Winter events

The holidays always bring with them thoughts of food. From family feasts and roasted meats to stockings stuffed with fruits and nuts. Today, however, we have a plethora of snacks that may not be good for you, but they certainly are tempting to the tummy’s eye. While the holidays may only be in full swing in Walt Disney World for a couple of more weeks, My Santa-sense is tingling and telling me those of you headed that way are going to be looking for some unique stocking sweets. First up, let’s start with a beverage!Christmas Soda – This fizzy holiday drink can be found by the bottle in the shops, not bakery, of World Showcase’s Norway. Also known as Julmust, the drink was created in 1910 and began a meteoric rise as a Swedish holiday tradition.

While listed as a ‘flavorful winter soft drink,’ I wasn’t actually able to finish mine. To me, it tasted like a carbonated beer, while my wife thought it tasted like fizzy cold medicine. Either way, it wasn’t too our liking. Of course, I hope someone out there gives it a try and loves it!Candy Cane Fudge – Seasonal Fudge from the Main Street Confectionery is a time honored tradition of mine, with Pumpkin fudge currently holding the top spot. This pink and cream marbled fudge, dusted with crumbled candy canes, definitely put a sparkle in my eye.

I expected an Altoid infused peppermint fudge which, in hindsight, probably would not have been appetizing to a broad spectrum of guests. Instead I received a hunk of rich, buttery goodness. You know those small, after-dinner butter mints that restaurants serve? Picture that, but on a much larger scale and with flecks of candy cane mixed in, and you’re pretty close to this delicious fudge!Gingerbread Cookie People – Gingerbread decorations, and by decorations I mean gargantuan carousels and life-sized houses able to fit grown people inside, have become a staple around Walt Disney World since they started in the Grand Floridian. With that in mind, I decided to head over the original gingerbread house to see if the gingerbread tasted as good as it looked as a building material.

I was not disappointed. This isn’t a chewy gingerbread cookie, and it isn’t as sweet as one would expect. However, the consistency falls right between chewy and crunchy, in that great spot where the gingerbread man’s appendages bend before breaking away from the rest of the cookie. As for flavor, the emphasis is on the ginger, as it should be, which makes this a great cookie to snuggle up next to a cup of tea or hot cocoa for dunking.Hot Cocoa Peppermint Float – Okay, that may not be the precise name, but this float can be found at Scoops in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Presented in a souvenir mug, this may just be the best treat for a cold night on Sunset Boulevard!

A cup of hot chocolate, the standard quick mix kind that seems the consistency of thick water, is invigorated with a serving of pink peppermint ice cream and is topped with a generous portion of whipped cream and red and green sprinkles. The dairy in the ice cream adds a frothy, creamy component to the cocoa. Meanwhile, the cocoa warms you from the inside, even though you’re eating ice cream! It is a wintery win-win!

There you have it, the must devour treats of December. I hope you all have a great time snacking and feasting through the holidays, and if you happen to be in Walt Disney World, I hope you’ll give some or all of these treats a try!