What to eat Argentina? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Stretching between the Andes Mountains in the west and the Atlantic Ocean in the east, Argentina is able to produce a wide variety of foodstuffs making the country one of the world's largest producers of corn, wheat and soybeans, as well as many fruits: peaches(melocotón), apricots(albaricoque), nectarines(durazno), apples(manzana), melons(melón), watermelons(sandia). Not to mention the grapes(uva), which are grown especially in the drier regions of the west. Berries such as strawberries(frutilla), raspberries(frambueso), blackberries(mora) and blueberries(mirtillo) are also very popular and overflow the market stalls during the southern summer, between December and March

With almost 5,000 km of coastline bathed by waters full of fish, thanks to the cold currents coming from Antarctica, the choice and quality of seafood is unparalleled. In addition to the large specialized restaurants, you can go to the municipal markets of the large port cities. The fish is often excellent for ridiculous prices. The ubiquitous fish are congrio (conger eel), el atún (tuna), corvina (sea bass), lenguado (sole) and of course the succulent merluza negra (Patagonian toothfish). As for the mariscos or seafood, here too, abundance is king: camarones (shrimp), erizos (sea urchins), ostiones (scallops), pulpos (octopus), calamares (squid), mejillón (mussel). Near the rivers and lakes, rush to the truchas (trout) and salmones (salmon), which are generally cheap. In Tierra del Fuego, you will discover and appreciate the centolla, an enormous spider crab, the gastronomic emblem of this island at the end of the world.

Bakers and supermarkets offer large quantities of bread, rarely sold as a baguette, but rather as small loaves: el pan francés or marraqueta (a kind of four mini-baguettes) or el pan italiano (more oily and crispy). There are white breads, brown breads, cereal breads and, if you are lucky, olive or nut breads. Other starchy foods are well integrated, such as potatoes, which are often eaten as French fries(papas fritas) or mashed potatoes(papas puré).

Argentine meat, whether it is mutton, lamb or beef, is exceptional in terms of taste and tenderness. The most common meat preparation is asado, sometimes called parrillada, accompanied by French fries and a light lettuce-tomato-onion salad. There is usually a tutti carni of beef or mutton, offal and sausages placed on a small grill called parrilla. More than just a cooking method, it is also an opportunity to get together with family and friends. Argentines are the^second largest consumers of beef, with some 120 kg per year per capita, just behind their neighbours, the Uruguayans, compared to "only" 80 kg for Americans. Poultry is also popular and chicken is often grilled alongside beef on the parrilla. Pork is eaten, but rather in the form of sausages. Be careful, in Argentina the term 'chorizo' refers to a cooking sausage and not to a cold cut, even if it contains spices similar to Iberian chorizo.

All types of restaurants are represented in Argentina, including the world's fast food chains. The most typical Argentinian establishment is of course the parrilla where you can enjoy kilos of tender and very tasty meat served on the grill. For a quick meal, Argentina is rich in confiterías, the equivalent of a brasserie-tea room. In addition to the parrillas and all the restaurants of world cuisines, you will surely eat in one of the many trattorias and pizzerias. It is more common to order a large pizza to share than a single pizza. For stomachs that are difficult to satisfy, the free tenedor or "free fork" is a type of buffet where you can eat as much as you want for a set price. For your breakfast(desayuno), a majority of confiterías and cafés offer fixed-price formulas, usually served until 11am. Your menu may consist of coffee, orange juice, media-lunas (croissants) or tostados, toasted slices of bread filled with ham and cheese. For a quick and light meal, you can look at the menu of minutas (sandwiches and quick hot meals) or try the panchos (hot dogs with sandwich bread) that one of the many kiosks will sell you on the street. When it comes to timetables, Argentines follow the Latin model. At noon, one usually eats between 1 and 3pm, while in the evening a classic restaurant rarely opens before 9pm. On the other hand, kitchens close very late. In the capital, you will have no trouble getting service until 2am. In the interior, count on midnight instead.

Although the great classics of Argentine cuisine, such asasado or empanadas, are easily found throughout the country, differences are evident in the use of certain local ingredients and in the many communities that have shaped their own gastronomy in each region.

The Northeast and Mesopotamia are the most populated and agricultural parts of the country. The largest cities in the country are located here, such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Rosario. It is also the region with the strongest European presence. In fact, along with the USA, Canada and Brazil, Argentina is one of the countries in the American continent that has received the most immigrants from the Old World. Approximately two thirds of Argentines have ancestors from Italy and Italian specialties are very popular: pasta, gnocchi, pizza, lasagna, cannelloni, etc. Many cheeses and cold cuts are also produced. Without forgetting the influences of its neighbors like Brazil and Paraguay. You will have the opportunity to eat river fish such as surubiand dorado, especially in the regions bordering Paraguay.

