Category Archives: Food in Argentina

Mente’s Inside Information for an Amazing Semester Abroad!

March 07, 2012   MenteArgentina   No comments
obelisco

So you’ve just signed up for a Semester abroad in Buenos Aires. Now what? Here at Mente we are experts on study abroad and we are going to share our knowledge on the must-knows, must-dos and must-sees of studying abroad in Argentina.

First off, the must-knows about going abroad. Before you leave it is important to do some research on basic things such as the climate, history, and little cultural anecdotes which will make your transition that much easier upon arrival. One such anecdote here in Buenos Aires is the use of vos and the pronunciation of ‘ll’ and ‘y’. I’m not going to lie, I studied Spanish for years before setting foot in Argentina, and I did not understand anything when I got here. What the is maawshow? (Mayo, for those you who also aren’t familiar with el castellano porteño).
In terms of Argentine history, it is interesting and extensive with periods of greatness followed by long periods of pure devastation. Argentines tend to be very strong individuals who have lived through difficult times but still maintain a positive outlook. They are some of the most generous people in the world and are always willing to help their neighbor. The difficult times here have definitely bred a strong sense of community, which is evident throughout the country.
Finally, the climate. This is super important because here in Argentina we are in the Southern Hemisphere, meaning the seasons are the exact opposite of those in the US and Europe. We have a relatively mild winter from June to September, an absolutely beautiful spring in October, November and December. Then in January and February it is HOT. Hot and humid, which is precisely the reason most porteños ditch the city and head to the beach! This scorching summer is followed by a pleasant fall with varied temperatures and scattered thunderstorms. Knowing what months (or maybe you will be staying the whole year) you will be here is vital to your packing. A friend of mine who studied abroad TWICE during undergrad said, “study abroad is all about what to pack”. It might seem trivial, but you will undoubtedly be a couple of weeks into your trip and wish you had brought that shirt, those shoes, even that jar of peanut butter that you thought would take up too much space in your suitcase. Trust me, they don’t know how to do peanut butter here. Also, you will most likely be on a budget which won’t allow for purchasing overpriced goods here in Buenos Aires, so just pack it if you even for one second think you will want it.

Must-dos. Buenos Aires is FULL of must-dos, so I’m just going to lay out some basics but I recommend doing some research and making a local friend! The very first thing you must do is learn the buses. This is going to make your life so much easier for the next 6 months. Mente provides you with a Guia-T and we recommend that you take it with your everywhere. In addition to your Guia-T learn check out Mapa2, it is a fabulous website which tells you exactly how to get from point A to point B. In your first few weeks I recommend hopping on a bus and seeing it’s route, then going home another way. Once you have been on the buses a couple of times you will be a natural and it will save you tons of money on taxi fare!
The nightlife in Buenos Aires is quite possibly the most important must-do. Especially if you are coming from the States where bars close up at 2am, you will probably be a little overwhelmed at the beginning. Here porteños don’t even get to the clubs until around 3am (which is why it’s pretty easy to get on a list for free entrance before 2:30!!). One club that cannot be missed is Club 69 at Niceto Vega on Thursday nights. This place puts on a wild drag show complete with the costumes and over-the-top dancers who even leave stage and dance among the crowds. Plan on leaving the club and being blinded by the sun coming up over Buenos Aires.
Another must-do in the city is the parks. Buenos Aires has tons of great parks to spend your Sundays afternoons in, including Bosques de Palermo (which is huge and has lots of great trails and ‘lakes’), the Reserva Ecólogica right along the coast, and several smaller parks scattered throughout the city. Each one is unique, but you always find Argentineans sipping mate passing the day away chatting with friends. On really nice days there are even bands who set up and rock all afternoon.
Finally, you must try the culinary delights of Argentina. Everyone knows that meat is king here, and it is for a very good reason. You have to try parrilla and go to an asado (with locals preferably) during your stay! One well-known restaurant parrilla, Siga La Vaca, has all you can eat parrilla, dessert and wine for about $100 pesos. Go! Really, go. Porteños also know how to do ice cream which is the perfect treat during the sweltering summers in the city. Check out Mente’s previous blog on the yummy helado in Buenos Aires.

