For a country that takes such pride in its produce (and needs no excuse for a fiesta), it’s remarkable that Argentina’s food and drink festivals are only just gathering pace. Naturally, beef and wine are still the headline acts, but are joined by an increasing number of more specialist events. Here is a look ahead to the best Argentina festivals and fairs in 2012 aimed at the food and wine enthusiast in everyone.
Where do you stand on the cork versus screw cap debate? Perhaps, like several of the recent dinner guests around my kitchen table, you really don’t care, so long as the wines taste good and keep on flowing. Or maybe you are more in tune with the “natural is best” camp. So what are the facts lying behind both points of view?
Buenos Aires has the bright lights, Patagonia has the show-stopping scenery, Mendoza has the food and wine, but if it’s the beating heart of rural Argentina you’re longing for, you’ll find it on the country’s estancias.
Argentina’s borders stretch from Antarctic waters in the south to Iguazú waterfalls amid the subtropical jungles of the northeast. Needless to say, within its boundaries, nearly all known foodstuffs can be grown or pastured, making for a rich cuisine.
As a Brit homesick for Argentina, it is undoubtedly the meat that I miss most (sure, friends and that, but mostly meat). But fear not: London is the place to find Argentinian restaurants that have the similar cuts, the same offal, and the perfect malbec to accompany it.
After their football team, the object of Argentines’ national pride is their meat – and they have every right to revel in one of the deadly sins. It’s widely accepted to be some of the best in the world and, as a consequence, they also indulge in another deadly sin: gluttony.
In Buenos Aires, the only thing that is slow is the melancholic tango. As a tourist here you can feel like you’re being whisked away in a tornado – sometimes you just need to escape from the hectic city life before someone orders you to “tranquilo!”
If you’re looking for somewhere to eat in Buenos Aires that won’t break the bank, here are our top tips on finding some traditional Argentine food establishments when out and about in the city.
Christmas in Argentina, as those with even the most rudimentary grasp of geography will know, occurs at the height of summer. With that in mind, you’d be forgiven for assuming that the locals in this part of the world have sensibly revamped their yuletide festivities to take account of the hot weather. Assume again.
Mention to anyone from Buenos Aires you’re going to Córdoba and they’ll make a drinking notion with their hand, and usually a sound like ‘wa-hey’. But Córdoba also has a rich cultural heritage and fascinating history just waiting to be explored.
FF# @GourmetPlaza #SM comida deliciosa, servicio buenísimo y excelentes vinos! @CatenaMalbec @ArgentoWine @LapostolleWine @BodegaColome
RT @vickybaker: Cycling in Buenos Aires is just beginning to take off. Here are some tips I wrote on the @argentowine blog http://t.co/XHwGxobM
@ArgentoWine @birdswithbottle @winesofarg Wonderful review..well done Argento...I'm opening a bottle as I type...Damn that's fruity!
Gracias, ladies! RT @birdswithbottle: @winesofarg Birds with Bottle love @ArgentoWine Malbec. See vid http://t.co/dGVcwn3y
The Real Argentina is brought to you by Argento Wine – we’ve got a real passion for everything Argentina and we want to share it with you. Our contributors and editors draw on first-hand experience of the country, from the vibrant culture and the delicious food to the exhilarating countryside and bustling cities – we love it all…
