The PurdyCool crew visited the opening day of the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival. Although it was April 1, the resort chefs were not foolin' around with the offerings available at this special event. Themed food booths, lining the main walkway from Carthay Circle to Paradise Pier, serve as the main attraction of the festival. Each booth features a couple of meat/veggie dishes, dessert and a variety of beverages. A large menu, such as this one at the "Gold Rush" booth, detail the offerings.

Of course, we were not able to sample EVERY item during this first trip, which is why we have two more trips to the festival planned before it closes on May 1. (The event runs Fridays-Sundays.) The following dishes were a couple of our favorites on this first day:

*White Cheddar Ale and Bacon Soup in a Mini Boudin Sourdough Bowl (By the Bay booth)

*Blackberry Tart with Rosemary Vanilla Bean Creme Fraiche and Cabernet Wine Glaze (Wine Country booth)

We also quite enjoyed the Grilled Beef Tenderloin Slider with Chimichurri Sauce from The Farm booth, but I forgot to snap a picture of that before I scarfed it.

We took advantage of the free cooking and lifestyle seminars held in the Hollywood Backlot area. We especially enjoyed watching Jean-Marc Viallet, Head Pastry Chef of Disneyland Resort, create the featured blackberry tart.

Several of the park's restaurants also have special dishes available during the festival. The Shredded Pork Tostadas with Grilled Pineapple Slaw and Chipotle Crema at Cocina Cucamonga were quite tasty. We even experienced a celebrity sighting while enjoying the Caribbean Pork Sandwich at Carthay Circle Lounge.

Hey!! Famous pop stars need sustenance, too!!

PurdyCool.com