Melo will host a stage of the binational grove championship
The city of Melo prepares to receive, this Saturday, one of the most anticipated dates of the Binational Assistant Championship, an event that promises to summon hundreds of people in the local convents of the agricultural and that will test the talent of twenty teams of Uruguayan and Brazilian parrilleros.
From 14 hours, the property will open its doors to the general public, with free admission, in a day that will combine gastronomic tradition, live music, artisanal fair and a contest that arouses enormous expectation in the local and regional environment. For those who wish to live the complete experience and taste the different courts prepared by the grills, a special bracelet will be available, with a value of 800 pesos, which will allow access to a closed space with tables and free consumption in all participating stoves.
An international seal tournament
The competition is organized together by the Uruguayan Association of Assistants and the Pan American Association of Assistants, with the support of the Intendencia de Cerro Largo and local companies. This is the first time that Melo receives a date of this championship, which already has international recognition and that has its great final scheduled in Tacuarembó.
“We come barbarian with the organization, there is little left and the expectation is huge. We have 20 confirmed teams and even waiting list, with people from Cerro Largo, Melo and other departments that want to participate,” Oscar Albarenque, a member of the Fuego Arachan group, which is part of the Organizing Committee.
The jury will be composed of specialists from the Uruguayan Association of Assistants and four representatives of Brazil, sent by the Pan American Association. As they advanced, the evaluation will be strict and will focus on the technique, the taste, the cooking point and the presentation of the cuts.
Traditional cuts and quality challenge
The teams must prepare blankets, sausages and picaña, three cuts that test both the technique and creativity of the participants. The slogan is to maintain the authenticity of Uruguayan meat, with products acquired in local butchers, which also strengthens the identity of the contest as a window of regional production.
“We put a lot of emphasis that the meat out of hill long, in which the sausages were from the department, because we want to show ours, that the visitor takes the experience of the quality of the products that are made here,” Eduardo Yáñez, representative of the group explained “A poncho and school”, who also integrates the organization.
Yáñez also stressed that the fair will have artisans from all over the area, which will expose and put local products, from fabrics and leather work to sweets and artisanal drinks, with the aim of giving a broader cultural framework to the event.
A party for all audiences
The activity is intended as a great family walk. Those who do not acquire the bracelet may travel the property, closely observe the task of the grills and enjoy the festive atmosphere. There will be sales stands, parallel gastronomic proposals and musical shows that will encourage the day.
The organization also designed an alternative plan in case the weather does not accompany. While the idea is to carry out most of the outdoor activities, the sheds of the Convents Agricultural property will be available to guarantee the development of the contest and the fair without inconvenience.
“We want Melo’s people to accompany us. The entrance is free, anyone can come to see how the teams work, feel the aroma of the roasts and travel the positions. Whoever wants Albarenque explained.
Bracelets and points of sale
The bracelets are available through the organizers themselves, in adhered shops and also at specific points such as Abitab de Colón and Muniz and at the Red Cross headquarters. There they can also acquire the same day of the event, although the organizers recommend ensuring them in advance, given the interest that the proposal has aroused.
The cost of 800 pesos per person includes access to the table sector and the possibility of unlying the cuts prepared by all equipment. For the organizers, it is an accessible way to offer a quality product and at the same time guarantee the sustainability of the event.
Expectation for a local representative in the final
One of the organizers’ desires is that some Cerro Largo team manages to stand out and classify the final in Tacuarembó. “It is a historical opportunity for the barbecues in the area. The Uruguayan Association of Assistants gave us the chance to participate local teams, who compete for the first time in an event of this magnitude. We want them to live the experience, that they feel the pressure of an international jury and that they can show what they know how to do,” Albarenque pointed out.
The national final promises to bring together the best grills in the country, and that an Arachán representative can reach that instance would be an achievement with strong symbolism for the department.
An opportunity to show identity
The binational championship is not only a competitive event, but also a showcase of cultural and gastronomic identity. The roast, a rioplatense symbol par excellence, finds in this kind of meetings an assessment space, where the tradition of Uruguay and Brazil converge in the same scenario.
The presence of Brazilian jurors, the integration of equipment from different departments and the commitment to local products reinforce the binational dimension of the contest, which seeks to project in the coming years as one of the most important in the region.
“We are sure that it will be a party. There will be roasted, music, crafts and a lot Yáñez concluded.
