In a time before Frankin Barbecue in Austin and Killen’s Barbecue in Houston, smoked meats were simply part of the everybody-everyday Texas culinary fabric and landscape.

“We don’t go out for bbq,” said Tracie, then my girlfriend, 10 years ago now.

“We eat [family friend] Melvin’s or Uncle Tim’s,” she explained.

When we shared news of our wedding plans, Melvin exclaimed (and this is not a joke, people): “how am I gonna get my smoker to La Jolla?”

Today, 10 years gone, Texas BBQ has conquered the world. Even in faraway Como, Italy, Houston Chronicle BBQ columnist J.C. “Chris” Reid found authentic Texas smoked meats.

On Monday, February 25, Chris will be presenting a tasting and seminar exploring the alchemy of pairing Texas BBQ with Italian wine (a heavenly match imho). The paper’s wine writer Dale Robertson will join him on the dais and I will be moderating the session.

We’ll also be joined by three of Houston’s leading pit masters, who will be sharing their secrets and their smoked meats with 80 lucky registrants.

This event will sell out quickly, folks, and registration has just opened.

Details follow below. I hope you can join us!

Btw, check out Chris’ thread here. He’s the world’s greatest living expert on Texas BBQ.

*****

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR
“HOW TO PAIR TEXAS BBQ WITH ITALIAN WINE”
(Monday, February 25, 3:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR
THE TASTE OF ITALY GRAND TASTING
(Monday, February 25
open to trade and media at 11 a.m.
open to public at 3 p.m.)

The Italy-Texas factor: How to pair Texas BBQ with Italian wine.
seminar and tasting
Monday, February 25

Presented by
Italy-American Chamber of Commerce Texas
and
Taste of Italy
trade fair and food festival
Hilton Post Oak
2001 Post Oak Blvd.
Houston TX 77056

Click for festival information and registration details.

Leading Texas BBQ expert J.C. Reid and veteran Houston wine writer Dale Robertson explore the magic and science of pairing classic Texas smoked meats with Italian grape varieties and wine styles. They will be joined by 3 top Houston pit masters who will share some of their smoking secrets as well as insights into matching their foods with wines from the Old Country.

Participants will sample smoked meats from all three pit masters and taste 4 wines. Houston-based Italian wine educator Jeremy Parzen moderates.

$20 per person (open to trade, media, and consumers)

Featured speakers:

J.C. Reid
(BBQ columnist Houston Chronicle)

Dale Robertson
(wine writer, Houston Chronicle)

Featured pit masters:

Arash Kharat
(Beaver’s)

Ara Malekian
(Harlem Road Texas BBQ)

Jim Buchanan
(Buck’s Barbeque Co.)