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!" An introduction
#" traditional dishes ! $" other favorites
4 Dessert
&" Drinks
%" Current trends !% '%&"-,)(&'-%
Food is an essential part of Argentine culture. The national cuisine provides far more than nutritional value - it gives us a unique way to experience the local traditions and way of life in Argentina. " QUICK FACTS: " " - Argentina is unlike any other country in South America. 85% of the population is of European descent, mainly Spanish and Italian. The country’s distinct European influence is reflected in menus across the country.
- Argentina is one of the world’s leading agricultural producers, especially of wheat. As a result, fresh breads and baked goods are just about everywhere. " - Argentineans love their beef. The country has the highest annual per-capita consumption of beef, and the average Argentine eats 154 pounds of beef per year. That’s about two servings a day, every day. " If you’re traveling to Argentina, you may have to adjust your internal clock. Here’s a typical mealtime schedule:
BREAKFAST - Argentineans eat a very light breakfast, usually medialunas (croissant-like pastries) and coffee.
Lunch - Around noon, they make up for the light breakfast. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day.
Coffee - Late afternoon coffee is a precious ritual in Argentina. It’s a time to catch up with friends, take a break from work, eat a snack or simply enjoy the café."
Dinner - Dinner is rarely eaten before
9:00, and when it finally arrives, the locals like to A TIP FOR TIPPING: take their time. Meals are usually long and relaxed, For most restaurants, a tip of 5 to 10 Argentine pesos " and restaurants can stay packed until midnight. (or around 10% of the bill) " is custom. &"!,'&'-%!/ ,'*.$* asado [ah-sah’-do]"
The most traditional way to eat meat in Argentina is the asado, where meats of all kinds are cooked on the parrilla (grill) over an open flame. " " The cook prepares various cuts of meat, and no part of the animal goes to waste. While beef is often the main event, lamb, goat and chicken are also included. "
" ASADO BASICS: • bife de chorizo = sirloin (the most standard cut of beef) • lomo = tenderloin • ojo de bife = ribeye! • chorizo = pork sausage • morcilla= blood sausage • mollejas = sweetbread • chinchulines = chitterlings
Don’t look for the A.1.: Cooks are so proud of their grass- fed beef they only season the meat with a sprinkling of salt. Chimichurri, a mixture of olive oil and spices, may be the only sauce on the table. ! empanadas! [em-pah-nah’-dahs]
Popular as a starter or snack, empanadas are pockets of flakey dough baked or fried and filled with all types of ingredients.
traditional empanada oven Ground beef with onions and spices or ham and cheese are the most common filling options, but others include chicken, sweet corn, spinach and veggies.
Argentinean empanadas are usually smaller than in other South American countries so, lucky for you, you can order more than one.! ! milanesa [me-la-nays', sah]! !
The milanesa is a common dish of breaded and fried meat (similar to the Austrian wiener schnitzel). It is a lunchtime favorite and usually served alongside papas fritas (French fries).! ! humita! [oo-mee’-tah]!
Many Latin American countries have their own version of this dish. In Argentina, humita is prepared with sweet corn, sautéed onions and spices. It is popular as an entrée or used to compliment other dishes, such as on top of a milanesa or a filling for empanandas. traditional sides
If you ask the average Argentine what vegetable they eat the most, the answer will likely be “potato.” But other vegetables are included alongside the main meal, most commonly tomatoes, onions, eggplants, zucchini and squashes.
Fresh salads are an option with any meal (many restaurants let you create your own), and enormous amounts of bread are on every table. !"#$% &'(!%)"$*
!! pasta
The large quantities of Argentina’s domestically harvested wheat are put to good use in fresh pasta dishes in restaurants everywhere. ! Gnocchi, ravioli, sorrentinos and tagliatelle are all homemade and served up with your choice of sauce. !
CHECK THE MENU: Oftentimes the pasta and the sauce are priced and ordered separately.! ! ! pizza
Argentina’s Italian heritage is evident with pizza around every corner, from the most elegant restaurants to street vendors.! !