Must-see Buenos Aires is kind of general, because everything is a must-see. Just walking through Palermo is a must-see. The Recoleta cemetery is a must-MUST-see; luckily Mente Argentina has a great tour to take you through this fascinating burial ground. Of course you have to go to a Tango show where you will feel like you have been taken back several decades to a simpler time when passion and movement ruled this city. And if you want to practice your own tango skills, sign up for Mente’s Tango program!
There are several monuments, buildings and sites that are worth seeing in Buenos Aires including La Casa Rosada, La Boca and the Women’s Bridge in Puerto Madero. Besides all of these great spots, you should also go to a Boca Juniors soccer match. It isn’t just a soccer game, it’s an experience. From buying the tickets, getting to La Bombanera (the stadium), to all of the chanting and dancing of the dedicated fans. It is an experience not to be missed during your stay.
Outside of the city limits you will find several other great areas to check out. Taking the Tren de la Costa from Olivos to Tigre is amazing, it goes right along the costa and you get a spectacular view of the city. You can hop off and on the train as you wish, so definitely make a stop in Barrancas to check out the antiques and super hip bars in the area. Just a couple of blocks away you can go right to the coast and try out kitesurfing. The next stop, San Isidro, is also worth a look. It has a great little plaza with an incredible cathedral. All-in-all it’s great way to spend a day outside of the city.

So there you have it. Some advice on the things to keep in mind while preparing for travel and while you are here in beautiful Buenos Aires.

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Mente on Malbec: un blog de-vino

July 18, 2011   MenteArgentina   No comments
miami-wine-tasting

Budding wine connoisseurs of all (legal) ages start from the jumping off point of that well known adage, drink and be merry. Argentina has increasingly been getting more attention for its wine production, both in quantity and quality over the past years. This is why tourists, wine lovers, and the wine interested have started flocking to its thriving Capital, to take wine and sommelier courses in Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, some of us have yet to get the chance to learn all about the world of wines, and so until we can enroll in a class of our own, we will have to start with the basics and work our way up:

According to Wine for Dummies, an admittedly guilty position i have taken, Argentina is the largest producer of wines in South America and 5th largest in the world. And what comes out of the country is even more impressive. Like the immigration history of the Argentine population, most of the grape-producing vines have come over from Italy and taken and impressive strong root in the wine-making country of Argentina. Provinces such as Mendoza, Salta, and Jujuy are the pride of argentine wines and have attracted many visits by travelers and study abroad students in Argentina! Both the wine culture and the landscape there is beautiful and calming: Being near the mountains but still in a desert area keeps the vineyards warm by day and cool by night, and the ground is dry by nearby rivers from the Andes allow for easy irrigation.

Compared to its neighboring competitor Chile, what really sets Argentine wines apart is its main grape: Malbec. The Malbec grape was originally only used for blending with Merlots and Tannat to make them darker and more full bodied; it is now a celebrated varietal wine (meaning a wine made only from one grape) in Argentina. It has particularly adapted to the Mendoza region and winemakers are toying with getting the same quality. Another great argentine wine is their Cabernet Sauvignon, but many wine professionals agree that sheer production of the argentine Malbec, and it’s rareness as a quality variety has defined argentine wines.

A little info on the Malbec: The Malbec grape is only successfully produced in Argentina and Cahors, a small wine region in southwest france. Originally from Bordeaux, many theories trace its origin, one (popular but unconfirmed) says that a Hungarian peasant by the name Malbec spread the variety throughout France, others trace it back to northern Burgundy under the original name Côt. In Argentina, Malbec wines have been thriving for over 100 years.

Certain qualities jump out with Malbec wine. It is a very full bodied wine, very dark and with a strong concentration of flavors. The skin varies based on climate; in cooler conditions it produces a thick skin that raises acidity and tannins making it a more robust wine, and lower altitudes that have hotter climates lends to a thinner skin grape, more juice and lighter-bodied wines that are meant to be drunk young.

The flavors that often jump out are those of

Dark fruits:

  • Plums
  • Cherries
  • Raspberries
  • Currants

Spices: come from the liberal oaking process

  • Vanilla
  • Anise or licorice
  • Tobacco

It can be difficult to get to know a specific type of wine, or to find a wine you love! If you’re looking for a reasonably priced Argentine wine, this blogger’s wine recommendation would have to be a bottle of the Latitud 33 Malbec which can be found all over Buenos Aires But, as all classes, teachers, wine lovers and professionals will tell you, the only way to get to know a wine is to taste it! So in that spirit, read all you like, but you study abroad students know that one of the best ways to meet Argentina is to reap the fruits of its bounty, err… something like that. For those of you on your way to Argentina, tell us what you think and know about the Malbec in a comment! And for those mente study abroad students in Buenos Aires, whether or not you’re on our Wine Program, use this information to brush up before our upcoming wine tasting next week which you’ll hear more about in an email! Los requisitos son que ¡disfruten y que hablen castellano durante toda la degustación! Below are some handy wine terms in spanish so you can impress the group with your conocimientos del vino. ¡Que rico!

