A traditional Latin American Christmas is celebrated on the 24th – known as Noche Buena – not the 25th. The big meal happens after the sun starts to go down, and then it’s straight into party mode, meaning there’s a lot less time (ie none) for TV specials and charades. However, there’s plenty of time for eating.
It is estimated that up to 25 million Argentines can trace their family roots back to Italy and so it is no surprise that, aside from the great asado, the country’s most popular cuisine takes its influence from this part of the world. One of the great things about Buenos Aires is the abundance of fresh pasta – in supermarkets, listed on the chalkboard at your local bodegón, or in your neighbourhood pasta store.
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.
It goes without saying that meat is the biggest player in the Argentinian diet. Our roast pork belly recipe, by chef Matías Podestá, is representative of a typical Argentine dish, with an emphasis on a large, simply seasoned piece of meat accompanied by a typical fiery kick.
Cooking with wine means you are compelled to uncork a bottle at least an hour before you otherwise would, and to drink a glass or two at least an hour before you probably should. This is self-evidently a good thing.
Of all the national dishes on offer throughout the country, empanadas are especially evocative of Argentina food and culture. In this delicious empanada recipe, we’ll be going showing you how to prepare ossobuco empanadas topped with hot tomatoes and baked red onion sauce.
Argentines will tell you the best stuff is when mamma makes it, but making dulce de leche from scratch is a bit like waiting for a solar eclipse. You wait and wait (stirring condensed milk on a low heat for two to three hours), and finally see its magnificence for a brief moment, but it soon disappears with the blink of an eye. It’s best to keep a small stockpile in your cupboard…
It would be fair to say that mate falls in to that polite category of beverages – along with Fernet – of being ‘an acquired taste’. Pronounced ‘mah-tay’ (as opposed to an informal synonym of friend), this drink infusion is ubiquitous in Argentina and Uruguay. You’ll see taxi drivers, old ladies in the streets, lovers in parks, and friends in houses cradling a little gourd, taking a sip of mate through a bombilla (straw), and sharing it round. You’ll see it everywhere, and it will only be a matter of time (measured in hours rather than days) before you are offered some…
The first time I tasted Fernet I hated it. I was young (and for legal reasons I will not say how old, just in case the alcohol police are reading) and just starting to go out with friends to “los Boliches” (discos) and bars around Mendoza, Argentina. That black bitter drink, strong as hell and sweetened with Coca Cola, was not my ideal dancing partner. Diluted lager beer served in a simple plastic tumbler was more agreeable with my inexperienced liver and empty pockets, until…
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…
