Foodie News

Central Market channels South American flair with "Passport to Argentina"

Central Market

Vast ranches, varied terrain, a love of beef and cosmopolitan cities — yes, sometimes it seems like Texas and Argentina are twins separated at birth.

But this month you don't have to book tickets to Buenos Aires to indulge in the culture and food from Latin America's most European country. Central Market's "Passport to Argentina,"which starts on Wednesday and continues through May 25, features cooking classes, tastings, and celebrity chefs and winemakers with a background in the region, including Francis Mallmann, South America's leading authority on traditional family-style grilling; and Susana Balbo, dubbed the first lady of Argentine wine.

The calendar has multiple daily events, ranging from cooking classes for individuals, kids and couples to wine tastings, Argentine happy hour festivities, wine dinners with illustrious Argentine guests and one evening of grilling under a giant tent. The full schedule is available at the Central Market Web site, but here are a few highlights:

May 12, 7:30 p.m.: Showing of Tango: The Movie at Studio Movie Grill in CityCentre. A Carlos Saura film, Tango was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 1999.
May 13, 6:30 p.m.: Wine Dinner with Susana Balbo. Enjoy Argentine specialties prepared by the cooking school staff and sample the award-winning Crios Torrontes, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon while Balbo talks about her winery in Mendoza.
May 14, 6:30 p.m.: Wine Dinner with Laura Catena. Catena will share her story of growing up in the wine industry over a three-course meal and serving samples of her Luca Chardonnay, Malbec, Pinot and flagship wine Nico.
May 15, 6:30 p.m.: Wines and Food of Mendoza with Chef Diego Coll Benegas. Benegas will display his signature traditional Argentine dishes updated with flavors from around the world, to be paired with Trivento wines.
May 17: Picada with Robert Pepi, Bianchi Winery: Picada is Argentine happy hour, and this festive presentation will feature a tango demonstration, an light buffet of Argentine appetizers and Bianchi wines.
May 20, 6:30 p.m.: Cooking With Fire with Francis Mallmann. Fans of Bourdain's No Reservations will remember Mallmann as the pre-eminant chef who quit his job and headed to the countryside to get back to the original open-fire grilling custom. He's bringing this sensibility to Central Market with a giant tent of outdoor Argentine grilled specialties, including a 7.5-hour roasted lamb.
May 21, 6:30 p.m.: Winemaker's Dinner with Sebastian Zuccardi. Over a meal of casual classics including sliders, pizza and beef ribs from the Pampas paired with Zuccardi wines and conversation.
May 22: Cooking Class with Narda Lepes. Argentine TV host and cookbook author will lead in the preparation of dishes from her homeland.

And because no trip to Argentina is complete without a little tango, here's Central Market's specially-created tango playlist:

A full grill, typical of Argentina cooking

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two days of bbq

2 Michelin-rated barbecue joints holding can't-miss pop ups in Houston

Courtesy of KG BBQ

KG BBQ is bringing its Egyptian-influenced barbecue to Houston.

Two of the Texas barbecue joints to earn Bib Gourmand recognition in the Michelin Guide will be holding pop ups in Houston this week. One is visiting from Austin, while another is a Spring favorite with a one-day-only menu.

On Saturday, December 14, Austin’s celebrated KG BBQ will be serving at Axelrad in Midtown. Part of Texas Monthly’s 2023 list of the Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas, KG BBQ has earned wide acclaim for pitmaster Kareem El-Ghayesh’s Egyptian-influenced take on Texas barbecue.

The menu will include many of KG’s most popular dishes, including brisket rice bowls with smoked Mediterranean rice; smoked lamb chops; sumac-and-cinnamon-rubbed lamb shoulder, and sides such as pink buttermilk potato salad and Baladi salad.

Service begins at 10:30 am. Preorders are available online with a minimum order of $60.

In a statement, Axelrad co-owners Adam Brackman and Monte Large say that KG will make more visits to Houston in 2025. El-Ghayesh adds that he’s a fan of the Houston bar that’s known for its spacious backyard with hammocks, a stage, and a wide-ranging menu of beer and cocktails.

“Since the moment I stepped foot in Axelrad, I loved their culture, their vibrant colors and artistic flare, their attention to detail and hospitality and love for entertainment makes this place perfect for bringing back my nostalgic memories of hosting pop-ups like how I started in Austin,” he said. “I’m proud to bring what I have created to Houston. From how diverse the city is, its beautiful variety of ethnic foods, and large Egyptian community, it has so much to offer. We are excited to serve up some Egyptian BBQ to the Houston community through our pop ups over the next year at Axelrad.”

On Sunday, Spring’s Rosemeyer Bar-B-Q will trade its usual offerings for a special menu of dishes made with smoked whole hog. The menu will include whole hog plates, whole hog sandwiches, whole hog-and-parmesan polenta cakes, and whole hog served over cheese grits with a New Orleans-style barbecue sauce as well as sides and desserts. Service will run from 11 am until everything sells out, likely sometime between 2 and 3 pm.

“The whole menu is filled with specials and cool items we don’t do everyday at the stand,” co-owner Jordan Rosemeyer writes in an email. The motive, beyond exercising some creative muscles, is to raise money for Hogs for the Cause, an annual event that raises money for pediatric brain cancer research and the families who are fighting it.

Like KG, Rosemeyer is also a member of Texas Monthly’s 2023 new and improved list. Located at 2111 Riley Fuzzel Rd., the humble trailer has earned acclaim for its weekly specials, housemade ice cream, and well executed barbecue staples.

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