Join Chef Irv Miller of Jackson’s Steakhouse as he leads a series of cooking classes on the third Wednesday of each month. Classes cover everything from shopping to preparation to presentation. Two classes are scheduled for each month. The first class begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. The second class begins at 7:30 p.m. and concludes at 9:00 p.m. Each class costs $45 per person, which covers the cooking demonstration, tastings of the food, wine pairings, and a take-home recipe booklet so you can try your hand at Miller’s recipes in the comfort of your own home. Advance reservations are required, so be sure to make yours by calling Maria Goldberg, Director of Marketing, Public Relations and Special Events at (850) 217-2347 or emailing maria@jacksonsrestaurant.com.
Gulf Coast Horn of Plenty, Wednesday: July 15th
Our neighborhood small farmers and gardeners provide a variety of seasonal Panhandle vegetables such as eggplant, chard, squash, potatoes and sweet peppers. In the spirit of the “farm-to-table” philosophy, Chef Miller will incorporate locally grown culinary ingredients when possible, including a variety of squashes, squash blossoms, organic greens, sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, Russian and Tuscan kale, beets and turnips with their tops, radishes, rainbow carrots, and heirloom tomatoes, to name a few. Chef will create remarkable recipes for easy-to-replicate seasonal vegetable and specialty dishes. Dishes may include small-batch artisanal cheeses, locally raised pork, lamb, eggs, honey and other products as available.
Red Hot Steak Recipes, Wednesday: August 19th
Jackson’s Steakhouse procures its Midwestern grain-fed beef from the heartland of America, using only corn-fed beef from four of the major beef packers. These beef packers are located in the area known as the Corn Belt. Included in the Corn Belt are Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Colorado. Chef is gearing up to reveal some of his favorite flavorful ideas for underutilized meat cuts. Recipes will include marinades and recipe tastings of a range of flavors from around the world such as citrus brushed Las Vegas Strip with mango-poblano barbeque sauce, Tahi-stle beef salad and Korean-style short ribs.
Garden and Grits, Wednesday: September 16th
Along the Gulf Coast’s Deep South — cooking Southern is must! Chef will be cooking end-of-the-season harvested peas, crispy fried okra and maque choux, for starters. Chef will also share treasured, locally available artisanal foods, including pecans, preserves, relishes, quail, goat cheese and local seafood favorites from the waters of our very own Gulf of Mexico. In addition, he will pair up garden-fresh ingredients and demonstrate how to prepare them using some of his favorite recipes, as well as walk the audience through perfecting both rice and corn grits for home cooking.
Flavors of the Yucatán, Wednesday, October 21st
Chef will be featuring the resources of our unique body of water and the special dishes of the region along its shores. He will be cooking with foods used within a hundred-mile radius of the Yucatán Peninsula. Chicken and pork are the main proteins, along with seafood closer to the coasts. The Yucatán Peninsula is home to one of the world’s great regional cuisines. With a foundation of native Maya dishes made from fresh local ingredients, it shares much of the same pantry of ingredients and many culinary practices with the rest of Mexico. Due to its isolated peninsular location, it was also in a unique position to absorb the foods and flavors of such far-reaching regions as Spain, Portugal, France, Cuba and the Caribbean, and Africa. Chef’s recipes will include the freshest culturally inspired ingredients from this region.
Celebrating Cuban Cooking, Wednesday: November18th
Traditional Cuban cuisine is primarily peasant cuisine. Most foods are sautéed or slow-cooked over a low flame. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, coriander and oregano. The foundation of many dishes is cooked peppers, onions, garlic, oregano and olive oil (sofrito). Cuban cuisine also uses citrus such as orange, lime and lemon; tomatoes, vinegar, white wine or beer (depending on region and dish), raisins, olives and capers to flavor almost every savory dish. This combination often results in complex flavors with sweet, salty and acidic components. Poultry and other meats are usually marinated in citrus juices, and then roasted over low heat until the meat falls off the bone. In addition, Chef will prepare a Cuban dessert. Cuban desserts are especially known for their sweetness, and many include the use of citrus peel, cinnamon and anise seed to add distinct regional flavors.