School of Bourbon

Sold-out crowd gets schooled in the finer points of bourbon and dishes about hot new restaurant

A sold-out crowd of bourbon-loving Houstonians gathered at The Parador in the Museum District for Woodford Reserve’s School of Bourbon class, hosted by CultureMap.

After they arrived, attendees entered a world of whiskey. Prior to the class, guests sipped on cocktails prepared by Zimm's bartenders Judith Piotrowski and Weston Ball.

Piotrowski worked in a sly reference to cult classic cartoon show Futurama with her New New York Sour that blended Woodford Reserve, cabernet sauvignon, aquafaba, lemon, simple syrup, and angostura bitters. Ball's The Foreman delivered a spicy kick thanks to its combination of Woodford Reserve with creme de cacao, lime-cordial, dolin dry vermouth, corazon bitters, and a cinnamon stick.

Attendees, including Kevin Bryant, Elaine Dillard, Emily Jaschke, Cheryl Gibbs, Nick Scurfield, and Neera Patidar, also got a sneak peek at one of fall's eagerly anticipated new restaurants, Bosscat Kitchen & Libations. Set to open next month on Westheimer near River Oaks District, the restaurant's chef Peter Petro served a barbecue porchetta sandwich on Slow Dough bread and grilled Vietnamese-style short ribs. Best of all, everyone left with a $15 gift card.

After Ashley Bible shared the distillery's history, she explained the distillation process that turns a mix of corn, rye, and barley into delicious bourbon. Finally, it was time to taste. Foods like cheese, sorghum syrup, dark chocolate, and hazelnuts brought out different flavors in each of the three spirits: Woodford Reserve, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, and Woodford Reserve Rye.

While sipping bourbon is fun and all, the night was made even better knowing that all proceeds from the evening benefited Mankind, a Dallas-based nonprofit that promises to help save lives and end suffering from prostate cancer by encouraging men to receive annual tests and help research scientists find a cure for prostate cancer. That is something we can all raise our glasses to.

Tasting Woodford Reserve.

Photo by Danh Phan

Tasting Woodford Reserve.

fundraisers cocktails

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.

news-you-can-eat barbecue pop ups kg bbq rosemeyer bar-b-q