Q:  I love empanadas! Where are your favorite empanada spots?

Tom: Who doesn’t love empanadas! Fortunately, you have many excellent options in the area. Felix Empanadas (Optimist Hall and Latta Arcade) offers a wide assortment of empanadas. They have the basics like street beef, chicken, and carnitas — plus some more out-of-the-box offerings like pulled chorizo; bacon, date, & goat cheese; and lobster & corn. You’ll even find Nutella & banana and apple crumble dessert empanadas. Go-Go Empanadas in Matthews has 60 different Columbian style empanadas on its menu. Lola in Pineville offers some tasty Peruvian style ones on both its lunch and dinner menus. Los Chamos on South Boulevard sells Venezuelan “open” deep-fried empanadas. If you’d rather grab-and-go, Manolo’s Bakery on Central Avenue is a great spot for Colombian & Salvadorian style empanadas — along with its full lineup of tasty treats.

Q: What is a picanha cut of beef? I never heard of it until recently.

Tom: Not surprising. Unless you have South American ties, this amazing and flavorful cut of beef flies completely under the radar here in the U.S. It’s a shame, because it’s one of my favorite cuts, when I can find it. The picanha comes from sirloin primal, specifically the cap muscle. It can be served as a full roast or cut into steaks. In South America, the cut includes the fat cap to provide extra flavor. It is also popular in France, where the fat cap is removed and is called the “coulotte.” You’ll rarely find it on restaurant menus, although I keep hoping. Your best bet is to reach out to your favorite beef rancher at your local farmers market. If they don’t have it in stock, you might be able to arrange a special order. Trust me, it’s worth the effort. If you are into wine pairings, might I suggest a good Argentinian Malbec or Chilean Carménère. A nice deep California Cabernet Sauvignon would work well too. Bon appétit!

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