Additionally, we each had a side of steamed rice, and three sauces – a sweet ginger one, a spicy mustard, and a creamy white sauce with ‘secret’ ingredients in it.

Liberty Tree Tavern Potato Quinoa Burger with Tofu Tzatziki Sauce

Disney has a policy that you can say it’s your birthday if it’s within a month or so of your visit. My friend took advantage of that and the restaurant ended up serving her a complimentary piece of cake and got everyone in the room to sing happy birthday. She shared the piece with me and I am adamant to recreate it. There was a chocolate ganache layer, a thick chocolate mousse, two layers of sponge cake, and a thin piping of ginger cream, which made the flavors sing. It was heavenly. We stayed at the park until it closed, falling into bed as soon as we got in the door.

After a day of rest and lounging at the pool, we ventured to Magic Kingdom, the park that I guess most people think of when they think of Disney. Epcot amazed me, but this was truly astounding. We spent the morning in and out of rides and gift shops. For lunch, my friend had made reservations. This time we went to her favorite place where she knew she could order mac and cheese and mashed potatoes with gravy. 

Liberty Tree Tavern is fashioned to represent the colonial period, something it does quite well, save for the vegetarian option on the menu. I know that no one back then was vegetarian, though there are so many dishes that can be made without meat while remaining relatively authentic. The food I was served was good, but by no stretch of the imagination close to a colonial meal. Unlike my hibachi dinner, it faded quickly from my memory and was just about forgotten by the time I found Alice in Wonderland themed teas and Disney cookie cutters.

The fresh sweets and baked goods the park has to offer in many of its stands and shops are as delightful to the eye as they are to the taste buds.  Sales people or cast members, as all employees of the parks are called, something I was hastily schooled in, handed out free samples of fudge, cookies, popcorn, and cake pops throughout the day. I somehow managed to resist buying these treats left and right until one fine caramel apple refused to let me leave the shop without firmly planting itself in my hand. It’s been years since I’ve had one and the creamy caramel envelope contrasting the juicy Granny Smith crispness was perfection. Top that off with a spectacular fireworks display and the glow of a sun kissed day, and you have a very happy college student.