Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and Cafayate for its torrontés , a crisp, dry white wine. Meanwhile, the Patagonia region
is becoming a stronghouse for pinot noir.
If Argentina has a national beer, it's Quilmes. Order a porrón and you'll get a half-liter
bottle; a chopp is a frosty mug of draft. Unless you order it with a meal, beer is usually
served with a free snack.
Most fine restaurants have a wine list, called la carta de vinos . Sommeliers are scarce.
For more on wine, Click here .
At the harder end of the spectrum, it's all about Fernet Branca, a bitter, herbed Italian
digestif originally intended as medicine. Fernet con Coke is Argentina's favorite cocktail
and, despite many claims that it won't give you a hangover, it will (trust us).
MATE & ITS RITUAL
The preparation and consumption of mate(pronounced mah-tay) is more than a
simple drink. It's an elaborate ritual shared among family, friends and co-workers.
Yerba mateis the dried, chopped leaf of Ilex paraguayensis,a relative of the com-
mon holly. Argentina is one of the world's largest producers and consumers of the
stuff, and its citizens down an average of 5kg per person per year.
Preparing and drinking mateis a ritual in itself. One person, the cebador(server),
fills the mategourd almost to the top with yerba, and then slowly pours hot water
as he or she fills the gourd. The cebadorthen passes the mateto each drinker, who
sips the liquid through the bombilla,a silver straw with a filter at the end. Each par-
ticipant drinks the gourd dry each time. Remember it's bad form to touch the bom-
billa, and don't hold the matetoo long before passing it on! A simple 'gracias'will
tell the server to pass you by.
An invitation to partake in mateis a cultural treat and not to be missed, although
the drink is an acquired taste and novices will find it very hot and bitter at first
(adding sugar can be an option).
Mateis rarely served in restaurants or cafes, but you can buy a thermos, mate
gourd, bombillaand a bag of herb at any large supermarket. Cure your gourd by
filling it with hot water and yerbaand letting it soak for 24 hours. Nearly all restaur-
ants, cafes and hotels are used to filling thermoses, sometimes charging a small
amount. Simply whip out your thermos and ask: ' ¿Podía calentar agua para
mate?'('Would you mind heating water for mate?'). And start making friends.
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