aterciopelado: used to describe older wines that have lost its roughness through tanins and has given it a smooth, pleasant flavor

abierto: used to describe a wine that has a clear color that allows much light to pass through

(vino) blanco: white wine

bodega: winery and wine cellar

botella: bottle

brillante: a characteristic of young wines that give them a strong shine and a clean or fresh taste/look

cata: wine course or professional tasting where the group examines the characteristics of the wine via look (vista), smell (olfato) and taste (gusto)

(vino) común: used to describe a wine that has no varietal specification

cubierto: used to describe a wine that has a dark, opaque color that doesnt allow light to pass through

cuerpo: body of the wine, describing the fullness or lightness of the wine when tasted.

decantar: decant. Gradually pour the wine from the bottle to another container to separate the liquid from the sediments at the bottom and expose the wine to air to bring out the flavors

degustación: wine tasting

enología: enology, the science and study of wine-making

fermentación: fermentation, the process that transforms must into wine by changing the sugars into alcohol

hollejo: skin of the grapes

lágrimas: literally translated as tears, in English wine terms known as the legs of the wine. When the wine is swirled in the glass, the legs refer to the droplets that slide down the side of the glass. The fuller bodied the wine, the longer it takes the droplets to descend. Often said in wine tastings, “this wine as great legs!” which unfortunately is not as sexy sounding when describing las lágrimas.

ligero: light, used to describe a wine that has a weak body, lack of flavor

maceración: softening/soaking, process of keeping the skins of the grapes in the must to give the wine stronger color and aroma

madura/maduración: mature. used to describe a developed wine/process of allowing the grapes to reach their optimal moment of growth

(vino de) mesa: table wine used to accompany foods, lower in quality and price

mosto: must, the juice from the grapes before it goes through the fermentation process

notas (de…): notes of or hints of, used to describe the tastes, usually subtler, found in the wine

paladar: the palate of the mouth, where most flavors of the wine hit.

postgusto: also known as retrogusto, it is used to describe the taste that lingers in the mouth after drinking a wine

redondo: said to describe a full bodied wine

(vino) rosado: a rosé wine, pink in color, made of red wine grapes but less red and with a different flavor because the skins are taken out before the fermentation process

sabroso: a taste defined by the variety of flavors and characteristics that make a smooth and tasty wine

tánico: used to describe a wine with a flavor defined by a high level of tannins

taninos: tanins, which exist in grape skins, sedes, stems, and even the barrels used to age the wine. Drawing the tannins out it dependent on the winemaking process involved. Tannins are marked by astringency (think of that sense of dryness or almost grittiness lets on the tongue) and bitterness. It is often maintained that tannins get less noticeable with age.

(vino) tinto: red wine

trasiego: a process of moving the wine around to decant and oxygenize it.

uva: grape

varietal: varietal, used to describe a wine made out of one particular variety of grape

vino: wine

viñedo: vineyard

vid: grape vine

vinicultura: viniculture, wine production and wine growing

vinificación: everything related to the wine making process

Rachel Sherman

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Dulce de Leche: how to satisfy your sweet tooth in Argentina

July 12, 2011   MenteArgentina   2 Comments
Homemade Dulce de Leche

Dulce de leche is the cure-all medication for all times of the day for all you study abroad students and travelers in Buenos Aires, and simply cannot be missed! It is hidden in your morning facturas (pastries), found in the kioscos in the middle of your alfajores, even added to your ice creams, coffees, and to be eaten by the spoonful. Those in our Mente Argentina cooking course have experienced the secret to making that delicious dulce! If your friends or family want a gift from your study abroad experience in Buenos Aires, DDL (dulce de leche) is the ultimate gift to bring on home, an authentic Argentine treat! Here is the 411 on dulce de leche, what it is, where to find it, and how it’s made:

What: Dulce de Leche is a type of caramel, a sticky and sweet Argentine specialty that seems to go in and on just about every breakfast, snack and dessert.  Pastries of all shapes and sizes, especially croissants, known as medialunas, are filled with dulce de leche. Every grocery store has at least half an aisle devoted solely to dulce de leche. Right up there with cafe and carne, dulce de leche is an Argentine essential. Spread it on bread, fruit, crepes and just about anything else you can think of!

