Passport to Texas

Wild Boar Chops

Wild Game for the Holidays Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This time of year hunting seasons begin to overlap: quail….duck…deer…you get the picture.

As a result, hunters—and those of us who benefit from knowing hunters—end up with freezers full of game meat. There are worse problems to have.

With the holidays on the horizon, wouldn’t a dish featuring game be a nice addition to your feast? Heck, even the Great British Baking Show had their contestants bake festive game pies.

If you’re stumped when it comes to preparing wild proteins for the holiday table…perhaps a little hands-on cooking class can set you on the right course.

Texas Parks and Wildlife collaborates with Central Market Cooking Schools statewide to offer hands on wild game and fish cooking classes to the public. November’s class is all about dressing up game for the holidays.

Class participants will prepare: Grilled Quail with Red Chile Honey Glaze…Whiskey Spiced Duck with Swiss chard & celery root…and Venison Filet with Blueberry Pan Jus on Cheese Grits.

Tell me that doesn’t sound like a party waiting to happen. The next class is November 14, and takes place in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Southlake, and Plano. All locations are currently accepting registrations.

Find more information at passporttotexas.org. That’s our show for today… Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Find A Central Market Wild Game Class Near You

• Austin
• Dallas
• Fort Worth
• Houston
• Plano
• San Antonio
• Southlake

Learning to cook wild game and fish at Central Market Cooking Schools

Some New Twists on Cooking Fish and Game Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This is Passport to Texas

When Texas Parks and Wildlife collaborates with Central Market Cooking Schools on Wild Game and Fish cooking classes, we like to keep it interesting.

Take the May 9^th class, for example: attendees will make Crawfish Beignets; Salt-baked Striped Bass with Olive Oil, Herbs, Lemon & Garlic Salsa; and Prosciutto-wrapped, Maple-glazed, Roasted Turkey Breast.

The meats used in the recipes are farm raised. Yet, each has a wild equivalent available for harvest with the right licenses and gear. May 14 is the last day of spring turkey hunting in the north zone for Rio Grande turkey—and for eastern wild turkey, too.

Crawfish and striped bass live in freshwater throughout Texas. Find crawfish around ponds, lakes, rivers and streambeds; tricky to catch, but lots of fun. Also check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for best striper lakes in the state.

A few seats remain for the May 9^th Texas Parks and Wildlife & Central Market cooking classes in Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Dallas, Plano and Southlake [Note: we just received notice the Southlake class has been cancelled.]

Let me know where you live and the kinds of game and fish dishes that interest you. Find a link for cooking class registration and my contact details on the Passport website.

That’s our show…Funding provided in part by Ram Trucks. Guts. Glory. Ram

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

_________________________________________

Find a Central Market Cooking Class Near You when you visit their website.

Contact me and let me know what kinds of wild game and fish cooking classes you would  like to attend: cecilia.nasti@tpwd.texas.gov.

Quail, cauliflower mash, and pickled onion from a previous Central Market Cooking School & Texas Parks and Wildlife Wild Game and Fish Cooking Class.

A Tasty Game Day with Parks and Wildlife Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Summer temperatures are still taunting us—but fall hunting season starts this month, and with it opportunities to cook wild game.

For five years Texas Parks and Wildlife’s worked with Central Market Cooking Schools to offer statewide, hands-on public cooking classes featuring preparation of wild game and fish at home.

A Texas Parks and Wildlife representative is always on hand to provide attendees with background on the agency, conservation, and information about the species on their plates.

Everyone loves bacon wrapped dove breasts on the grill, fish tacos, or venison in a slow cooker in Italian dressing. But it’s nice to have new recipes to put the “wow” in your next wild game and fish dinner.

In past classes attendees learned how to make Venison Medallions with Juniper-Black Pepper Brandy Sauce, Pot Roasted Pheasant with Cider and Bacon; Vietnamese style baked Snapper; and Braised Rabbit with Wild Mushrooms, to name a few.

Folks who register for the Tuesday, September 13, Texas Parks and Wildlife & Central Market Wild Game Cooking Class will prepare and eat Wild Boar Sausage Patties; Quail with Wild Rice Pilaf; and Duck Gumbo. Perfect fall foods-even if it still feels like summer.

Find registration information at passporttotexas.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Register for a class near you:

• Austin
• Dallas
• Fort Worth
• Houston
• Plano
• San Antonio
• Southlake

Learning to cook wild game and fish at Central Market Cooking Schools

Statewide Wild Game and Fish Cooking Classes Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Cooking what you harvest can be intimidating for the new hunter. Of course, first thing is proper care in the field. And we have instructions for that on the Parks and Wildlife website. But in the kitchen? How do you coax the best flavor from these wild proteins?

If you haven’t eaten game, it does taste different than commodity meats, but that’s not a bad thing. Wildlife eat a diet more varied than domestically raised animals—and those flavor profiles show up in the meat. Because game is free range, the meat is naturally lean, and requires different preparation methods.

Before fall hunting season begins, sample and even try your hand at cooking wild proteins at the game and fish cookery classes at Central Market Cooking Schools, in collaboration with Texas Parks and Wildlife.

The cooking schools are in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth, Dallas, Plano, and Southlake. And classes are coming up in July, September and November. Most are hands-on, and each covers the best preparation methods for the featured game. You’ll learn recipes for quail, duck, venison, and wild boar, as well as fish and seafood.

A Parks and Wildlife representative will be on hand to talk about wildlife management and conservation, as well as public hunting lands, and how folks can get started hunting and fishing in Texas. Classes fill fast. Learn more when you log onto passporttotexas.org.

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Copy and paste this link into your browser to find a cooking class near you: http://www.centralmarket.com/cooking-school.aspx