The northwest region is without a doubt the one that offers the most exotic flavors. The cuisine is a bit spicy since it is influenced by the habits of the Indians. But rest assured, no dish will inflame your palate or leave you breathless. The basic element is corn (choclo). You will mainly taste tamales, humitas and locros. The humita is a corn puree prepared with some vegetables and pieces of cheese. It is mixed and served wrapped in a corn leaf. The tamal follows the same recipe, but the ingredients are different (you will find meat in it). The locro is a kind of stew, always based on corn, where vegetables and pieces of meat are simmered.

In Patagonia, beef is losing its popularity to sheep. The region is an important center of sheep production and you will have the opportunity to taste the cordero patagónico (Patagonian sheep). In Tierra del Fuego you will discover (especially if you have just crossed the country) the centolla (large spider crab). During a trip to the Chubut Valley, don't miss a Welsh tea, not for the drink, but for all the cakes that accompany it. In the lower Chubut River valley, you should consider tasting the excellent local cheeses. This deeply wild region is also a good opportunity to taste game - wild boar or deer - and Patagonian trout or trucha patagonica.

The culinary emblem of Argentina, the asado refers to anything that can be slowly grilled on a parrilla (grill). The secret of a good asado lies in the way the meat is cut and the way the heat is maintained on the coals. The pieces, previously salted, are placed horizontally on a grill or a la criolla (vertically, on stakes) over hot coals. It is necessary to be patient, because the meat will not be removed until an hour later, or even longer. Argentines and Chileans, unlike Europeans or North Americans, are not fond of rare meat. This method allows the meat to be cooked thoroughly without burning it, resulting in a well-cooked but still juicy meat. The Argentinians in particular are masters of this method and have adapted their cuts of meat to this form of cooking. You will not find the same cuts as in the French markets. Other specialties cooked in the asado are sausages (chorizo), black pudding (morcilla), tripe (chinchulines) and cheese (provoleta), which are themselves grilled over the coals. Among the most common cuts is the bife de chorizo, a sirloin cooked on its own fat. The bife de lomo is a very thick and tender fillet, cut from the lower back, and is a must try for fans of rare meat, as it is usually served pinker than the other cuts. Most Argentines, from all regions and social classes, prepare their own asados. Many apartments have parrillas (in the garden or on the balcony), as do campgrounds. You will also see many improvisedasados on the side of a road or in parks. Theasado, like mate, represents a social bond. Gathering on Sundays around an asado is a way to get together, talk, and take the time for the meat to cook.

Other types ofasado are still organized in the countryside: theasado con cuero, for example, where a calf cut into pieces is buried in a pit and covered with zinc sheets on which embers are placed and kept hot for several hours. To taste, the cordero patagonico al palo. If Patagonia were an independent country, this spit-roasted lamb would be its national dish and would certainly have its own national holiday. The meat is cooked outside on a metal cross for a whole day, making the skin crispy and the meat melt like butter. And to accompany all this, the inevitable chimichurri sauce, made of olive oil, parsley, chili, garlic and vinegar. There are also other meat recipes such as matambre, a kind of beef, pork or veal roll with vegetables. Another example is puchero, the Hispanic equivalent of stew, with beef of course, but with the addition of corn and squash, all simmered at length.

For the rest, fish and seafood are obviously very common. There are not necessarily dozens of recipes, here you can enjoy the freshness of the product that is prepared simply grilled - in this case order a parrillada de mariscos - or sometimes even raw. Or try the cazuela de mariscos, a kind of tasty and fragrant tomato-based stew in which various seafoods are simmered: shrimp, mussels, scallops, etc. The trucha patagonica or Patagonian trout thrives as in the glacial lakes and rivers of the region. It is prepared in a variety of ways, including grilled, pan-fried, roasted and in creamy stews. Even further south, in Tierra del Fuego, the chupe de centolla will thrill all shellfish lovers. Imagine a pot of creamy king crab, topped with breadcrumbs and cheese and gratinated to perfection. A real treat!

The Italian cuisine is very present. Of course there are various pasta recipes based on spaghetti, fettucini, orrechiete, ravioli, tortellini or gnocchi. Without forgetting lasagna and cannelloni. Pizzerias are also very common in the country, although overall pasta and pizza recipes are quite similar to those found in Italy. The fugazzeta, however, is an Argentine invention, in the form of a pizza richly topped with caramelized onions, cheese and sometimes ham. The faina is the local equivalent known between Nice and Genoa as socca, comprising a thick and tasty pancake of chickpea flour. The classic milanesa or veal escalope a la milanaise is breaded and then served with a tomato coulis. It is sometimes garnished with cheese and ham, cordon-bleu style. Otherwise the picada is ideal as an aperitif and comes in the form of a large plate of cheese and Italian cold cuts with raw vegetables.

