Spin the World continues the journey onto the  island of retired food at Disney Parks.  Some good eats, some weird ideas, and some that spawned cults of Disney-specific food geeks petitioning for the return of their long-lost favorites.  Let the tasty voyage begin… 

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If you’ve ever visited Canada’s capital city Ottawa in Winter, the above scene no doubt made you smile.  See, this is a Canadian staple, and a Winter season right-of-passage.  One can not truly be Canadian less they have torn into the pastry known as the Beavertail.    Ottawa gets mighty cold in Winter, occasionally reaching temperatures recorded only there and on planets in the far reaches of the Galaxy.  That saving inner-warmth came from skating the Rideau Canal toward the  wee red hutch.

You’re eating what now?

I remember my first time.  Like many firsts, it began with a moment of stark terror.  The horror stemming from a parent looking at me telling me we were going to eat Beavertails.  Dining on the rear appendage of our National animal was not atop the list of culinary pilgrimages I wished to embark on.  Like any good parent would, they let me stew in that notion of rodent tail for lunch.  My reward – a fried golden, cinnamon covered pastry.  It was better than any donut.  Tastier than any cake.  As I got older, the BeaverTale got better and to this day is my favorite dessert pastry on this lovely planet.

It was 1980 when the first stand opened in Ottawa’s Byward Market, and didn’t take long to catch on Nationally – eventually this authentic bite of Canadiana was available in a little stone hutch it’s native pavilion in Epcot.

Trapper Bob’s Authentic Canadian Pastries offered guests the chance to experience the Tails in the comfort of the Central Florida heat.  It served more than the classic cinnamon and sugar dusted variety -

1 of each, please.

It became a go-to for thousands of guest every year. You can never go wrong with fried-dough and Canadian charm.  Alas, Disney’s contract with BeaverTail (The pastries innovators trademarked the name) expired, and Trapper Bob’s post in Epcot was abandoned.   Despite many online petitions, it never returned.

 I had the good fortune to serve at Le Cellier for more than a year, and very rarely did a day pass where I was not asked what had happened to the Beavertails.  It’s hard to explain to guests that Trapper Bob was sent back to the Great White North, and we were left with a cart serving a not-so-Canadian classic – popcorn.  The only saving grace was the Fruitopia, PowerAde and Iced Tea were replaced with beer and ice-wines.

So, for the time we bid adieu to this loved Disney World nosh.  Perhaps one day Trapper Bob will reveal himself again.  Until then, I hear Ottawa is really nice this time of year.  Just bring a jacket.

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Spin The World wants to hear about your favorite food memory from Disney World – e-mail us at  you.spin.the.world@gmail.com