There are different accounts of how dulce de leche was first made, but the most popular myth (according to Argentineans) seems to be that dulce de leche originated in Argentina in 1829 in Cañuelas, a city in the province of Buenos Aires. The full story can be found here, but our cliffsnotes goes as such: Nearing the end of a war, General Lavalle cane exhausted the General Manuel de Rosas campsite, and finding that Rosas was not there, he took a nap in his tent. Meanwhile, a serving woman was preparing la lechada by heating milk and sugar for the camp, and finding the enemy in the tent, ran off to tell soldiers, forgetting about la lechada cooking on the stovetop. The overcooked lechada had truned brown and jelly-like. The say a brave yet very hungry soldier tried the “ruined” batch of lechada, and as we all know, it must have been a big hit!

Where: DDL in both cookies and cream

Alfajores: Alfajores are a particular kind of argentine cookie,  another quintessential Argentine treat, as evidenced by endless array of varieties  and impassioned discussions about them. Find them in a kiosco or learn how to make them in your Argentine cooking course in Buenos Aires

The alfajor (pronounced: alfa-hor) is actually a traditional Arabic confection, still called by its original name alajú in some regions of Spain. The sweet originated in the Middle East and made its way to Spain and was finally brought to South America by Spanish colonists. The basic components of a Middle Eastern alfajor are flour, honey, almonds, sugar and spices like cinnamon and cloves.

Alfajores can be found all over the world in Spain, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Mexico and southern Brazil, but recipes and styles vary widely according to country, and region. Thus, even though the Argentine alfajor originated from the Middle Eastern alfajor, the availability of ingredients and differences in traditions and flavor preferences have resulted in a very different confection.

Alfajores in Argentina begin with soft cookies of a cake-like consistency. The most simple and traditional alfajor is composed of two cookies with dulce de leche in the middle,  finished off by rolling the edges in finely shredded coconut. From there the seemingly endless variations begin.

Some alfajores are composed of 3 or 4 cookies to create a layering effect and a thicker, taller alfajor. Some are filled not only with dulce de leche, but also chocolate. Some are sprinkled with powdered sugar or dipped, bañado, in chocolate- white, milk or dark. Some alfajores are drizzled with icing, some are rolled in nuts like chopped walnuts or almonds, and some are topped or filled with a sweetened peanut butter paste called mantecol. Some have a little bit of raspberry jam inside of the top cookie, called alfajores ojitos. Some are made with chocolate cookies instead of the more traditional plain cookies which are like sugar/shortbread cookies. The astounding variety makes buying an alfajor a tough decision even at kioskos, small convenience shops where they are short on space, but never on the variety of different brands and variations of alfajores.

There is always great debate about which brand of alfajores is the best, it is often narrowed it down between  Havanna and El Cachafaz where there seems to be a current gridlock. Regardless, there is a seemingly infinite number of different brands and varieties of alfajores that each brand produces so it is impossible to say which is best. But I can say with certainty that the best way to form an opinion is to start sampling!

Helado: The dulce de leche ice cream is always a favorite. For those of you looking to kick back after your internship in Buenos Aires, the heladerías (ice cream shops) in the city such as Freddo and Volta are known to be among the best. To help you navegate the different varieties of dulce de leche helado, let Mente Argentina give you a quick break down:

  • DDL con almendras: dulce de leche ice cream with crushed almonds
  • DDL granizado: dulce de leche ice cream with chocolate bits
  • DDL con frutas secas y nueces: dulce de leche ice cream with nuts and dried fruit, my personal favorite!
  • Banana Split: Banna ice cream (made with real banana!) with Dulce de leche and chocolate bits
  • Tramontana: dulce de leche ice cream and chocolate cookie

For a full evaluation on the best place to find some icecream, check out this article from the LA Times travel section!

Dulce de Leche Professionals: When in a city where Dulce de Leche is found around every corner, it’s hard to narrow down who is truely the best, but our suggestions are La Salamandra, a dulce de leche and mozzarela cafe (delcious both seperate and together, try their mozzarella and dulce de leche desert!), and Havanna, known to have some of the best and most popular alfajores, and

How: Lastly, and maybe most importantly, if you want to make your own dulce de leche, it is simple enough if you have the time and energy! Lost of our Mente study abroad students go through the common dulce-withdrawl process, since nothing can quite replace this agentine specialty! Many people say its like making caramel, which is only partially true. Dulce de leche is made by heating sweetened milk over a stove top, and can be flavored with vanilla, cinamon (canela in spanish), chocolate, or kept as is for the original flavor.

These reciepes you can learn during your argentine culinary courses in buenos aires, while you’re here, and each cocinero has their own secret. But if you’d like to give it a try before coming to argentina, here are two different recipes, one using whole milk and one through the combination of condensed and evaporated milk, which should save you some time!