The numerous waves of immigration have strongly marked the region's cuisine, especially the pastry industry. One thinks in particular of the German migrants who brought with them the strudels, filled with apple, cherries, cottage cheese and dried fruit, as well as the copious fruit tarts and other multilayered cakes. The very popular brazo de reina is a rolled cake filled with dulce de leche and sprinkled with icing sugar. Emblem of Argentina, the dulce de leche or milk jam is sometimes called manjar. In the province of Chubut, the Welsh community is known for its tea rooms that offer scones and torta negra, a kind of brown sugar cake, nuts, orange peel, candied fruit and cinnamon. Miga sandwiches are delicate sandwiches made with white bread, peeled and buttered, which look a little like the English cucumber sandwiches served for tea. Here they are also garnished with very thin slices of cold cuts, cheese, hard boiled egg and lettuce. Alfajores are small shortbread biscuits filled with dulce de leche or jam and then coated with a chocolate shell. And let's not forget the helados (ice cream) - from Italy - that can be found on every street corner.

A noble heir of German immigration, chocolate is indeed very popular in the region. The city of San Carlos de Bariloche, in Patagonia, is often referred to as the Chocolate Capital of South America. It is home to a host of street-front chocolatiers. Hot chocolate is popular even though Argentines prefer coffee. And with an Italian, Spanish and Germanic heritage, there is nothing to deprive oneself of, coffee in Argentina is often considered excellent. A visit to one of the city's many cafés is a must to see for yourself. Of course, it isimpossible not to mention the emblematic Café Tortoni founded in 1858 with its sumptuous Art Nouveau interiors. Many local and international celebrities have passed through it and its low hall called "La bodega" has a stage where tango dancers come to compete. Quite a program. But of course the choice is vast with also Café Margot ( 1904) with its bistro look, El Federal(1864) with its magnificent Art Nouveau bar, La Biela ( 1950), more popular known for its large shaded terrace or Las Violetas

If there is one infusion that puts everyone in the region in agreement, it is mate. Derived from the yerba mate, an indigenous plant found between the north of Argentina and the south of Brazil, it has been consumed for millennia in the region. Very good heart tonic, it is sipped all day long. Traditionally it is brewed in a small gourd (a kind of gourd that is emptied and dried) while sucking the juice through a filtering straw called "bombilla". More than a drink, mate allows Argentinians and Chileans to socialize, meet and discuss. The gauchos follow a precise ritual to consume mate: sitting in a circle, they pass the drink from hand to hand in a clockwise direction.

As a heavyweight in the wine industry, Argentina is one of the largest producers and consumers of wine in the world. The first vines were planted in the country in 1557. "Estar entre San Juan y Mendoza" is a local expression, synonymous with "being drunk", referring to the country's largest wine region, producing 80% of Argentina's wine, located between the cities of Mendoza and San Juan. If for a long time the bodegas (wineries) favored quantity over quality, Argentine wine has benefited for a decade from the investments of the world's major wine-producing groups, and many foreign oenologists see this new land as the next Eldorado of wines to offer to wine lovers.

The most common red grape varieties are Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. This is followed by Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Barbera. Malbec is the grape variety specific to Argentina, as oenologists consider the Mendoza region to be the most suitable in the world for growing this type of vine. Cabernet Sauvignon needs no introduction, so we can focus on a few vineyards of this variety such as Finca Catena Zapata, Fabre Montmayou, Cavas Weinart and Michel Torino. Syrah, gloriously represented in France by the appellations Côte Rôtie and Hermitage, shows all its body and the strength of its flavor in Argentine bottles. Among the best are Navarro Correas' Syrah, Viniterra's Syrah, and Finca La Anita's 1996 Syrah.

Argentine production offers the full range of grape varieties used to produce white wine, from sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, semillon, tokay, chenin blanc, to riesling and gewurztraminer. However, the quality of its whites is much lower than those of its reds, with the exception of the torrontés. Of Spanish origin, it is produced mainly in the valley of Cafayate, at an altitude of more than 1,600 meters, and is one of the most surprising whites you will ever taste.

As for beer, you can't miss the Quilmes. Brewed in Zárate, not far from Buenos Aires, this brand has existed since 1888 and today represents more than 3/4 of the Argentine beer market. The last quarter is made up of smaller local breweries, Andes, Norte, Salta or others that are completely artisanal, but which have managed to make their mark, especially in Patagonia, such as Antares, El Bolsón, Beagle, Blest, Berlina, la Cruz, Pilgrim, etc. Without forgetting the cider, very popular especially for Christmas.