Argentina Pt 5-The Eats

as promised, i've set aside an entire post just about the food i had in argentina. there was so much, and it was all so good!!!! so i'm trying to focus on my favorites from the trip. vegetarians be warned, this is NOT a country for your kind. almost every day we had some fashion of pork or beef. and a lot of the pastries we had were made with lard, not butter. which made them sooooooo flaky and good!!!

most mornings started out with a simple breakfast of pastry and coffee. the cafe con leche here is a little on the weak side, but i'll take what i can get! argentines take great pride in their pastries. almost every morning i had medialuna. which is sort of like a croissant. but a little denser. very tasty!

i mentioned the asado in previous posts. here is how they are often set up against a fire pit. the main dish (in this case lamb) on the big rack. and various chorizos and sausages grilling on a rack to the side. i will say the blood sausage with the only thing i had here that i really didn't care for. the texture....blech. 

mmmmmmm......choripan. i had so many different chorizos (spicy sausage) here. but this one in my hand? wins. fresh off the grill chorizo made and cured at the estancia and served on a fresh baguette. they call this "choripan". i guess the closest thing we have to it is the hot dog? but that PALES in comparison to how amazing this simple dish was.

this funny looking guy was a hidden treasure of an empanada. not precise. not perfect. and NOT fried. this was the one i had at gimenez riili, the second stop on our winery tour. and it stands out in my mind as being far and away the best of the trip. and trust me, i had a LOT of empanadas to compare it to. the filling was ground beef, onions, olives and some magical assortment of spices. the dough was flaky and delicate. in our copious empanada tasting some of the other fillings that stood out were jamon y queso (ham and cheese), caprese, chicken and humita (corn).

these empanada came in a close second. these were served after our hike at la quebrada del condor. it could possible be that i had just hiked 7 miles....so was starving....but i remember them being delicious!

the ubiquitous condiment of argentina is chimicurri. a mix of herbs and spices in olive oil. it's not spicy, just packed full with flavor. it typically has a lot of parsley and cilantro, making a green paste. but the kind we had at our asado was red due to the addition of tomatoes!

steak, steak, chicken and more steak. and chorizo sausages too. this was the plate put before us after our day of trekking. everything was amazing! this was one of the few times i've seen chicken served, and it was just as delicious and flavorful as the beef.

every once in a while we would be lucky enough to get a serving of vegetable. these were grilled right along the side of the meats of the asado and were some of the best veggies i've ever had! drizzled with olive oil and sprinkles with fresh oregano, this plate of veggies was devoured. squash, carrots, onions, mushrooms and eggplant. i need to be grilling more vegetables!!

there's a rather strong italian influence in argentina. which explains their love of (and skill with) pasta! this dish was typical of what happens to leftovers after an asado. what does one do with all that meat? they make a sauce and pour it over pasta!!! the best way i can describe this is as a lamb based bolognese. the meat is simmered with tomatoes and onions until it is falling-apart-tender. a piece of crusty bread and a nice glass of wine? and this meal was perfection!! 

one of the best dishes we had at the gourmet lunch served to us at the winery was a simple corn dish described as "corn texture".....whatever that means? it was actually a bowl of corn puree with a corn cake in the middle.

my next favorite dish served at the lunch was the twice cooked ragu in a demi glace with potato cream and rosemary. doesn't it just sound fancy???? a royal take on "meat and potatoes"!

i love that the desserts we had were mostly simple. with all of the heavy meals of meats, breads and pastas, it was nice to have something light and simple at the end! this dish was brilliant in it's simplicity, and one i have to recreate. a peach braised in malbec. served with a dollop of whipped cream. it doesn't get easier than that!

i'm not a huge ice cream person any more. the servings are usually way more than i can stomach, and the fillings overly sweet. but this little scoop? was the perfect size AND the perfect flavor! it's a honey dew sorbet!! crisp and refreshing. it tasted like summer!!

this little guy was purchased at a gas station on one of our road trips. i had read about trying "alfajores" while i was here. a wonderful sandwich cookie that is a regional delicacy. two thin cakes filled with dulche de leche and covered in a ganache. i saw all sorts of combinations during our trip! some covered in white chocolate. some filled with raspberry. some just dusted with powdered sugar. but all of them looked divine!

speaking of dulche de leche, it's the regional sweet spread of choice here. like the europeans have nutella. and we have peanut butter. it's very similar to caramel, but creamier. while at the estancia, one of kate's cousins whipped up a batch of crepes, smeared the wonderful dulce de leche on them, and rolled them up for a sweet afternoon snack! i could've eaten dozens of these!!

we did have one "super fancy" night in the midst of our adventures. francis mallman is a renowned chef from this area who has opened his "1884" restaurant in mendoza. a gorgeous out door seating area surrounded by tall trees where everything is cooked as you watch! the food was fresh and thoughtfully prepared. i had a peach and proscuitto salad followed by a bacon wrapped filet with a side of crispy kale. here's a glimpse of the fire coming from the wood burning stove where these creations are made. definitely an evening to remember!!