So you study abroad students, invite over your friends for a dinner party and showcase your cooking skills, pop by your local kiosco and grab some delicious snack filled with the typical dulce dessert, or hit up some local dulce de leche cafes that specialize in the dulce, because it’s not the be missed!

Caitlin McCoy

Edited: Rachel Sherman

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Hot Holidays

January 05, 2011   MenteArgentina   1 Comment

Caitlin McCoy

Navidad – Christmas:

The summer heat already makes the holidays feel distinctly different and Buenos Aires celebrates Christmas with unique Argentine flourishes. This year, the holiday season began with a firework show on Sunday, December 19th. Hundreds of people gathered at the Centro Cultural de Recoleta, (a Cultural Center in the neighborhood Recoleta) on a grassy hill overlooking the city to watch the show. Similar gatherings took place all across Buenos Aires as the crowd enjoyed a stunning display of holiday fireworks. The fireworks continued on Christmas Eve when families set them off in the streets late into the night…or rather, early into the morning. Friday and Saturday night were also popular nights for bars and clubs in Buenos Aires as the unstoppable nightlife certainly wasn’t slowed down by the holidays, rather it seemed to surge because of the holidays as clubs hosted huge parties on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Fuegos Artificiales over Recoleta

While there is still plenty of activity in the city, most porteños flee the heat to take advantage of vacation time and head over to the coast outside of Buenos Aires to the beach towns along the coastline like, Pinamar, Mar del Plata, Carilo, Villa Gessell, Mar de Las Pampas, and Ostende, just to name a few. Others venture further away to other vacation hot spots in South America like Punta del Este, Uruguay and the Brazilian  coast. Those who leave the city, but skip the beach are usually headed into various providences to spend time with family like heading north in Salta or Missiones or going south to Patagonia or Calafate where the weather is cooler.

As far as decorations go, I did not see one live evergreen Christmas tree here in Buenos Aires, but considering the season and climate, it is not surprising. However, there were plenty of artificial trees in all shapes, sizes and colors.

Scattered throughout the city in public parks and plazas, there were large Christmas trees made out of white lights and little red gift boxes hung over one of the city’s main streets, Avenida Santa Fe. Shopping centers featured giant Christmas trees and a range of decorations, including Santa and his elves. Some porteños decorated their apartment balconies with lights and store windows featured holiday displays which made window-shopping even more of an attraction than usual. Decorations that included snowflakes, snowmen and fake snow were comical in the oppressive heat- it ended up reaching 97 degrees Fahrenheit (36 degrees Celsius) on Christmas Day!

A Christmas tree along Av. Libertador

It is customary for families in Argentina to gather and enjoy a big dinner together on Christmas Eve. Many Argentine families have an asado, a traditional Argentine barbeque, and they often drink clerico which is cider or wine chilled with fruit, much like sangria. Every family has their own traditions and special dishes, but among them you will find things in common like, empanadas, milanesa, puree de papas and/or calabaza. Also present at Christmas dinners is pan dulce, which means, “sweet bread,” but is actually a type of fruitcake.

Pan Dulce with a variety of berries and nuts

Noche de Reyes – Kings’ Night:

Each family has their own traditions regarding gift giving during Christmas time, which often has to do with another holiday that is related to and celebrated close to Christmas: Noche de Reyes or Reyes Magos, Kings’ Night. According to biblical tradition, the kings that visited the newborn baby Jesus in Bethlehem did not arrive until after his birth, a day agreed upon as January 6th. They arrived with gifts for the baby: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Many countries around the world celebrate the Kings’ visit with this holiday, including Argentina. So every year on night of January 5th, children put their shoes out before they go to bed so that the Kings will leave gifts for them. Children often also put out a little bit of hay and water for the Kings’ camels and to encourage the Kings’ generosity. Some families give gifts on Christmas or Kings’ Night and then give children small toys or candy on the other. There are a variety of songs and other traditions that are also a part of the holiday, but they vary widely from region to region and country to country.

Shoes filled with gifts the morning after Noche de Reyes

Hanukkah:

Hanukkah is celebrated widely in Argentina because of the large Jewish population, particularly in Buenos Aires. One way to celebrate is to go to a public menorah lighting hosted by Chabad-Lubavitch, which has centers all across the world. Argentina has more than 10 Chabad-Lubavich centers, at least three of which host menorah lightings. There is also a large municipal menorah in Plaza San Martin in Buenos Aires which is set up by the city government.

