[Park Hopper]

Any dessert lovers who plan on being at Epcot's Food & Wine Festival during the next few weekends might want to consider reserving a spot for one of this year's new ticketed events, Sweet Sundays. A different celebrity pastry chef takes center stage at the Odyssey each Sunday morning during the Festival and creates three desserts which are then served to the audience.

The morning begins with what the F&W Festival guide describes as a light breakfast. The "light" breakfast turned out to be a full buffet that included scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fruit, coffee and juice. The morning DW and I were there, the audience also was treated to a glass of semi-sparkling wine and a seemingly bottomless glass of sparkling Asti Spumante. The servers just kept pouring every time your glass was empty.

We were there last Sunday, and the celebrity chef was Richard Ruskell, the pastry chef at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, Calif. He prepared three fabulous desserts with a common ingredient, Chai tea. It may sound like an odd dessert ingredient, but the tea imparted wonderful flavors into a chocolate mousse, a flan and a sumptuous tapioca.

Between breakfast, wine and the desserts, we were so full we could hardly get up the leave.

Disney has made it easier this year to follow cooking demonstrations in the Odyssey. In years past, you had to watch what was going on at stove level by looking at an angled mirror that hung overhead. This year, a camerman is on hand and the image is broadcast on two large screens that flank the cooking area.

Attendees are given copies of the recipes and everyone in our particular group received a light-up pin in the shape of a martini glass from the sponsoring winery.

Sweet Sundays costs $55 per person, plus tax (gratuity included). Our session lasted just short of 2 hours, 15 minutes. Reservations are available through the WDW-DINE number. Here's the remainder of the celebrity chef schedule:

10/30 - Wayne Harley Brachman, Pastry Chef, Author, Food Network's Melting Pot, New York City
11/6 - Jeff Lehuede, Pastry Chef, Four Seasons, Laguna Beach, Calif.
11/13 -Colette Peters, Pastry Chef, Author, Colette's Cakes, N.Y.

We really enjoyed ourselves and thought it was a great value.

[mickaholic4077]

I wish I could go!!! This sounds really great.

[LRTJS]

We will be there on Friday, the 11. What do you recommend? I saw where most of the ticketed items are sold out.
Leslie

[Park Hopper]

Originally Posted by LRTJS

We will be there on Friday, the 11. What do you recommend? I saw where most of the ticketed items are sold out.
Leslie

Leslie, a lot of the ticketed events are sold out, but some are not -- and often there are cancellations. It's really worth calling -- even several times -- to see if there are spots available for what you'd like to attend. Here's a pretty comprehensive list of the F&W events and their prices.

The Sweet Sundays event was lots of fun, and we called and got reservations just two days beforehand. And if you can get a reservation, the Party for the Senses is really not to be missed.

And don't forget about all the free wine and beer tastings and food demonstrations that are held every day. There's even a free seminar on the art of making tea. Make sure you pick up a Festival guide when you enter the park so you'll know what's going on that particular day.

[DisneyTeacher]

This sounds wonderful, I hope to be able to something like this some day.

[LRTJS]

Park Hopper, some things don't change, you still have the best information to share!! Thanks, I will call about cancellations and keep checking back. I feel fortunate to get to go to this event as well as the Soap Opera Weekend!!