The Heat is On

It's that time again, when tantalizing smoke wafts from fires along the banks of Onion Creek, and beef lovers gather under the sheltering pecan grove near the Salt Lick for Live Fire!

This annual celebration of beef benefits the culinary grant program of the Austin Food and Wine Alliance which funds local projects designed by culinary innovators. Chefs from Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas will present signature dishes that demonstrate their beef expertise and the crowd will also enjoy fine wines, distinctive craft brews, and samples of the Official Drink of Austin 2015, the Indian Paintbrush from Garage.

Singer-songwriter Walter Lukens will provide live music suitable for dancing inside the pavilion. If you're daunted by the idea of a drive to and from the event on a winding country road, shuttle service via chartered bus will be available for an extra $20, a small price to pay for a Champagne toast on the way to the party and a designated driver on the way home. This great party is sure to sell out, but some last minute tickets are available here.

Live Fire
Thursday, Apr. 12, 6:30-9pm
Salt Lick BBQ Pecan Grove Pavilion
18300 FM 1826, Driftwood; 512/858-4959
www.austinfoodwinealliance.org/2015-live-fire

Here's the menu for further enticement:

Rebecca Masson of Fluff Bake Bar (Houston)
Masson makes her first appearance with hazelnut mini drumsticks made from praline ice cream, Werther’s curd, fizzy chocolate Cocoa Pebble crunch and mini waffle cones.

Janina O'Leary of laV (Austin)
O'Leary will create black pepper shortbread with Champagne strawberries and crème fraîche.

Patrick Feges of Feges BBQ (Houston)
Feges will prepare beef belly burnt ends with pimento cheese grits.

Erica Waksmunski of Red Star Southern (Austin)
Waksmunski will be bringing sweet potato biscuits with pastrami and coleslaw

Azhar Mohammad of The Carillon (Austin)
Mohammad and his team will prepare the Carillon’s signature spice crusted and smoked tri-tip with maple mustard glaze, charred cauliflower hash, curried stone ground grits and smokey chili aioli.

Joe Anguiano of VOX Table (Austin)
Anguiano will prepare a little cheek and tongue bun – braised Akaushi beef cheek and tongue, horseradish cream, red wine au jus, and Yorkshire pudding.

Eric Lucas of Whole Foods Market (Austin)
Lucas will feature grilled mole-glazed short ribs with pickled vegetables and puffy tortilla.

Page Pressley of St. Philip Pizza Parlor + Bakeshop (Austin)
Pressley will prepare chicharrón with chocolate truffles.

Thomas Calhoun of Lenoir (Austin)
Calhoun will feature maple donuts with orange Bourbon glaze & candied fennel seeds and chocolate-kochukaru donuts with a sugar glaze.

Scott Higby of TRIO Restaurant (Austin)
Higby will prepare smoked ribeye on potato sope with bacon chile fry.

Kristine Kittrell of Weather Up (Austin)
Kittrell will serve peppered beef and frites with nihari butter.

Jason Dady of Jason Dady Restaurant Group (San Antonio)
Dady and his team will celebrate his fifth appearance at Live Fire by preparing his 44 Farms flank “reuben” with fennel kraut, Thousand Island dressing, black Russian rye and provolone fondue.

John Philpot of The Monterey (San Antonio)
Philpot will present tamarind tare-glazed sweet bread with charred fennel coconut salad in a beef fat vinaigrette and beef tendon chicharrón.

Diego Galicia and Rico Torres of Mixtli (San Antonio)
Galicia and Torres will create torta ahogada, an artisanal bolillo bread stuffed with smoked And braised beef tongue, pickled onions, radishes and queso fresco on a tomato and puya pepper broth.

Jeff Martinez of Alcomar (Austin)
Chef Martinez will prepare tacos de carne borracho with nopales and chile pequin salsa.

David Uygur of Lucia (Dallas)
Owner of his Dallas Italian restaurant, Uygur will make grilled beef belly with caraway, rye and fermented pepper.

Fiore Tedesco of L’Oca D’Oro (Austin)
Former contestant on Food Network’s Chopped, Tedesco will create smoked beef cheek lasagna with stracciatella and marinated artichokes.

Joshua Jones of Salt & Time Butcher Shop & Salumeria (Austin)
Jones will be making his signature beef rib.

Tom Micklethwait of Micklethwait Craft Meats (Austin)
Micklethwait, who created a three-meat plate declared one of the “20 Best Dishes in Texas” by Food & Wine magazine, will prepare oak-smoked ribeye.

Brandon Martinez of Noble Sandwich Co. (Austin)
Martinez and his team will make carne asada made with marinated sirloin flap meat and served with lime pickles, cotija cheese sauce and masa crackers made from masa harina.

Scotty Szekretar of Sway (Austin)
Szekretar will make New York strip satay, accompanied by green mango and najm jim.

Scott Roberts of The Salt Lick (Austin)
In addition to hosting Live Fire, Roberts will make a sliced brisket taco on a homemade flour tortilla as well as brisket-stuffed mushrooms.