The menorah in Plaza San Martin

If celebrating Hanukkah in Buenos Aires, it is a great idea to visit to the city’s predominantly Jewish neighborhood, Once. It is a historic area, filled with wholesale shops, kosher restaurants and synagogues. Located right next to Once, in the neighborhood Abasto, there is the only kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel. Tucked away in the Abasto Shopping Center’s Food Court, this McDonald’s is carefully monitored by Argentinean rabbis to ensure the food is completely kosher. It serves the typical McDonald’s menu but there is no form of dairy available.

One of the many places in Buenos Aires to enjoy famous Argentine beef in a kosher way

During Hanukkah, Argentines give family small gifts, like chocolate coins, or “gelt,” but gift giving isn’t emphasized in Argentina as much as it is in the United States or other countries because the holiday is considered relatively small here.

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A Tall Order: Ice Cream in Buenos Aires

December 01, 2010   MenteArgentina   No comments

Caitlin McCoy

With temperatures already reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) here in Buenos Aires, it is definitely starting to feel like summer. One classic porteño way to survive the heat is to enjoy ice cream, helado.

Ice cream is pretty serious business in Argentina, hundreds of food blogs and websites have lists and reviews ranking the best heladerías (ice cream parlors) and sabores (flavors) to be found in the city. The government of the city of Buenos Aires even recently released a guidebook devoted solely to ice cream, Heladerías de Buenos Aires, which was edited by the General Board of Patriotism and the Historic Institute of the Ministry of Porteño culture. The book attributes much of the porteño tradition and style of ice cream to the large Italian immigrant population who, with their gelato roots played a significant role in creating Argentine helado.

Ice cream in Argentina is a unique indulgence, with a taste and consistency somewhere between traditional ice cream and gelato. If we want to get technical, the main difference between gelato and ice cream is the air that is whipped into ice cream and not into gelato. Also, gelato does not normally include cream, it is made using whole milk and generally includes more eggs, which means it is actually lower in fat than ice cream. However, gelato is more dense (since it contains no air) and although it is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, (so it is soft enough to scoop) it drips less than ice cream because of the use of eggs rather than cream.

Argentine helado is the delicious middle ground between gelato and ice cream. It has a decadent density similar to gelato, but it is still light and not quite as rich. Helado is also really soft, unlike the frozen scoops of ice cream most people, especially Americans, know best. Ice cream serving techniques are different in Argentina too. Each ice cream cone is carefully crafted, the helado swirled upward artfully, tall using a flat metal spatula-like utensil which the server uses to first press the ice cream into the cone. The finishing touch is always a tiny flat spoon stuck into the side.

A typical cucurucho(cone) of helado

Flavors vary at each heladería, and Argentina offers many interesting flavors and combinations. The most unique and beloved varieties of helado in Buenos Aires are the dulce de leche (caramel) flavors: Dulce de Leche with brownie, with chocolate chips, with swirls of dulce de leche, with white chocolate swirls, with pieces of meringue, with strawberries, with rum, with nuts, with chocolate covered dulce de leche pieces…and even combinations of those additions.

Ice cream stores offer a range of sizes to satisfy every level of craving. Prices start at around $5, then go up through $7, $9, $11, $14 pesos for various cups and cones, culminating in ¼ a kilo, ½ a kilo and an entire kilo.  Like seemingly everything in Buenos Aires, you can order ice cream for delivery. Many ice cream shops have a minimum for delivery, though; and it is often a medio kilo (half a kilogram) which runs between $22 and $28 pesos.

With all this talk of ice cream, you may wonder: what about soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt? Soft serve ice cream is a rarity in Buenos Aires, generally only available at American fast food restaurants, like McDonald’s and Burger King. Even so, McDonald’s soft serve acknowledges Argentine tastes by offering a dulce de leche flavor. There is also a very new frozen yogurt movement underway in Buenos Aires. A few small stores are opening around the city, just in time for summer, but it is still unclear whether porteños will embrace this frozen yogurt trend or stick to tradition.

A quick search of “mejor helado en Buenos Aires” or “the best ice cream in Buenos Aires” will provide some great suggestions, but don’t take their word for it…get out there and probar (sample) as many flavors as you can!

