distributing high quality seafood along
the Gulf Coast for over 75 years. And
while times have certainly changed things
since Joe Patti’s first opened on Pensacola
Bay, their whole focus on freshness hasn’t
shifted in the least.
It’s an important concept to maintain—
especially in the restaurant industry—
though it seems that only recently has
the public demanded that local chain to
be in place. “Folks these days want to
know where their food is coming from,
but it’s actually a movement that started
in California back in the 1970’s,” says
Irv Miller, executive chef at Jackson’s in
downtown Pensacola. “Obviously it’s not
new, it’s just that it went more mainstream
about a decade ago. But the most devoted
followers do more than just sourcing a
few ingredients locally here and there—
they actually do the work to connect with
passionate growers, farmers, and fishermen
to find top notch ingredients that will
translate into top notch food,” says Miller,
whose own dedication to farm-to-table
cuisine is readily apparent on the plate,
each item on his menu a showcase for
freshly-sourced, seasonal ingredients.
“As a restaurant in an area where so
many people are doing a lot of the same
things, you really have to pay attention
to finding ways to set yourselves apart
and doing something that will show why
you’re different, and one of the ways we’ve
accomplished that is the quality of the food
we serve,” says Joe Abston, co-founder
and co-owner The Tin Cow as well as
Hopjack’s Pizza Kitchen and Taproom—
all of which adhere to a standard of using
fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to
create the items on their menus. “Using
fresh ingredients in every way possible
and getting them from local sources is
something that really affects the taste and
the flavor of the food, and that’s a cycle
that sustains itself—not only in bringing
guests in, but also in creating a stronger
community.”
It’s a circle of support, a purity that
benefits everyone involved—feeding the
local economy, respecting the environment,
eating in a way that venerates the body. It’s
a difference you can taste…and boy, does it
taste good.
From seed to spoon.
From farm to fork.
From dirt to dish.
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