Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Empanadas - small, stuffed turnovers ubiquitous in Argentina - are prepared differ-
ently throughout the country (for example, you'll find spicy ground-beef empanadas in
the Andean Northwest, and in Patagonia lamb is a common filling). They make for a
tasty, quick meal and are especially good for bus travel.
Desserts & Sweets
Two of Argentina's most definitive treats are
dulce de leche
(a creamy milk caramel) and
alfajores
(round, cookie-type sandwiches often covered in chocolate). Each region of Ar-
gentina has its own version of the
alfajor
.
Because of Argentina's Italian heritage, Argentine
helado
is comparable to the best ice
cream anywhere in the world. There are
heladerías
(ice-cream stores) in every town,
where the luscious concoctions will be swirled into a peaked mountain and handed over
with a plastic spoon stuck in the side. Don't miss this special treat.
In restaurants, fruit salad and ice cream are almost always on the menu, while
flan
is a
baked custard that comes with either cream or
dulce de leche
topping.
Drinks
Nonalcoholic Drinks
Argentines love their coffee, and you can order several versions. A
café con leche
is a
latte (half coffee and half milk), while a
cortado
is an espresso with a little milk. A
café
chico
is an espresso and a
lagrima
is mostly milk with a few drops of coffee.
Té negro
or
té común
is black tea; herbal tea is usually
manzanilla
(chamomile).
Chocolate lovers should try a
submarino
, a bar of chocolate melted in hot milk. Fresh-
squeezed orange juice is
jugo de naranja exprimido
. A
licuado
is fruit blended with milk
or water.
Even in big cities like Buenos Aires, the
agua de canilla
(tap water) is drinkable. In
restaurants, however, most people order bottled mineral water - ask for
agua con gas
(with bubbles) or
agua sin gas
(without). In older, more traditional restaurants, carbon-
ated water in a spritzer bottle (
un sifón de soda
) is a great for drinking.
Gaseosas
(soft
drinks) are very popular in Argentina.
Alcoholic Drinks
Mendoza is Argentina's premier wine region and well known for its robust malbec, but
other provinces also produce excellent wines. San Juan is famous for its succulent syrah
