The centuries-old Spanish tradition of El Ronqueo De At\u00fan, the ritual in which a bluefin tuna fish is strategically and artistically cut and carved, is heading upstream to the plates of Fort Worthians on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. for Dos Mares\u2019 first Tuna Ronqueo viewing and meal event.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Making good on his commitment to bring south-of-the-border tastes of the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico to Fort Worth, Dos Mares\u2019 culinary director, Chef Rodrigo C\u00e1rdenas \u2014 who also serves in the same capacity at\u00a0sister restaurant Don Artemio \u2014 will be the one yielding the cook\u2019s knife during this pioneering event.\u00a0While tuna cuttings are typically associated with sushi counters, C\u00e1rdenas, who opened Dos Mares<\/a> this past November, is putting his own twist on the long-celebrated ritual.<\/p>\n \u201cThe traditional ronqueo method is widely practiced in Spain and is a highly precise and specialized technique necessary to both maximize yield and respect the entire fish,\u201d said C\u00e1rdenas, adding that he learned this method from Canary Islands native Chef Pedro\u00a0Mart\u00edn.\u00a0<\/p>\n The literal translation of\u00a0El Ronqueo De At\u00fan, we\u2019ll have you know, is \u201csnoring of the tuna\u201d \u2014 a nod to the\u00a0distinct sound the knife makes as it glides carefully along the fish\u2019s backbone. Attendees will get a front-row seat to see \u2014 and hear \u2014 this firsthand.<\/p>\n Along the coast of the Canary Islands, bluefin tuna live abundantly in the ocean, a stark contrast to what can be found in Texas\u2019 coastal waters. As a result, the Pacific Bluefin Tuna\u00a0\u2014\u00a0known for its rich and buttery flavor\u00a0\u2014will arrive fresh off a plane to Fort Worth with a Baja California, Mexico\u2013stamped passport. These fish are no small catch and can tip the scale at upwards of 155 pounds.<\/p>\n