Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
24
by Fabian Bielinsky, is so good that it was
remade in Hollywood.
Unfortunately H ollywood's take on
Argentina is not so illustrious and fraught
with clichés. O ne of the first mainstr eam
movies is a lighthear ted musical called
Down A rgentine Way
(1940), b y I rving
Cummings. R obert D uvall's
Assassination
Tango
(2002) and Christopher H ampton's
Imagining Argentina
(2003) are uninspiring
and best forgotten, and the less said about
Alan Parker's
Evita
(1996) the better. The
best for eign mo vies about Argentina ar e
those that make the setting speak for
itself—in most cases, the rich, atmospheric
backdrop of B uenos Air es. Two gr eat
examples of this are
Happy Together
(1997),
by Wong Kar Wai, and
Tango
(1998), b y
Carlos Saura.
6
EATING & DRINKING IN ARGENTINA
The recent renaissance in Argentine food
has seen appetites move away slightly from
the traditional beef, pasta, and pizza-based
menu. Strong regional influences are com-
ing to the fore, and the best restaurants are
keen to offer local pr oducts in tune with
the seasons. The N orthwest is fond of
indigenous r ecipes with a str ong Spanish
colonial tradition.
Locro
and
humita
ar e
two maiz e-based br oths often accompa-
nied b y tamales
and empanadas stuffed
with llama meat. I n the w etlands of the
northeast, the G uarani Indian tradition is
evident in dishes made fr om
manioc,
pumpkin, and fr uit such as papaya.
The
river lifestyle means ex cellent fish in the
form of dorado,
sur ubí,
and
pejerrey.
Kid
goat is popular in the central western prov-
inces; Patagonian cuisine consists of wild
boar, v enison, and lamb; and plentiful
trout and salmon caught fr esh fr om the
many rivers and king crab r ule the dinner
table in the far southern coastal areas such
as Tierra del Fuego.
Despite such changes, there is no deny-
ing that beef r emains the staple of ev ery
Argentine household and world-famous
Argentine steak is top of ev ery visitors list
to try as soon as possible. Sidewalk restau-
rants and cafes hav e a multitude of meat-
based snacks such as
milanesas
(filet in
bread cr umbs) and
lomitos
(steak sand-
wiches). The ultimate co w experience is
the epic Argentine
asado,
something the
translation “barbecue” does no justice to as
there is not a hot dog or hamburger in
sight. I nstead y ou get a mouthwatering
parade of every meat cut imaginable such as
costillas
(ribs) and
bife de choriz o
(tender-
loin). Offal is popular in the form of
molle-
jas
(sw eetbread) and
chimchullinis
(intestine). A weekend invitation to a fam-
ily
asado
should not be missed, and as y ou
travel around you will see such gatherings
in the unlikeliest of places such as fr eeway
curbs, street steps, and high-rise balconies.
When Argentines want to celebrate, it is
2
always with an
asado.
If such an invite is not
forthcoming, settle for an
asado de tir a
in
any
parrilla
(grill-house r estaurant), with
the ubiquitous empanadas for starters.
Regarding drinks,
mate
tea is a national
obsession, with gr oups consuming this bit-
ter, gr een infusion on str eet corners, par k
benches, and ev en behind the car steering
wheel. S ervice stations hav e machines dis-
pensing free hot water to those who want to
top up their thermos, which in turn tops up
their
mate
gour ds. Coffee is popular and
served str ong. Cafe cultur e is vibrant, with
the prework caffeine lift and chat a prerequi-
site among many . For something differ ent,
try a
submarino
—a tall glass of hot milk
dunked with a lump of dark chocolate (often
in the shape of a submarine). I ce cr eam is
indulged in at all hours, and many parlors
remain open until the early morning serving
a bewildering choice topped by the national
pride
dulce de leche
(caramelized milk).
