Argentine Food: An American Review

cre: Argentine Food: An American Review

The first thing I will notice about Argentinian cuisine is that blogs are right. When they say people eat empanadas, asados ​​(grilled meat, almost always from cow), and dulce de leche, they’re not kidding. My first day here I had all three … and my second day here I had all three again.

Despite my crucial research on Argentina food before I came, I didn’t expect what I came across …

• The cafe is tiny

Make no mistake, the coffee here is far superior to coffee in the United States. I drink black coffee almost every morning (a telltale sign of addiction), but I drink from a mug the size of a large bowl of soup. One of our program assistants told me that black coffee exists here … “coffee negra,” she said. It’s just a shot of espresso. If you want a cup larger than the size your doll would drink in, go to a cafe with size choices or mix in some milk. If you’re really lucky (and somewhere fancier), they’ll bring you little cookies with your coffee, and who doesn’t like the free stuff!

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It was one of the biggest coffees I’ve had here and that’s only because I ordered the wrong thing and they added twice as much milk.

• Empanadas are really everywhere

All other stores on a given street will have empanadas. That’s not to say they’re all fresh and delicious … but I would equate them to US tap water, they’re everywhere. Typically, empanadas are filled with ground beef, onions, and eggs, but you can get them with chicken, cheese, ham, veg, or whatever depending on where you’re going! Empanadas are Argentina’s dumplings – great fun, easy to make, and so delicious when freshly baked. The first three days I was here, I ate more empanadas than people should in a lifetime, so pace yourself with these bad boys … you really can’t miss them!

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• Mate, for those who really like green tea

Imagine drinking a sip of really bitter green tea and getting punched in the chest very quickly! This stuff is strong. And no strong black coffee, because now you all know that I love black coffee. It’s a bitter green tea, but the kicker isn’t the taste, it’s the strong feeling it sends throughout your body. The sugar certainly makes it sweeter, but the power is still in the caffeine (or something) because the sugar didn’t help. It’s definitely an acquired taste but people swear by the stuff. One of our teachers even told us that it is a great laxative for those of us who drink it for the first time;) I really recommend trying and if you like it, it is definitely a nice social custom here.

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• Icecream, or what I like to call my worst nightmare (and not the way you might think)

Anyone who knows me knows how much ice cream I eat, even in the United States. I make McDonald’s 50-cent cones and $ 3 Breyers jars and even go out for froyo when I’m feeling frisky. But the ice cream in Argentina is THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD. I don’t take ice cream lightly and have taken it upon myself to try all the different brands. Even the McFlurries are so rich you really can’t go wrong. My first week here, I ate Freddo everyday. Don’t be fooled by the photos of food on the window, I was skeptical too, but it’s AMAZING and if you ask to try they will give you as many samples as you want! Please go. Please. You won’t regret it (this also comes from non-addicts).

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This is probably one of 8 photos I have of the same in different settings. My host mom told me that I was going to be a “gordita” (little fat) when I get home for all the ice cream I eat here 🙂

• Hope you like cow … or meat in general

Argentines love their meat. For dinner on a given night, there is at least one if not two types of protein on the table. Coming primarily from a vegan / vegetarian household this was quite the change, but like ice cream the quality is definitely higher in the US. The cows are fed real grass (not corn) and don’t get injected with thousands of hormones, so even McDonald’s burgers are something to rave about (or that’s what I got. understood ;)). I ate choripan (a sausage sandwich) from a random vendor on the side of the street and not only was it amazing, I didn’t even get sick! That’s the beauty of the meat here. The steak can even be cut with a spoon (don’t worry, we tried it for you).

• Pizza pizza

So far, I’ve only had pizza once, which is shocking to my fellow Americans. The pizza here is AMAZING as well, probably because a lot of people here are of Italian descent and fill up with cheese. At 6 a.m., when you’re done dancing (because you’re a tired American and don’t have the stamina of those Argentinian locals), you’ll get on the return bus and see some pizza places. full of customers! Worth a visit, you wouldn’t expect South American pizza to be amazing but it definitely rivals Italy;)

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• Other weird food-related things to note:

They eat a ton of pumpkin here. Like so much pumpkin. All other meals at home feature “calabaza” (a good word to learn if you come). It’s so delicious and now one of my favorites, but I never expected how much pumpkin I would have in my life. You would think they were trying to make me orange or something.

Food is also not very seasoned. This is not Mexico, you will find absolutely no spices there. And when I say no spice, I mean no spice. They salt some things and put ketchup on others, but get used to appreciating the simplicity of the food. They put cheese on just about everything in my host family – soup, pumpkin :), rice, everything! You’re really getting back to basics here, don’t even expect “Mexican style food” to be spicy, it probably won’t. You’d think they could handle the spices in a naughty place like Argentina, but they’re all so cold and sweet.

Probably the most shocking realization for me when I first arrived was how skinny people are. After watching them eat, you won’t believe it! My hosts brought me three times the amount of food I would normally eat for dinner the first week until I convinced them that my estomago (my stomach) was more pequeño (much smaller) than theirs and that I literally couldn’t fit everything in. the. They eat dulce de leche for breakfast and there is a new pastry shop on every corner. But nevertheless, everyone here is skinny. It must be something in the water …

They like repetition. Argentines stick to their main food groups: cow, ice cream (which comes from cow’s milk, I guess), dulce de leche (which also comes from cow’s milk), empanadas (which contain the cow) and the pumpkin. Don’t overload yourself with “typical Argentinian dishes” the second you get here, there will be time for everything. Good restaurants have all the essentials and budget restaurants provide you with a cheaper version, so take your time with the local food scene.

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