But unlike the Italian pie, Argentine pizza is made with thick dough and frequently adorned with whole green olives.! ! seafood
With such a large coastline, it may come as a surprise that seafood is a relatively small part of the Argentine diet. This may be simply because it is generally more expensive than beef - and they really, really love their beef.!
For those with the taste for seafood, hake, trout, sole, shrimp and more can be found fresh and wonderfully prepared.! “Seafood: Directly from the ocean to your table. Consume quality!!” !"##"$% dulce de leche! [dool'-say] [day] [lay'-chay]! !
Dulce de leche is nothing short of a national obsession. This sticky, sweet caramel-like paste is made from condensed milk and sugar.! !
It can be found in every pantry in Argentina and spread on anything edible.! ! alfajor! [al-fah-hor’]
This is the most available way to get your daily dose of dulce de leche. The sugary spread is sandwiched between two shortbread cookies to make an alfajor. ! !
Infinite variations of this cookie exist in Argentina.! Some are dipped in dark or white chocolate; others are covered in powdered sugar, meringue, coconut or nuts. ! ! helado [ay-lah’-do]
Helado is Spanish for ice cream, and in Argentina they serve it up gelato-style.
It is creamy, rich and consistently voted as some of the best in the world. ! While there are many artesenal heladerías to chose from, Freddo is the famous chain most popular in Argentina. ! Chocolate amargo (bittersweet chocolate), ORDER ANOTHER SCOOP!
Argentine gelato has ! tramontana (vanilla with chocolate covered the fat content of U.S. cookies) and, of course, dulcede leche top the ice cream. list of flavors. ! flan
Flan is a common dessert throughout Latin America and ubiquitous in Argentina. This custard is covered with a caramelized sugar sauce and often served with a drizzling of dulce de leche. !
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! ! wine
th Argentina is the largest producer of wine in South America and the 5 largest in the world.
Bodegas dot the country, but Mendoza is the province in the beautiful foothills of the Andes responsible for more than 80% of the country’s wine production.
Wine has been a popular drink in Argentina for rd centuries (Argentineans rank 3 in global wine consumption), but recent market changes have the rest of the world catching on. ! The two varietals gaining the most international attention are Malbec and Torrontés. !
! ! Due to the unique climate in Mendoza, this purple grape is able to thrive like nowhere else. ! It’s no surprise experts say Malbec pairs well with red and grilled meats, hard cheeses and pasta with tomato sauce. !
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Torrontes is the signature, indigenous white wine grape of Argentina. It has been described as “dry, delicate and floral.”
! ! ! yerba mate [yerr’-bah] [mah-tay]
A traditional drink of Argentina is an infusion called mate. It is prepared in a hollow gourd (also called a mate) by steeping dry leaves from the yerba mate plant in hot water. The drink is sipped through a metal straw called a bombilla. ! Sharing one mate with friends is considered an important and unifying social ritual. !
Sipping mate in the Plaza San Martín in Buenos Aires
! ! coffee
Café culture has deep roots in Argentine society. Coffee is served during all meals of the day and even has its own mealtime in
Most cafés offer espresso, along with cortado (espresso with hot milk), café con leche (half coffee, half milk), and hot chocolate (popularly served as a submarino: a bar of dark chocolate submerged in hot milk). !
? What’s even better Coffee is commonly Founded in 1858, Café Tortoni in served with a complimentary cookie or bite Buenos Aires is the oldest coffee shop in the country. of chocolate.! ! ! !
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! ! In recent years, vegetarianism and the organic food movement have been on the rise. ! Vegetarians have historically been a rare breed in the carnivore capital of the world, but a new generation of groceries and businesses is beginning to cater to this growing community.!
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Organic ingredients like soy, Argentina’s top export, are being cooked up in more inventive ways and the talented chefs of Buenos Aires are leading the way. ! Beef is a staple that will always have its place, but Argentina seems to be making more room on its plate for a few alternatives. ! ! !
To truly experience the Argentine cuisine. . .
. . . you have to taste it for yourself.
So book your flight and bring your appetite. . .
! ! enjoy
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Kelsey whitaker 2010
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