International Market Guide
Dig a little and you'll find our region is home to a whole host of culinary curiosities and international delights.
Global Cooking with Vicarious Kitchen
Jacksonville’s cultural diversity offers many opportunities to sample international cuisine without traveling too far from home. After enjoying a meal at one of our local ethnic restaurants, perhaps you now want to experiment at home. Indeed, incorporating global flavors into everyday meals is a growing trend around the country. Not sure where to start? One approach is to buy a cookbook full of recipes from far-away places and subject your family and friends to your kitchen experiments. But even better? Learn to cook international dishes from local experts, immigrants who live in the area and are eager to share their cuisine and culture.
One business responding to consumer interest in international flavors is Vicarious Kitchen, an immersive culinary adventure where local cooks from different cultural backgrounds teach intimate cooking classes in private homes around Jacksonville. Started by Cari Sanchez-Potter and Sabeen Perwaiz, the workshops provide an opportunity to learn about the different people and cuisines that create our region's culinary and cultural fusion. While they have traveled and dined extensively around the world, both Cari and Sabeen also believe that wanderlust can be satisfied with flavor adventures much closer to home, especially given the diversity that exists in Northeast Florida.
In an introduction to the workshops, Sabeen said “the classes are a means to satisfy my constant craving for delicious cuisine from around the world. When I first moved to Jacksonville I didn’t think that would be possible, but I soon realized that there were so many choices, right under my nose. Food plays a crucial role in forging links between a broad range of cultures. Our cooking workshops will not only introduce you to the delicious cuisine of the world, but also to the wonderfully different people who make it, every day – right here at home.”
Cari reiterated that sentiment and added “I’m excited that Vicarious Kitchen will provide an opportunity to celebrate the many people and cuisines that make up Northeast Florida’s diverse and dynamic food culture. My hope is that the workshops teach us not only about new ingredients and dishes, but also about ourselves, our city and our neighbors.”
Inaugural classes will cover Ethiopian, Mexican and Filipino cuisines, and include tips on where to find ingredients, recipes and a meal sampling some of the specialties of each region. Other types of culinary explorations are also in the works.
Interested in signing up? Don't delay. Classes are filling fast. Visit Vicarious Kitchen for more information.
SHOP INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
International Market Guide
Dig a little and you'll find our region is home to a whole host of culinary curiosities and international delights.
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