Austin in Italy

Chef David Bull hosts an immersive culinary tour through Tuscany

Chef David Bull always dreamed of visiting Italy, the birthplace of his great grandfather. He even credits growing up working at his family's Italian-American restaurant in upstate New York with his love for the restaurant business. "There's always been an Italian influence on food out of respect for my family," he says. But graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and building the nationally acclaimed Congress Restaurant didn't leave much time for vacations.

When Bull's friend Monica Paredes approached him to co-host a food and wine tour of Tuscany, his response was a spirited, "Absolutely!" In July, the two will escort a group of 16 travelers from Austin on a five-day trip to the region known for Chianti wine and as the birthplace of the Renaissance. "There was definitely no arm twisting involved," Bull recalls. "It was the perfect opportunity to be immersed in Italian culture and the culinary side and also have the perfect guide coordinating and planning it."

Bull and Paredes first met while she was a culinary student at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts and volunteered to help his crew during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. "We became good friends because I really appreciated all of her volunteer work," he says. He had no idea, though, that she actually had 20 years of experience in the corporate world prior to her culinary training. Some of her favorite projects involved planning trips as part of rewards and recognition programs at Fortune 500 companies. Paredes has also traveled extensively throughout Italy and is fluent in Italian.

Of all the regions of Italy, Tuscany is her favorite. "It's really a special place to me, one of those places where it's almost ideal to get lost," Paredes explains. She first laid eyes on the site of the group's accommodations on one of her trips and knew the vineyard perched on top of famous rolling hills would be the perfect place to host a food and wine tour. "I just fell in love with it the first time I went."

In fact, the local family who runs the vineyard will be on-site during the trip. There will be several other opportunities to meet locals, too. "We picked the most real, authentic experiences we could find," Paredes says. One highlight will be meeting the most famous butcher in Tuscany to discuss his philosophy of how every part of the animal integrates into the cycle of life. The group will then enjoy lunch at his restaurant.

The focus of the trip, however, will be Chef Bull’s daily cooking classes. On most days, the group will get up early to look at produce and other ingredients at the market. After various excursions to the region’s famous towns like Florence and Siena, they will return to the vineyard for a cooking class in the late afternoon. Bull plans to teach in a somewhat progressive style, starting with simple tastings and studying flavor profiles, and then advancing to more complex cooking techniques.

The group is already getting acquainted thanks to series of food and culture related events leading up to the trip. While in Tuscany, Chef Bull will be available to ask any type of food or cooking related questions. They'll be especially fortunate to have intimate access to his mind as he experiences Italy for the first time. "This trip to Tuscany was the perfect opportunity for me to be immersed in the culture and culinary side of the region. I’m expecting to be completely inspired," he says.

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There are currently two spots available, and there are tentative plans to do another trip in 2016. Find more information at authentictoscana.com.

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Lord of the wings

16 Austin restaurants face off in CultureMap's Ultimate Wing Showdown

Photo courtesy of Pluckers

Chicken wing-lovers have their own preferences, but only one can win.

Nothing says getting together to watch sports with friends quite like a big plate of wings. As part of The Tailgate presented by Verizon — CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit — we’re asking a simple question:

Which bar, restaurant, or food truck in Austin serves the best wings?

To answer that question, we’ve created the Ultimate Wing Showdown. CultureMap editors have selected 16 nominees that we think have a shot at the title. Just like we do for the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Best New Restaurant tournament, we’re asking readers to vote in a bracket-style, head-to-head tournament that will produce Austin's ultimate wing joint.

True to the diversity of Austin, the nominees cover a wide range of styles and cultural influences — everything from a classic crispy Buffalo wing to wings coated in Sichuan pepper or even powdered sugar. Read on for more about the nominees, then click here to vote for your favorites.

People may vote once per day, and the results will be closely monitored to ensure a fair outcome. We’ll reveal the winner on stage at The Tailgate event on Thursday, December 12 at Distribution Hall.

The night will also include celebrity appearances, games, food from local restaurants, and drinks from the event’s sponsors. Verizon and CultureMap are even giving away a VIP trip for two to Super Bowl LIX*. More details on how to enter here for a chance to win.

Read more about The Tailgate here, and follow all the details in our special editorial series. You won’t want to miss it, so get your tickets today.

Here are the nominees in the Ultimate Wing Showdown:

Spicy Boysvs.Tommy Want Wingy
The only thing hotter than Spicy Boys' chicken is its reputation, having won several awards and become a go-to for chicken lovers who want something just a bit outside of the norm. The Asian flavors like Indonesian sambal were a hit, but will voters rally behind a current focus on boneless options? "Nugs" are $10.99.

Tommy ain't the only one who want Wingy. This food truck "take[s] all the fuss and mess out of the chicken wing" by shaping it into a "lollipop." Sauces start pretty standard and move into more unique territory, like the Spicy Pineapple with Sriracha or the Holy Schnikes, which comes with a warning: "Painfully hot!" Combos start at 5 pieces with fries for $15.68.

