Traveling I have had the opportunity to try different traditional foods. I was very surprised by the number of street stalls there are, ladies with a plastic table selling sandwiches or people making barbecue in a metal drum in the middle of the street. As we all love to enjoy food (and this country is no exception) we must do so with some caution if we come from abroad. So I recommend making sure that the roast is not well done, that it is from the same day or that the fruit stand does not have many flies, for example. From there, you must try all the amount of food and dishes that Argentina offers.
Traveling through this country for four months, I have discovered a lot about their diet. The roots of their food are Italian, Spanish and the occasional note of Arabic. Their food is usually from the garden or from the animal, at the table (adding many spices). They are not very complicated recipes and that is what characterizes it, the simplicity of its delicious products that makes it one of the most famous diets in the world.
The amount of food per plate seemed really curious to me, it can be perfectly shared in restaurants. Another thing that surprised me is that they usually drink flavored water while they eat. Flavored waters are like waterier juices with fruit flavors. Another thing that should be taken into account when buying in supermarkets or bakeries is that its neutral flavor (which in Spain is butter) there is vanilla. Although the brands may become the same, they do not taste the same.
It is a country with a lot of taxes, so they do not import much of the product, so it is the perfect opportunity to try new brands and discover flavors.
You cannot leave this country without having tried certain dishes, here is a list of them:
- Empanadas. It is a thin dough filled with a preparation and cooked in the oven or fried (I prefer it baked). The most popular flavors are meat, chicken, cheese (and depending on the place it can have ham or tomato). If you go to the northwest of Argentina, you should not miss the llama.
Price: more or less they are about €0.50 for each one. There are usually promotions by the dozen.
- Sfijas. It is similar to the empanada, it changes the shape a bit since it is triangular, leaving the meat preparation visible. It is a very spicy food and if you are not used to it I recommend you to be careful.
Price: the price is similar to the empanada. It's not that popular on the streets so it's more difficult to find them.
- Milanesa. I thought it was like the meat pie of a lifetime but... no. It is considerably larger in size and is much more seasoned. It is made in the oven or fried and has different variations. The milanesa "suprema" is the chicken one (don't do like me, I ordered it in a restaurant and I thought it would be the biggest milanesa ever seen hehehe). They can also have more food on top, they make it with tomato or with ham and cheese (called "napolitana"), as if the meat were a base.
Price: 1300 pesos (about €5) the normal one. The chicken one is usually around 200 pesos cheaper and the "napolitana" one can cost around €5.50. They usually come with a garnish.
- Asado. It is a tradition more than a meal. (Don't say it's a barbecue because they don't take it very well). A roast is like a restaurant menu, not just the meat. It all starts with a starter, which can be an empanada or a salad, for example. Then they bring you a small grill (which is used to keep it warm) with the meat already cooked on top. There are different pieces and there is usually one per person. Contrary to what I thought, the ones I've tried were fairly well-done meat.
The basic pieces are the "tira de asado" (which is a steak but a little bigger), "vacío" (it is a cut of the cow), chorizo and blood sausage. They can also carry "matambre" or "chinchulín" (which is the small intestine). It is usually accompanied with French fries.
Price: being a menu it usually costs 4000 pesos (about €10-12) per barbecue, which two people can eat. If you have any questions, ask the waiter before entering the restaurant about everything he offers. What we used to do was see prices and offers and we chose from there.
- Pizza. Is it very different? Yes. The dough is thicker, the "mozzarella" that is used is a creamy cheese and if they can throw 10kg at it, they do so without hesitation. It is oily and has a lot of everything (if you ask for ham it will take a lot). They are very tasty but considering that it has more of everything, do not think that you are going to eat the same amount.
Price: varies a lot depending on the place and the pizza you order. But the muzza, which is the basic one with no other ingredients, is usually between 1,500 - 2,000 pesos (€4-5).
- Dulce de leche. It is a brown and spreadable sweet. It has a lot of sugar so it is very sweet. It can be used on toast, cakes, ice cream...
Price: varies according to the brand, you can find it in supermarkets, kiosks or in craft stores.
- Alfajores. It is a candy that consists of a filling between two cookies. From this, there are millions of variations. The filling is usually dulce de leche, but you can also find quince or fruit, for example. The cookies are usually cornstarch, chocolate, or vanilla.
Price: they usually differ a lot between the alfajor bought in a craft store or in a supermarket. The first ones are usually at least 150 - 200 pesos and the second ones are from 60 pesos (although in wholesale stores you can find them at half price).
- Facturas. They are their 'pastries'. They include medialunas, palmeritas, vigilantes, cañoncitos... Curious fact: many of them owe their name to the time of the dictatorship. They can be found in bakeries, supermarkets, in some neighborhood businesses or even in street stalls. They are ideal to accompany the mate ;)
To take into account: there is no chocolate :(
Price: We used to pay about 70 pesos for a croissant and 300 pesos (one euro) for 10 palmeritas.
- Mate. It is a beverage based on the herb that has the same name, it is put in a container and hot water is added. It can be taken sweet (adding sweetener or sugar) or bitter (without adding anything). It is drinked at all times and there are many foods to accompany it (facturas, tortillas, cookies*...).
*Recommendation of the house: the pepas (vanilla cookies with quince center).
Price: a half kilo bag of mate can vary between 300 and 700 pesos (€1.50).
Have you tried any of these dishes? Would you add any to the list? LET US KNOW!
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