https://1884restaurante.com.ar

Argentina Pt 4-Hiking in the Andes.....and GUANACOS!!!!!

mendoza rests at the foothills of the andes, so it is popular not just for it's wine, but for it's outdoor activities. tony and i took a day to ourselves to go and explore the mountains with a guided hike. a local travel company recommended this company to us:

http://laquebradadelcondor.com

i highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see the beauty of the andes up close!! it was a spectacular day. our guide picked us up from the hotel and drove us about two hours to the "second andes" range. past the foothills but before the snow caps. we started our day with a taste of mate, a traditional hot beverage that many argetinians drink in place of coffee. it's very bitter and herbal. not terrible, but i'll stick to my espresso thank you!

as we get closer to the mountains we see some gorgeous snow capped peaks! they had just had their first mountain snow of the season a few days before we arrived. lucky for us, it makes for perfect pictures!

driving into tupungato we get a better idea of the terrain we are going to be hiking through.

la quebrada del condor is actually a functioning cattle ranch. known for it's beautiful views and local wildlife. it's name comes from the prevalence of large andean condors that circle overhead. they have also spotted the occasional puma and guanaco (more on those to come).

goofball me, ready to start the trek!!

our hike wasn't excruciating, but it wasn't "easy" either. wending our way up some very steep hills and over some very loose ground. but the air was crisp and the day was sunny! we couldn't have asked for better weather! and the clouds help off long enough for us to get some amazing views.

every turn we took showed us more and more beautiful vistas.

our hike followed a stream that the ranch keeps stocked with trout to attract the occasional sports fisherman.

we hopped over this little stream a handful of times. each time i was convinced i was going to land smack dab in the middle! but we passed on without incident or injury.

a glimpse of tony and our guide.... she was maybe 90 lbs soaking wet. and i'm pretty sure part mountain goat. she scurried up the mountain like it was nothing!

most of the ranch animals are free range, so while on the hike we came across a pack of horses. just hanging out, chomping some grass. being all pretty and snow white. in the andes. like ya do. this is my "post card" image of the day!

ok, so they're really hard to see, but in this picture there are little red specks all up and down the mountain. it took a moment to realize what they were.....we had found GUANACOS!!!!!!

since i couldn't get close to the herd on our hike (they were a wild herd and would've spooked), i've found a close up image from on line. this is a guanaco. a smallish red llama. isn't he adorable?? and they are LOUD. as soon as they saw us, the valley echoed with their cries. which was like a bird mixed with a sheep. kinda hard to explain. but i was so happy to see them!!! even if from a distance!!!!

looking back at a view of the valley we had hiked from.

this is at one of the highest points we reached that day. about 9,000 ft above sea level (which is rough on these wimpy east coast lungs!). it was a stunning vantage point. and quiet. so quiet. all you could hear were the caws of the condors far overhead. i don't know if i've ever been anywhere so void of ambient sound. it was wonderful!!!

ok, i did have one regret that day. not wearing jeans. the hills we hiked through had a million sticker bushes. and apparently my pants were a magnet for them! i came down from those mountains covered in burrs. in an amazingly rustic fashion, the gaucho that worked the ranch handed my his knife and showed me how to "shave" the burrs off my pants. it was amusing! they really do have an element of the "old west" out here. i love it!

the day ended with the most appropriate of hospitality. we were treated to another asado!!! it was the perfect way to end a perfect day. fresh grilled steak and vegetables with empanadas and a bottle of malbec. i was in heaven!

Argentina Pt 3-Malbec in Mendoza

after leaving the wonderful estancia in azul, our group took a short flight to mendoza. an area known for it's outdoor activities and it's wine! as a group, we decided to set aside a day and rent a van to take us on a tour of some of the valley's finest vineyards. each one greeting us with unparalleled hospitality, tasty vittles, and of course, malbec!!!! i have always been a fan of this particular varietal. in fact last may i had an entire party dedicated to nothing but malbecs! so imagine my excitement at being able to taste this full bodied red at one of it's main sources!!

we booked our tour through "ampora wine tours" and were most pleased. they sent a van with a guide to meet us at our hotel and take us through the day in the uco valley. 

here tony and i stand outside the first winery of the day, bodega atamisque. enjoying a viognier and a breathtaking view of the andes (yay for seeing a new mountain range!). 

the steps leading down to the cellars of atamisque were lined with the various grapes they use in the production of their wines.

we were lucky enough to be there during their harvesting period, so could see the grapes being brought in, sorted through, and put into presses. here are all the lucky little green grapes that will one day be a chardonnay.

