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ARGENTINA
Best Argentinean Cuisine of the Year
The foods and wines of Argentina have slowly been making their way
into the culinary consciousness over the past decade, but they've really
gained market share in the past year. Chef Rodrigo Ruiz of Santino
restaurant in Argentina is one of the masters of this seductive style of
cooking — taste it in this delicious menu of earthy and robust flavors.
 CHEF RODRIGO'S ESSENTIAL ARGENTINEAN FLAVORS
"Traditional Argentinean cooking is based on home cooking more than
anything," says Rodrigo. "It's very down-to-earth." Making Argentinean
food at home may mean never having to buy fancy ingredients, but here
are two from this South-West Argentinean-inflected menu (Rodrigo trained
in Mendoza region) that may be unfamiliar — though not for long. While
essential in Rodrigo's and other Argentinean kitchens, they're also hot
properties in restaurant kitchens around the country.
Argentine Dining Customs
Much like New Yorkers, Argentines dine late and always with much
conversation. In fact, tertulia, as the rhythmic art of
conversation is known, includes many hand gestures, passionate ideas and
makes heavy competition for quiet, reserved eating. Spaniards would feel
at home in Argentina, as the evening repast typically occurs much later
than 9:00 PM, even during the week.
If you ever visit Buenos Aires, pay a visit to the area known as La
Boca. This is the section where Italians from Liguria first settled, and
while it contains Bohemian studios and warehouses now, it also boasts
pastas and pizzzerias. Of course, pastas and Italian food are found on
virtually every menu in Argentina. Matambre, a dish which means "to kill
hunger" is reminiscent of the Italian rolled, stuffed flank steak,
though infinite variations on this theme can be found.
Churrascarias are restaurants that serve only grilled foods. For a true
sampling of Argentina's grilling passion, order a "parrillada" — that is,
if you are not a vegetarian. Be hungry, though, for this multi-course
meal typically includes grilled sweetbreads, sausages, kidneys, salad
and as the main course, a large grilled steak of the most tender,
succulent meat you have ever encountered. In some churrascarias, you can
point at spit roasted pork, goat, lamb and beef, to create a sampler to
suit your palate. The best way to work off such an extravagant meal? Why,
the tango of course! Vamanos!
Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
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The
Cuisine of Argentina
Argentina is a country of immigrants, and its criollo (creole)
entertaining style draws on the
world community. From Spain, France, and Italy as well as Germany,
Britain and Eastern Europe, recipes affectionately passed down for
generations spell family and tradition. Imaginative experiments bring
centuries of history to a single dish. With Pampas grasslands nurturing
the world's finest beef, and rivers and Atlantic coastline offering fine
fish and shellfish, Argentine cooking celebrates riches of both land and
sea.
Not surprisingly, Argentine foods show strong European influences.
Breads are similar to Italian or French loaves rather than tortillas,
and flavorful, hearty seasonings are preferred to those that are spicy
and hot. The most famous sauce is chimichurri, a cross between Mexican
salsa and Italian vinaigrette, used as both sauce and marinade, and
passed at the table to season grilled meats. Every cook has a preferred
variation, ranging from mild to wildly garlicky to hot.
Potatoes and pasta have cherished places in Argentinean cuisine, and the
techniques of barbecue, roasting, and deep-frying is preferred. Tomatoes,
onions and green peppers are flavor standards, while parsley, fresh
oregano, paprika, thyme and bay leaves add depth. Capitalizing on vast
cattle resources, cooks use beef and veal drippings as well as vegetable
oil for baked goods and frying. Olive oil is popular for its distinctive
flavor, as are cream, pancetta and Parmesan cheese for Italian-influenced
dishes.
No discussion of Argentine foods can be complete without an appreciation
of the finest beef and lamb, grown on the billowing grasslands of the
Pampas by gauchos, those acknowledged masters of cattle breeding and
management. The mestizo descendants of indigenous people and early
European immigrants, the leather-clad gauchos are international symbols
of Argentina, with their bolas (stones joined by rope -- thrown with
great accuracy) and their legendary payada ballads celebrating hunting
and fighting. Traditionally viewed as rustic and somewhat dangerous,
they are also cherished as embodiments of the true criollo personality
-- proud, tough and individualistic.
The gauchos' realm is an unbroken expanse of prairie that stretches to
the horizon. Traditionally divided into seigneurial estates called
estancias, this expanse gives the herds of cattle and sheep that graze
the "green and immeasurable ocean" of prairie more space to roam than
North American counterparts. Their meat therefore has more texture and
can even be a bit chewy, but the depth of flavor in the grass-fed meat
makes it infinitely delicious. Gourmets claim to be able to taste flavor
differences between breeds, and the finest restaurants, realizing that
no single animal can offer the finest cut in every category, compete for
the best cuts of beef from various suppliers.
Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
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Argentina Cuisine Imported from Europe
Argentina has an imported cuisine rather than an original one. Most
Argentine cooking had origins elsewhere, with Spain and Italy being the
most dominant influences. We also have a lot of South American food,
which originated in the Andean Highlands of Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay.
Only three dishes we eat in Buenos Aires were created here. One is the
Caramel Apple Pancake. I have searched all over the world and not found
this dessert anyplace else. Another original is Revuelto Gramajo, eggs
scrambled with crisp potatoes, ham and chicken. The third one is the
Milanesa Napolitana; a breaded veal cutlet with a slice of cheese and
ham covered with tomato sauce and put in the oven until the cheese melts.