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Choripán-A savory addiction

November 08, 2010   MenteArgentina   No comments
IMG_1225

Hi, my name is Brian and I’m addicted to choripán.  I can remember my first choripán like it was yesterday.  I had been shopping for bombillas in La Boca and while looking out at the “splendor” of the Riachuelo I smelled something glorious.  I walked toward a barbeque pit like a zombie after fresh flesh arms extended and all.  I bought the sandwich and doused it with chimichuri and salsa criolla.  I paid the woman and thanked her.  I wanted to kiss her but she was missing a few teeth and I had a sandwich to eat.  After my first bite I had to sit down and I think I started crying, I’m not sure because time slowed down.  I knew after the third choripán that I had discovered something balefully delicious.

I now can’t control myself when I am anywhere near the bbq carts that litter the Costanera sur (see map below).   I feel like I’m missing out if I don’t try at least one.  What is choripán?  The beauty of this sandwich is its simplicity-chorizo, French bread, chimichuri, salsa criolla.  Choripán is very common in Argentina, Uruguay, & Chile.  It’s said that in the eighteenth century the Gauchos living in rural Argentina would eat chorizos in bread during celebrations.  (Gauchos are like cowboys and were common in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, & Uruguay).   There are three main types: pork, beef, and blood sausage.  These sandwiches are very common in Buenos Aires.  They’re also very inexpensive as well.  You shouldn’t pay more than eight pesos for a choripán.  If eating at a nice parilla with an elaborate selection of beef I would hold off on ordering a choripán.  There are a ton of food carts around the city that sell them and you should probably wait to order one when you’re hanging out around town (I’ve never gotten sick yet from the food carts here).

Chorizo – there are a few types available at most carnecerias:  pork (cerdo), cow (criolla), & blood sausage (morcilla)

Chimichuri –garlic, oil, vinegar, chilies, salt, oregano, pepper, thyme, laurel, onions, & parsley

Salsa criolla – a mixture of red onions, peppers (red or green), tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, & cumin

(map of La Costanera Buenos Aires) http://maps.google.com.ar/maps?hl=es&client=safari&rls=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=costanera+buenos+aires&fb=1&gl=ar&hq=costanera&hnear=Ciudad+Autónoma+de+Buenos+Aires,+Capital+Federal&ei=d0DXTN_yIsKB8ga3xIGSCQ&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CAQQtgMwAA

 

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Drinking like a Porteño

November 05, 2010   MenteArgentina   2 Comments
fernet

Brian Athey

Truth be told, Argentines aren’t as renowned for their drinking of alcohol as other cultures. And when massive drinking does happen it’s usually with a select mixture of libations.  The most local blend is FERNET & COCA COLA-which even has it’s own facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Plata-Argentina/Tomar-Fernet-con-mis-amigos/88265098720?ref=ts).  Most “extranjeros” under 55 have probably never heard of this and are wondering, “With all the wonderful vineyards and varieties of malbec, why would anyone need to drink anything else?”  The answer:  It’s difficult to savor an 04 Lopez reserve while sweating your pants off at 4:30 am in a boliche (dance club).  It’s also difficult to wash down a super pancho with a “lluvia de papas fritas” at 6:00 am with the same 04 Lopez reserve.

Fernet is an aperitif; meaning you drink it after a long dinner with coffee or espresso while nibbling hazelnut biscotti or something sweet and light.  It originates from Italy like many Argentine customs.  When mixed with coke, this medicinal tasting aperitif turns into something staunchly pungent and vulgarly addictive.   It has the aroma of smoke, black liquorish, and mint.  The aftertaste is tenacious and if not careful when sipping the novice drinker is sure to gag like a teenager trying grandpas cough syrup for the first time.  It’s very common to find shattered bottles of fernet littered in the street Saturday mornings.  If you can finish a bottle of fernet in one evening its very possible that you’ve smashed more than just the green kryptonite colored bottle.

Another common concoction is mixing speed (the argentine red bull) and sparkling wine or white wine.  This mixture will not only cause you to speak one pitch higher but will also completely erase any inhibitions you might have about trying out the Spanish you’ve learned.  My theory is that many Argentines have an unyielding sweet tooth-mixing speed with white wine also helps you stay awake till 8 am.

For those who find the red wine too acidic or aggressive, many Argentines like mixing soda water with their red wine.  It’s very common for a waiter to bring a soda dispenser to a table when you order a bottle of red wine.  Many like to mix with ice as well.

For those who prefer a craft beer look no further than Quilmes-there’s actually not many other places to look.  Quilmes is the most common beer in Argentina and they make a stout, bock, red lager, and a lager.

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Useful websites about Buenos Aires

September 22, 2010   MenteArgentina   No comments

Before and while traveling in Buenos Aires it would be helpful to have a collection of websites that explain where to go and how to get there.  Below is a collection of useful websites that many locals use when finding out about whats happening in BsAs.