Pluckers vs. Wingzup
If there's a classic Austin wing, it's at Pluckers. The popular chain started at the University of Texas and has expanded to dozens of locations as far away as Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Some interesting flavors outside the classics include maple chipotle and Dr Pepper. Five wings start at $8.75.

Wingzup is similarly committed to the art of the wing, with more than 20 sauces and rubs to choose from. That list goes all the way from a classic garlic parmesan to a Jamaican jerk, Korean gochujang, or even ghost pepper. Guests who win the ghost challenge get a $20 gift card and a shirt. Five wings start at $8.49.

Tiki Tatsu-Ya vs. hiwings
Tiki Tatsu-Ya is perhaps the most unexpected pick on the list, which really goes to show the strength of its wing game. The mochiko wings are coated in sweet rice flour, then a mapo-miso glaze and Karashi mustard. These aren't as spicy as they are mouth numbing; they'll rearrange your tastebuds. An order upstairs at The Nest is $13.

Hiwings are also made with sweet rice and other flour, and patrons can choose among 10 sauces, plus more for dipping. They can also opt for "naked" wings, which have no flour coating at all. Hiwings says those are how wings are "supposed" to taste; voters will be the judge of that. Five wings start at $9.99.

Halal Wingsvs.The Potluck
Austinites don't have to commit to a halal diet to enjoy these very crispy wings. These chefs create spice blends for their take on wings from several cuisines, including Mexican, Chinese, Mediterranean, and Cajun. But the Halal Hot is the pinnacle for those brave enough to try it. Six wings start at $7.99.

The Potluck food truck and catering company is known for one wing above all: the crack wing, which is dusted with powdered sugar. It has plenty of other obscurely named flavors, plus sides you don't usually see at a wing place like shrimp étouffée and rice and beans. Six wings are $10.66.

Nickel Cityvs.Industry East Side
A great wing is paramount, but good atmosphere elevates everything. Nickel City offers both, and it's natural that the Buffalo, New York-inspired bar would have a solid wing on offer. Most important, it doesn't get too flashy with sauces — it's just the classics, plus Franklin Barbecue sauce. A pound of wings (about six) is $12.69.

Industry, an East 5th Street bar and restaurant that largely courts hospitality industry workers as clientele, keeps wing-lovers' options open with mix-and-match platters. Combos can be made with Buffalo, lemon pepper, barbecue, blackberry-habanero, and plain flavors. Six wings are $12.

Stiles Switch BBQ vs. Home Slice Pizza
A barbecue joint may not be most people's first choice for wings, but Stiles Switch is out here converting nonbelievers. Since it would be a crime to cover up the flavors of oak smoke, it makes sense that the only four flavors are pretty simple: garlic parmesan, Alabama white sauce, Buffalo, and honey barbecue sauce. Six wings are $14.

Austinites can't be blamed for having a one-track mind at Home Slice Pizza, but just ordering pies means missing out elsewhere on the menu. One of its incognito menu items is a plate of wings in the style of Buffalo's Anchor Bar, served with blue cheese dressing and celery. Home Slice's version is known for being very crispy. Six wings are $10.50.

Anchor Bar vs. Haymaker
For Buffalo wings, Austinites can go back to the source — or at least an outpost. There are now 16 descendants of the New York restaurant where the recipe was invented, and one is in Round Rock. Anchor bar won't pigeonhole itself, though. It serves wings with 25 sauces and rubs. Ten wings are $17.99.

Haymaker is mostly known for its laid-back environment, but its elevated pub fare also draws customers in. Like most of the nostalgic menu items, its crispy wings are kept simple: mild Buffalo, hot chipotle, garlic parmesan, Carolina gold barbecue, lemon pepper, and tangy teriyaki. Half a pound of mixed pieces is $10.

Casino El Camino vs. Thunder Chief
Casino El Camino is a surprising foodie favorite considering its downtown dive bar status. In addition to great burgers, it has solid Buffalo wings served with celery, carrots, and blue cheese or ranch dip. Although it's just one style, they come in four heat levels from mild to "downright explosive." Eight wings are $14.50.

Thunder Chief, the kitchen inside the Lavaca Street Bar on South Lamar Boulevard, has balanced the arts of both heavy and carefully crafted foods, including its tea-brined chicken wings. They're crispy without breading, meaty, and elegantly plated. Adventurous flavors appear on a rotating basis. Five wings are $9.

Made up your mind? Vote here for your favorites.

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The Tailgate is presented by Verizon and sponsored by HOWDY, Houston Powder Coaters, EIGHT Beer, and more to be announced.

*The NFL Entities shall have no liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in this sweepstakes or any prize awarded. The NFL Entities have not offered or sponsored this sweepstakes in any way.

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