Fuego madre : Javier Brichetto

The gauchos, the horsemen who lived across the vast Pampas of Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil between the 17th and 19th centuries, were descendants of Spanish settlers and Indigenous peoples.

Many worked as cattle herders, roaming the grasslands in search of wild cattle and horses. Living outdoors, they developed a way of cooking meat over an open fire—a tradition that would later become known as asado.

Today, this culinary tradition has regained international attention as fire cooking has become one of the defining movements in contemporary gastronomy, with Argentina recognized as one of its historic origins.

This book is written by Javier Brichetto, an Argentine grill master and the chef behind the acclaimed Madrid restaurant Piantao, where he shares his approach to charcoal and wood-fire cooking.

Drawing on more than thirty years of experience working with fire, Brichetto explains every essential aspect of grilling, from choosing the right grill and combining charcoal with different types of wood to building the fire, controlling temperatures, and achieving the ideal doneness for each cut of meat.

Beyond the techniques, the book also explores the broader culture of live-fire cooking, covering the gaucho traditions of the Pampas alongside American barbecue, Brazilian churrasco, Chinese fire-cooking traditions, and the meat cultures of Spain and Portugal.

A fascinating volume that offers not only the technical skills required to master fire cooking, but also a deeper understanding of the rich culinary traditions that have shaped it around the world.