Les Dames Takeover series is underway through Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Market at Pepper Place. Live cooking presentations will showcase some of the most prominent chefs from the Birmingham metropolitan area.

Cooking demonstrations begin at 9 a.m. and include a taste-testing and samples of Alabama-grown food.

The first in its series is Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s Restaurant. Garrigus, accompanied by food writer Susan Swagler and scholarship recipient Sydney Smith, featured a mouth-watering homemade Pear Jam.

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s made homemade pear jam and served it with biscuits at the Market at Pepper Place as part of the Les Dames d’Escoffier takeover in September. (Hannah Beasley)

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s made homemade pear jam and served it with biscuits at the Market at Pepper Places as part of the Les Dames d’Escoffier takeover in September. (contributed)

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s made homemade pear jam and served it with biscuits at the Market at Pepper Places as part of the Les Dames d’Escoffier takeover in September. (contributed)

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s made homemade pear jam and served it with biscuits at the Market at Pepper Places as part of the Les Dames d’Escoffier takeover in September. (contributed)

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s made homemade pear jam and served it with biscuits at the Market at Pepper Place as part of the Les Dames d’Escoffier takeover in September. (Hannah Beasley)

Chef Brittany Garrigus, right, was joined by Susan Swagler, left, and Les Dames d’Escoffier scholarship recipient Sydney Smith, center. (contributed)

Chef Brittany Garrigus, center, was joined by Susan Swagler, left, and Les Dames d’Escoffier scholarship recipient Sydney Smith, right, at the Market at Pepper Place. (contributed)

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s made homemade pear jam and served it with biscuits at the Market at Pepper Places as part of the Les Dames d’Escoffier takeover in September. (contributed)

For the complete schedule, follow this link. The free event will take place rain or shine.

The Birmingham chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International is a group of leaders in the food and beverage industries. Les Dames works to grow, create, promote and share the local food culture.

To learn more about Les Dames Takeover, visit www.pepperplace.com or contact lisa@pepperplacemarket.com.

The venue is at 2829 2nd Ave S.

Chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s Restuarant kicks off the first Les Dames Takeover series at the Market at Pepper Place. (Alabama NewsCenter)

Homemade Pear Jam

Ingredients:

1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)

4 1/4 cups of peeled and chopped pears

3 1/4 cups sugar

Preparation:

Cook time: 45 minutes

Combine sugar and vanilla bean paste (or extract) in pot. Heat pot to low-medium heat and add chopped pears. Cook on low heat for about 45 minutes until boiling. Treat on a frozen plate to make sure the jam is set. Transfer jam into jar or serve and enjoy. Garrigus recommends serving the jam on top of ice cream, hot biscuits or with grilled chicken or pork.

Recipe courtesy of pastry chef Brittany Garrigus of Satterfield’s Restaurant in Cahaba Heights, Alabama.