read and taste
Famed San Antonio chef at Cured plans dinner for cookbook launch
Chef Steve McHugh of Cured is releasing a cookbook of the same name on March 26.
The hallmark of a confident chef is his willingness to share his recipes. If a chef has the right touch — helped greatly by the best ingredients and impeccable technique — giving away these secrets poses no existential threat.
San Antonio's Steve McHugh is that confident chef, as he's proven many times over by opening up an intimate chef's counter experience at Landrace and inviting frequent guest chefs to cook at Cured.
Now he and Texas Monthly journalist Paula Forbes are preparing to drop a cookbook, also called Cured, in which they'll detail preserving techniques and more than 150 recipes. He's celebrating with a launch dinner on April 13.
Cured will close to the public to maximize its celebratory capacity, making way for a ticketed dinner. Guests will taste recipes from across the book's chapters (which don't appear in booksellers' online previews, so it's extra-exclusive), while enjoying cocktails, wine, or beer.
Music provides a sub-theme for the night: San Antonio vinyl DJs Strawberry Jams will provide the tunes, and the cocktails are "Jam-inpsired," according to a release, which doesn't specify how that might show up. Fruit jams are a common focus point on Cured charcuterie boards, so it's reasonable to expect some fruity drinks.
Finally, guests will received an autographed copy of Cured and a gift bag.
Some fans may know that the name Cured refers not just to the common practice of preserving meats and vegetables, but to McHugh's recovery from Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Some of the proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, which helps funds research, change policy, and improve education and support.
Tickets ($125) are available via OpenTable. Dinner starts at 6 pm on April 13. Cured is available for pre-order ($37.50) now via penguinrandomhouse.com. The official release date is March 26.
