Izard, who acted as judge in the cook-off between the two Texas chefs, served two dishes of her own, a trout tartare and a savory, saucy goat empanada. The newlywed Izard, chef-owner of Chicago’s Girl & the Goat and Little Goat, chatted with guests and handed down the ultimate decision over whose cuisine reigned supreme in the backyard at Freddie’s Place.
Tasked with coming up with a dish to pair with a specific wine, Houston’s Monica Pope of Sparrow Bar + Cookshop, paired Cupcake’s Cabernet with her restaurant’s signature shiitake mushroom dumpling, which rested in a pool of bleu cheese and honey sauce, somewhat reminiscent of sweet cereal milk.
Jason Dady of San Antonio, chef of Tre Trattoria and other establishments, offered up a tiny-yet-spicy banh mi stuffed with pink shrimp and pork belly to go with Cupcake Chardonnay. Dady’s sandwich was the winning dish, by a very narrow margin
Winemaker Jessica Tomei was on hand to talk up the vineyard’s varietals, which were available for sampling. My personal favorite is the Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from Marlborough, New Zealand. “Our goal is to make wines that are accessible but sophisticated,” said Tomei. The $10-11 per bottle price point, she argued, ensures that Cupcake is appropriate both for book club meetings and fancy dinners.
This article appears in April 25 • 2014.