while touring the facility, we were given the chance to try the new wine straight from the steel tanks. at this point its fizzy, and very sweet. a lot like the sparkling grape juice we used to have as kids on special occasions! tony is trying the new viognier.

i'm trying the new malbec rossa. i don't normally like roses. or sparking wine. or overly sweet drinks. but something about this? i found most pleasant!! it tasted like grapefruit juice to me. 

all the soldiers lined up for our tasting! (and.....me.....beaming with excitement). everything we tried was amazing. not as sweet as a lot of what i've tasted in the us. my favorite was the "atamisque assemblage". a red blend of malbec, merlot, cabernet sauvignon and petite verdot. it was a wonderfully balanced full bodied red!

our second winery of the day was gimenez riili. a little smaller than the first, but just as fantastic of an experience.

look how perfect all the cab franc grapes are!

here they offered us a barrel tasting. a little further along in the aging process than the afore mentioned tank tasting. these tastes were very close to being bottled. here i'm being poured a small taste of cab franc, one of my favorites!

another line up for another tasting! at gimenez riili, they paired each wine with food. dried fruits, cheeses and (omg) fresh made empanadas!!!! i haven't gushed about my new found love of empanadas yet, but argentina does them right!!! baked not fried with a dough that is delicate and flaky. filled with wonderful things like ground beef, onion and spices. i think we had some almost every day. and i regret none of them!! but i will say the ones we were served here stand out in my mind as being the most superior. of course, the pairing with the delicious cab franc didn't hurt!

this structure that looks like something out of a roger moore era bond film is our last winery of the day. almuerzo en bodega o fournier. the biggest and most extravagant of the sites we visited!

this is everything that the winery offers, though we only tasted four  of the offerings. my favorite being the tempranillo. which i got an extra pour of for pronouncing correctly!

this is also where we were served our lunch for the day. the restaurant was tucked at the back of the winery over looking their water reservoir. the food was unbelievable. definitely a gourmet experience! we were stuffed by the time we walked out of there, but appreciated every single bite! i promise more food pictures in a later post!

at the basement of the winer there is a breathtaking reception room and art gallery. sky lights have been installed to mimic the constellation of the southern cross. they will occasionally use this for parties and private events. i can't imagine a more spectacular venue!

cheers!!

Argentina Pt 2-The Estancia

we arrive at the estancia!!! which is a word that basically means the main private residence on a ranch. sort of like an estate. a beautiful home in the middle of a large ranch with all sorts of animals and crops! and with NOBODY around for miles. it was a great place to spend a few days with friends! our host, jorge (kate's cousin), was gracious and welcoming. 

another gorgeous blue sky day. with warm dry weather.

some of the mares in the field wandering beneath the flowering trees.

the horses here were all so beautiful! it was a treat to see them running in the fields.

i have a soft spot in my heart for sheep, and was very excited to see that there were baby lambs!! though, a little guilty, 'cause i knew we were eating lamb one of the nights....

there seemed to be babies everywhere on this farm. here's a mama hen with her baby chicks!

and a mama cow with her calf (kind of hard to see, but he's just at the side of her right hind leg).

here they have redefined "farm to table". this is the spread they set out for lunch and dinner. in the yellow bowl is potato salad. i watched suzanna (a woman who lives on the ranch and is obviously some sort of magician) pull the potatoes from a field. and gather eggs from the hens pictured above. and it was the best potato salad i've ever had!

i picked up a new skill while here!! i have always wanted to try my hand at archery, and jorge happened to have a bow and arrow set. i'm very proud to say that i got a bullseye by my second quiver! i may have to look into taking lessons for this. seems like a good skill to have!

this is how meat is "grilled" in argentina. deboned, butterflied and pressed flat on a rack that is laid over an open fire and rotated every so often. and this was as fresh a meal as anyone could ask for. this piglet was still alive when we arrived, and was our dinner that night (yes, a bit grotesque i know, but at least i left out the pictures of the slaughter....which i'm happy to say was humane and fast). they call this an "asado", which is somewhat like what we would call a barbecue. friends and family gathering to enjoy delicious food cooked over fire!

a gorgeous sunset as we wind down the day, and begin to prepare for the night's feast and festivities!

so true confessions, this is not my photo, i snagged it from somewhere else on line. i couldn't quite capture how the sky looked from the backyard of the estancia. but i wanted to share how AMAZING the stars were from this night! i was giddy at the chance to see stars i had never seen before. and was not disappointed! with almost no ambient light for miles, we could clearly see the southern constellations and the milky way. i even saw shooting stars!! it was breath taking. i could not have asked for a more gorgeous night!

being so far out in the middle-of-nowhere, we had an fantastic party that night. music turned up so we all could dance as silly as we wanted by the fire. too many bottles of wine to count! and peeps. yes, someone brought peeps. and roasted them over the open fire! it was truly one of the most amazing and memorable nights of my life! i am so lucky to have had the opportunity to come here!