The owner created it in the Napoli restaurant in Buenos Aires, by
mistake.
Argentina is, of course, famous for its steaks and other grilled meats.
Our parrilla stems from the Incan barbacoa. The Incas roasted their meat
on green branches placed above hot rocks or coals, though they had no
trademark on this. Roast meat is probably the first hot meal any human
had anywhere on earth. Argentine beef is lower in fat and cholesterol
and has a special flavor since our cattle walk around and feed naturally
on the range.
The cuisine category requiring the most explanation is Porteño. This is
a term that is becoming very popular locally, though even a lot of
porteños don't know what it means. Basically, it means classic European
cuisine with a local touch. Of course what is considered French or
Italian here probably would mystify a visiting Frenchman or Italian.
This is not to say that the food is bad, just different.
Although we are almost daily surrendering our privileges to the
pressures of commerce and profit, Argentine food still retains a good
deal of authenticity. By that I mean that many foods, especially
vegetables, are natural. A tomato may not be as perfectly shaped and
colored as a hothouse, artificially forced sample, but it tastes of
tomato, which, to me, is far more important. However, in the cities
especially, pre-packaged, vitamin-added, pre-cooked or frozen foods are
becoming ever more prevalent and - sad to say - popular.
Outside influences are also noted in eating styles. Fast food is now an
integrated part of city life and hamburgers are challenging - and in
some areas usurping - the reign of our national (sacred) steak. Our
daily diet is distinguished by the overwhelming predominance of beef
followed by a strong dose of pasta and pizza. Only very recently, thanks
to the fact that Argentines have taken to traveling abroad, have new
types of cuisine begun to be known and accepted
Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
GERMANY
 Rheingau: Elegant German Supper
On the sun-drenched banks of the Rhine, where Riesling grapes
thrive, the local cooking is sophisticated — and a perfect match for the
region's refreshing white wines
The Rheingau not only supplies the world with some of the best examples
of Riesling, but also offers some of Germany's most beautiful wine
country: Fairy-tale castles crown the hillsides above historic vineyards
that sweep down to the Rhine River. Good food and hospitality are also
hallmarks of the Rhineland, particularly during the Winzerfeste, or wine
festivals, that celebrate the new-wine season. And just as the revelry
of the grape harvest brings people together, this menu brings some of
the region's best foods and flavors to the table — including a new take
on Zwiebelkuchen, a savory onion tart that's a classic autumnal pairing
with a fresh Rhine wine. You supply the revelers.
Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
USA
 California: Santa Ynez Grill
The vineyards in this special appellation of Santa Barbara County
produce some of the state's most exciting wines. Here's a menu that
showcases the area's great outdoor cooking tradition
The Santa Ynez Valley is one of California's gems. Beginning just north
of the laid-back coastal city of Santa Barbara and stretching between
the Santa Ynez and San Rafael mountains, this picturesque valley enjoys
a warm climate year-round, with coastal breezes creating ideal growing
conditions for grapes.
True, this is wine country, but it is also ranch country. The valley's
history is a mix of Spanish rancheros and the Old West, and the local
food, with many Latino influences, reflects this rugged past. The
region's specialty, which originated just north of Santa Ynez in the
smaller Santa Maria Valley, is Santa Maria-style barbecue: thick cuts of
top sirloin, skewered and slow-cooked over an open pit. In addition to
indigenous ingredients like walnuts, strawberries, and tomatoes, you'll
also find duck, lamb, and fresh fish anywhere a grill is fired up and
ready to go.
This menu reflects that simple approach to preparing hearty food. It's a
perfect meal to celebrate the autumn harvest. Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
SPAIN
 Spain: Tapas Party
Savory bite-size dishes and superb reds, whites, and Sherries
pair up in this lively new take on the cocktail party
Centuries before the cocktail party was invented, there were tapas, the
festive finger food of Spain. These savory bite-size snacks have their
origin in Spanish inns, where it was customary to serve patrons nibbles
of almonds or olives, compliments of the house, with a glass of chilled
fino Sherry (the word tapas comes from the Spanish verb meaning "to
cover," as the food was traditionally presented on a plate perched atop
the glass of Sherry). Today tapas can be more elaborate and often are
accompanied by red or white wine, or even beer.
Our menu features the breadth of Spanish cuisine — from the exotic
spices of the region of Andalusia in the south to the bright flavors of
Catalonia in the north — with great Spanish wines to match. Best of all,
tapas encourage a style of eating that is casual, fun-loving, and free
from rules. In other words, perfect for a party. Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
 FRANCE
Bordeaux: French Country Dinner
The excellence of the region's wines is rivaled only by its
cuisine — a robust blend of rustic and refined. This lovely harvest menu
is a delicious expression of the local cooking
Bordeaux produces the greatest quantity of high-quality wines — both red
and white — on earth. From jammy Pomerols and austere Graves to fruity,
friendly Côtes de Blaye, the wines of this renowned region in
southwestern France show a near-infinite variety. So does the cuisine —
not surprising in an area that boasts seacoast, rivers, and dry-land
pasture. It's a region in which the rustic flirts with the refined, and
entire menus — like the one that follows — are equally at home in an
opulent château and at a convivial harvest celebration.
This flirtation reaches its peak when it comes to the region's signature
dish, the entrecôte. Although the roots are rustic — this steak was
originally grilled over old wine casks — its contemporary presentation
here, as a perfectly browned piece of beef in a red wine and shallot
sauce, is definitely refined.
Suggested wines:
CLICK HERE
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