Page 36 - Leisure Living Magazine: Holiday 2020 Edition

Local Specialty Stores
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jewelry, as well as nautical gifts and gear. They also have farmhouse home decor and re-pur- posed furniture, which are both extremely popu- lar this year. This quaint shop is located on Madi- son Street in downtown Port Clinton.
Mary’s Blossom Shoppe, Port Clinton
Mary’s Blossom Shoppe has provided dis- tinctive floral designs since 1978. They design arrangements using a diverse assortment of fresh cut blooms, as well as potted plants and bloom- ing gardens. In addition, they offer an extensive selection of gifts and accessories. Some of the brands that you can find at their quaint shop in- clude Root Candles, Michel Design Works, Aro- matique, Two’s Company and Kay Berry. They also feature local artisans including Abundance Soaps and Windy Hollow Farms.
Chef Jackson
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the kitchen from our expo line, but I’m always willing to jump on a workstation as needed. What do you love most about your job?
Food is our common denominator; it brings people together. Race, religion, etc., don’t matter when you are sharing a great meal. Knowing that I provide that, at a very high level, gives me pas- sion for my job.
And the most challenging aspect of the job?
A chef doesn’t just cook. He also has to man- age the kitchen. Personnel management is one of the most difficult parts of my job, but also a part that I really love. Each person in my kitchen is different and unique.
Eric and Theresa point out, “Chef Jackson always keeps us laughing!” Can you elaborate on that?
I’m just a realist, I guess! Ha-ha! I try to be as open as I can. It’s much easier to be that way with bosses who let me be who I am. My grandpa taught me that you’ll catch more bees with honey; you can’t force people. They are so much more receptive to humor in the kitchen.
It’s been said that “A recipe is a story that ends with a good meal.” Thoughts on that? What
36 |LeisureLiving Holiday 2020
McKenna Bowling, who works at Great Lakes Popcorn in Port Clinton says popcorn makes a great stocking stuffer!
personal holiday recipe that has a story can you offer our readers?
I think that the meal is the story itself. A dish can be romantic, funny, dark, or can reflect many other emotions or feelings all at once! That’s what’s so interesting.
I used to work for a Spanish guy who was in love with Manchego cheese. He also really loved halibut. Spanish and Italian cuisine are difficult to blend, but I won him over with this Halibut Veracruz recipe that I served along with a Manchego risotto. (See recipe on Page 18.)
FUN FACTS - Chef Aaron Jackson
• Age: 43
• Where are you originally from? I was born
in Georgia, but raised mostly just outside of
Dayton.
• Hobbies, pastimes: I like to play video games
and I coach my daughter’s basketball team.
• Family: I have two daughters; Aaryah is 10
years old and Malia is 6.
• Favorite music, film, and book: My favorite
book is To Kill a Mockingbird. My favorite film is The Hobbit, and I love jazz and hip- hop.
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