Toast of the Coast: A Hands-On Food and Beverage Social Series
Join us for our 7th Annual Toast of the Coast events at The Fish House! The theme for this year’s events focuses on Southern Traditions. Each event in the series will feature a hands-on demonstration from a pro or a local with all of the cool stories to share, with fantastic food and beverage pairings. In addition, each event will include a special takeaway to help you re-create the event at home! These events present a wonderful opportunity for an up-close-and-personal interactive experience with some of the best, all within a fun atmosphere at The Fish House. Each event begins at 5:30 p.m. Each event is $45 per person (plus tax and gratuity). The events take place on The Deck Bar and have limited seating; reservations are required and can be made by contacting Taylor Dawson — Taylor@goodgrits.com, 850-287-0200.
The series is as follows:
Thursday, March 28: Celebrating the Arrival of the Elcano
The Spanish Royal Navy tall ship Juan Sebastian de Elcano will return to Pensacola on March 31 and stay through April 5 — the Elcano’s eighth visit to the city since its first in 1959. The Elcano last visited Pensacola in 2015, and drew thousands of visitors who toured the ship, the third-largest tall ship in the world. It is with this in mind that we will present a Spanish tapas-inspired class the Thursday before her arrival. Featured dishes include crispy Gorgonzola and phyllo sandwiches, peppadew- and anchovy-stuffed olives with flaky sea salt served on dried Roma tomatoes with fig balsamic reduction, chorizo-stuffed cremini mushrooms with grated Manchego cheese and a red and green heirloom tomato gazpacho shooter with avocado foam, chives, and lemon oil. Agua de Valencia, Andalusian Rebujito, Seville orange martini and classic Spanish sangria will complement the dishes. Additionally, Adelene Lovelace, former director of the Fiesta of Five Flags and El Cano host committee member, will give a brief history of the ship, logistics for her arrival and the importance of the visit. Participants will take home a bottle of house-made, lemon-infused olive oil as a takeaway from the event.
Thursday, April 18: Hook and Cook
Living here on the gulf coast, we are so incredibly fortunate to have a plethora of local fish in our waters. Here at The Fish House we are proud to serve the freshest fish available. This class will feature speaker Frank Patti, legend of Joe Patti’s, to talk about our local waters as well as the fish that swim our waterways throughout the year. In his demonstration, Sous Chef Chad Gorey will feature all local fish. Once they have been hooked, chef will show you how to clean, fillet and prepare the fish with a hands-on demonstration. Featured dishes will include Sheepshead Ceviche, Local Cobia, and Redfish on the half shell. Classic panhandle beverages will accompany the fish-tasting, including a locally brewed Gulf Coast Blonde Ale, Bayfront Breezer, Category 5 Hurricane, and a Salted Caramel Bushwacker. Participants will take home a magnetic Fish House bottle opener, perfect to keep on the fridge or on the boat!
Thursday, May 16: Pickled Pairings
For years, home cooks and chefs alike have embraced pickling as an extension of the time-honored Southern tradition of “putting up” — canning fruits and vegetables in a frenzy at the peak of their season. Pickling is about more than extending the growing season; it’s another way to layer textures and flavors. Chef de Cuisine John Huggins has put together a tasting menu featuring Southern pickling favorites including okra, green beans and squash. The featured beverages for the evening will incorporate pickled ingredients as well, including a Pickled Blackberry Cocktail, Bloody Mary Shooter, Rodeo Lemonade and Bleeding Heart Martini. Chef Huggins, along with Jake Pickert from Bailey’s Produce & Nursery, will give a presentation on peak seasons for produce as well as step-by-step instructions for pickling. Participants will take home a bottle of Great Southern pickled green beans for use at home.
Thursday, September 19: Historic Foods of Pensacola
In honor of Pensacola’s 460th anniversary, Chefs Huggins and Gorey have designed a tasting menu that will feature modern interpretations of historical Florida ingredients. In each dish, guests will taste the area’s rich culinary heritage — with its pristine native seafood, locally grown ingredients, and singular blends of Spanish and Southern influences. Red snapper, shrimp, pecans, oysters and Seville oranges will be menu highlights. Beverage pairings will look to the fruits from our past for inspiration, serving a Renfroe Old Fashioned, 23-Star Salute and the East Hill Honey Blackberry Smash. Margo Stringfield, archeologist, and Cathy Parker, foodways researcher for the University of West Florida, will join us for the event and give a brief talk on these historical ingredients and how they became part of the Pensacola food traditions that exist to this day. Participants will each take home a jar of house-made Seville orange marmalade.
First Course:
Pensacola bay oyster roasted over an open flame with fresh herbs and butter, oyster hoe cakes east hill honey butter, fresh chopped chives
Second Course:
Fresh prawn grilled over pecan wood fire with speckled butter bean succatash ,crumbled cornbread
Third Course:
Red snapper bouillabaisse: A rich tomato-saffron stew of fresh red snapper, mussels,clams ,bay scallops, and calamari, house-made sourdough
Thursday, October 17: Tailgate Time! Beef, BBQ and Bourbon
We are firing it up out on the Fish House Deck where grilled and smoked meats and barrel-aged bourbon whiskeys take the spotlight for this event. This ultimate fall tailgating event will have Chef Chad demonstrating grilling techniques for steaks, burgers, and chicken to WOW their guests at the next big tailgating event. Chef will go through the cuts of the cow and how to best prepare each cut. In addition, he will go through a step by step process and show what sets Texas style BBQ apart. The 3-2-1 cooking method for ribs will also be explained. The menu will feature smoked Texas-style sausage, pulled beef BBQ sliders, 14-hour smoked beef brisket and ribs. To go along with the theme, Southern sides perfect for tailgating will accompany the BBQ. Three different bourbons will be featured, paired with each of the dishes including Elijah Craig Small Batch, Basil Hayden and Angel’s Envy. Participants will take home a bottle of Chef Chad’s Texas-style dry rub with recipes as well as a grilling guide – the Do’s and Don’ts of the grill.
Thursday, November 21: High on the Hog: A Whole Beast Feast
Back by popular demand, Fish House Sous Chef Chad Gorey will be presenting a Whole Beast Feast — the whole hog — discussing the slow-roast cooking process including a discussion of the cuts of the pig, how to best prepare each, how to dress the beast for a full roast along with the step-by-step instructions for how to roast — including information for your own roaster. Once the beast is complete, it will be offered up family style and served with a selection of Southern sides. We will have three Southern cocktail pairings as part of the event including a Marker’s Mark Peach Cooler, Clyde May’s Bama Buck and 1885 Chatham Artillery Punch. Participants will take a bottle of Chef Chad’s homemade BBQ sauce made special for the occasion.
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