-Brian Athey

http://mapa.buenosaires.gov.ar/ (website with colectivo and subte maps)

http://www.whatsupbuenosaires.com/wuba2/ (magazine about the arts)

http://www.buenosaliens.com/ (Electronic nightclubs agenda)

http://www.ticketek.com.ar/ (Online Ticket Portal to shows in town)

http://www.buenosairesmilongas.com/ (milonga guide)

http://www.malba.org.ar/web/home.php (great art museum)

http://www.guiaoleo.com.ar/ (Buenos Aires restaurant guide)

http://www.planetajoy.com/ (Dinning&Drinking recommendations)

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Breakfast in Buenos Aires

September 13, 2010   MenteArgentina   1 Comment
panaderia
One thing study abroad students often notice is that breakfast in Buenos Aires is a drastically different animal than many european and north americans are accustomed to. Often, breakfast constitues a quick matecito or some tostados con queso crema hile running out the door. And while the waffles and pancakes and eggs play less of a role here, they DO have a delicious morning treat that is hard to compete with: Facturas
Facturas literally translated as “bill” or “reciept”, is what the argentine’s call the genre of delicious pastries that they have to offer the morning sweet tooth. These tastey treats are best for those study abroad students and interns on the go: hop out of bed, make yourself a quick cafe and run down the street to the local panadería to grab a quick delicious breakfast before your spanish classes start! Some of these facturas can be easily recognized, and some are absolutely alien looking, but all will twist your mouth into a medialuna shaped sonrisawhich is our favorite way here at Mente Argentina to start our mornings!Here are a few delicious delicacies that you can enjoy and even learn how to cook with our Mente Argentina cooking program in Buenos Aires for a great Argentine breakfast!Facturas fillings:

Dulce de Leche- Dulce de Leche is a type of caramel, a sticky and sweet Argentine specialty that seems to go in and on just about every breakfast, snack and dessert.  Pastries of all shapes and sizes, especially croissants, known as medialunas, are filled with dulce de leche. Every grocery store has at least half an aisle devoted solely to dulce de leche. Right up there with cafe and carne, dulce de leche is an Argentine essential. Spread it on bread, fruit, crepes and just about anything else you can think of! read more about Dulce de Leche and 

Dulce de Mebrillo- This light red jam is subtler than the frutilla (strawberry) or frambuesa (rasberry) jams and makes for a light yet sweet filling for a pastry or spread. Made out of quince fruit grown commonly in the central and northern parts of argentina, it is common for membrillo to be found in or on top of your morning facturas

Crema pastelera- this vanilla flavored cream is found often on tortas and  pasteles (cakes). It is the perfect cream filling to balance out the sweetness of your pastries and we maintain that it makes life more sensible and solves all problems you may have with your loved ones :)

Types of Facturas:

Medialuna de manteka- Literally translated as half moon.  A medialuna is sweet pastry that most people eat with a coffee.  Medialunas are simmilar to a sweet croissant, made with manteka (butter)

Medialuna de grasa -Like a medialuna de manteka but made with oil/fat instead of butter. They are harder but flakier and less sweet and better to dip into your coffee with!

Palmerita- With any sort of appetite the average person could eat at least 20 Palmeritas.  They are coated in sugar, shaped like a heart, and can easilyfit in the palm of your hand, thus making them particularly dangerous!

Churro-Churros are often associate with Mexico and other countries in Central America, but in Argentina they have made quite the hit and taken on a new form. Argentine churros are often filled with dulce de leche or dipped in chocolate, a delcious afternoon snack to dunk in a coffee or capuccino.

Medialuna Rellena- Medialunas rellenas are medialunas (mini croissants, literally meaning half-moon because of their shape) filled with dulce de leche, crema pastelera, and even chocolate. Dangerously rich, dangerously delicious.

Cañoncito-this cylinder shaped pastry is filled with dulce de leche and is then covered in sugar/icing.

Rosquita- This circular deep, deep fried doughnut is covered in sugar and sometimes dulce de leche is added as well.

Bola de Fraile- my personal favorita, this is an unassuming little pastry that will blow your mind! This is a delcious fried doughnut filled with dulce de leche and covered in sugar. For a bad, mediocre, or excellent day, Bola de Fraile will always top if off just right.

Find out how to cook/bake your own facturas and their filling through our culinary courses in Argentine cuisine through Mente Argentina’s study abroad program, and for those of you already here in Buenos Aires, get yourself to the local panadería to try out the most bizarrely delicious looking factura
¡Buenos Días!

 
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