Favorites on Friday: Soup

From time to time on Fridays, we feature various favorites from Disney Parks- favorite foods, favorite attractions, favorite spots, and more. This time, we're talking soup...


Snow and frigid temperatures here make me think of one thing: soup!

Today's Favorite on Friday is my favorite soup- the Smoky Portobello Soup from Artist Point, at Disney's Wilderness Lodge.

It's not just my favorite soup- it's also quite possibly the most delicious thing I've ever had on Disney property.

It's that good, folks.

Smoky Portobello Soup, Artist Point

The soup is a creamy portobello puree, with flavors incredibly intense and richly layered. It's topped with chive oil and crispy roasted shitake mushrooms, which somehow end up with a taste and consistency that can be describes as... baconesque. The presentation was lovely- an oversized platter-rimmed bowl, framing a serving of soup in such a way that you just know you're about to taste something exquisite. Alas, the serving size is smaller than I would have liked. It leaves you wanting more- but I'm not sure if it's really a small serving, or if it just feels this way because it's so delicious. I could have eaten three bowls in rapid succession. I want some right now.

With all the incredible food options at the parks and resorts, is it crazy to think that a soup is my absolute favorite? Taste the Smoky Portobello Soup at Artist Point, and let me know...

Have you tried this soup? What's your favorite dish? Tell us in the comments...

Disney's Boardwalk: Seashore Sweets

The Boardwalk area at Walt Disney World, located adjacent to Epcot via the International Gateway, is one of my favorite places to stroll. 

photo courtesy of Walt Disney World official website

A recent Wordless Wednesday post (found here) prompted me to write about a place I discovered during my last visit. Nestled under the Boardwalk Inn, between restaurants Kouzzina and Flying Fish, is a "beauty" of a shop known for its delectable offerings: Seashore Sweets.

From the Disney website:

Enjoy “confections served with affection” by the Sweet Sisters, proprietors of this old-fashioned Atlantic shore-style candy shop. Saltwater taffy, fudge, hand-dipped ice cream, shakes, floats, chocolate, bulk candy and more are in store.

This description- while accurate- fails to mention one of the most prominent features of the establishment: an homage to the Miss America Pageant. 

Never missing a chance to immerse us in theme, Disney takes a page out of boardwalk history by theming this sweet shop after one of the most famous products to come out of Atlantic City.

The Miss America Pageant, which was started as a marketing ploy to keep tourists around after Labor Day, has been a boardwalk staple since the Businessmen's League of Atlantic City started holding the event in the early 1920s.  After a brief foray to Las Vegas in 2006, the pageant returns to Atlantic City later this year.

One of the first things to greet you upon entering is a glass case housing the familiar regal cape, scepter, crown and trophy...

Photographs of beach scenes, boardwalk attractions, and pageantry dot the walls and create a nostalgic backdrop...

Remember to look up: the shop is bordered by photos of all the women who have worn the crown throughout the years...

Framed posters and memorabilia can be found in every corner. A souvenir program from the 1942 pageant would have cost you 25 cents that year. I wonder how much it would fetch today...

Ice cream, candy, beverages, fudge, and assorted treats are all for sale.... including my favorite, Disney popcorn.

If you're interested in learning all about the era and how Disney's Boardwalk recreates that magic, I recommend WDW Radio episode #313. This podcast episode features Lou Mongello and Disney legend Jim Korkis exploring the area with in-depth commentary and a fun lesson in boardwalk history. 

The next time you're strolling the Boardwalk area, make a stop in Seashore Sweets. Even if you're not in the mood for a snack, it's a great place to take in a slice of Americana.


Have you visited Seashore Sweets? What's your favorite stop along Disney's Boardwalk? Share it with us in the comments...

Dining at Disney: When a Vegetarian Becomes a Pescetarian...

What happens when a Disney dining fan starts to eat in a whole new way? 


I spent 25 years of my life as a vegetarian. Almost all of my Disney trips have been as a vegetarian. One of the great things about Disney is the variety of dining options, including vegetarian choices- pretty much wherever you go. Sure, sometimes it's just one menu option, but many places have a host of veggie delights to choose from. There's always something, and there's also always the ability to talk to a chef and see what kind of special dishes can be arranged. Disney is an easy place for a vegetarian to eat, and as vegetarians well know- you can't say that about many places.

Well... for a variety of reasons (too many and too off topic to get into here), this long-time vegetarian started incorporating seafood into her diet this year. As I was planning my most recent trip- a long weekend away with my sister- I suddenly realized that for the first time, I'd be experiencing Disney Dining in a whole new way. After being a vegetarian for decades- and a park veteran who has pretty much only eaten vegetarian at WDW- I was about to take my first trip to WDW as a pescetarian.  This was going to open up a whole new world of dining possibilities for me! 

I decided to chronicle this sampling of seafood from around the world, and I wrote a review article based on my experience. I tried to include of variety of spots, including both counter service and table service, with park locations as well as resort dining. Since this was a short trip, several of the hot spots had to be left out due to timing and logistics. (Hopefully,  there will be a part II of this review where I get to visit some of the places still on my wish list!)

I was thrilled beyond belief when I found out my article would be featured on the Disney Food Blog- one of my favorite websites, and widely considered to be the fan authority on all things Disney Dining! 

I invite you to visit Disney Food Blog, and check out my featured article by clicking below...

Guest Review: Seafood Dine-Around at Walt Disney World

Have you sampled any of these seafood dishes? Do you have any favorites to recommend? Have you ever experienced a change in eating habits that lead to whole new way of dining at Walt Disney World? Tell us about it in the comments!