Simply Summer: Figs

A hands-on in-person cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer. This class is limited to 14 students. Review our registration and cancellation policies here

Chef Gracie LOVES figs! A glorious and unique fruit, they’re at their peak in the heat of the summer - so let’s put them in the spotlight! Figs complement salty cheeses, herbs and nuts, so we’ll explore recipes that make the most of these pairings. Students will also get a chance to sample a variety of figs grown in the area - candy stripe, black mission, green adriatic and more! 

The meal will start with chef Gracie’s favorite preserved figs - slow roasted and bathed in a sweet tangy balsamic syrup, draped over creamy cheese on a crispy crostini. Students will tear fresh figs and weave them into our salad course with candied walnuts, fennel and fresh herbs. Our main course showcases the gorgeous pairing of figs and pig - seared pork chops topped with a spicy fig mostarda. We'll finish our meal with bruleed (that’s right, you get to use a blow torch) figs plated over tahini whipped cream, topped with a crunchy sweet dukkha and pomegranate molasses! 

Together, let’s FIGure out how to make this fruit shine!

MENU

Crostini of Roasted Balsamic Figs Served with Triple Cream Cheese and Thyme

Fig and Candied Walnut Salad, Shaved Fennel, Arugula, Mint, Pickled Shallot Vinaigrette 

Cast Iron Seared Pork Chops with Spicy Fig Mostarda 

Tahini Whipped Cream with Bruleed Figs, Sweet Dukkha and Pomegranate Molasses 

*Menu subject to change based on seasonal availability 

This menu contains the following common allergens: Dairy, Wheat, Eggs. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.

Let’s Cook Together!

Gracie Schatz has been in the food industry for over fifteen years. In her career, Gracie has worked in a variety of places: as a baker and private chef in Eugene, OR, farming and cooking in Italy, raising pigs in the Sierra Foothills, butchering at the Fatted Calf in San Francisco, managing Avedano’s in Bernal Heights, cooking at Bay Area restaurants Molina and Cala and her own pop-up restaurant, Bread and Bones Supper. In Eugene, she started her own food justice nonprofit, Marigold Cooking Collective. After working with 18 Reasons as a guest instructor for the past 7 years, Gracie has decided to move from Eugene to San Francisco and join us as our head Chef. Her dream is to never stop learning about delicious food, to never stop exploring the many nuanced ways that food brings us joy, connection to culture, identity, seasons and community. 18 Reasons feels like the perfect place to explore this dream and she is so excited to be here!