Realizing that Dallas is a foodie paradise, I was glad to have registered at the always filled and very popular cooking class at the Dallas Farmers Market. Unseasonably cold, as it was, there were just a handful of outdoor stalls, well displayed with produce from their vendor’s own crops.
The multipurpose classroom which holds about 90 students on the second floor in the Resource Building has a demonstration kitchen and each seat was filled. In partnership with the Dallas Farmers Market Friends and American Institute of Wine, every three months for five consecutive Saturdays from 11AM to !PM, there are classes given by a well known chef from one of the city’s top restaurants. The slanted mirrors show all, no matter whether you’re in the front or the last row. There’s a perfect view of what is being prepared. This day it was Chef David Holben of the famed Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House. With a pamphlet of recipes, and with his wonderfully funny personality, we started with sweet corn chowder, lump crab and sundried tomato crostini. This was followed by Coriander-Pepper Rubbed Peking Duck Breast and Tomato-Eggplant Grain with David’s Steak Sauce. After each demonstration, volunteers behind a curtain have tastings of the recipes handed out on individual plates. Delicious. Then on to crispy wedge salad with apple smoked bacon, buttermilk blue cheese and spicy grilled chicken (more superlatives). And it had such a user friendly atmosphere that Chef encouraged, actually demanded, that questions be asked. Sitting next to me were John, a financial executive and his wife Susie. Both love cooking. They had been to the previous Saturday class and enjoyed it so much, they booked to come back this morning. Both stated they had learned so much from the classes. So for the mere sum of $25 US, it’s probably the best deal in the city of over 1.3 million populations.
Dallas Farmers Market 1010 S. Pearl Expressway
info@dallasfarmersmarket.org