Argentina was so much more than we expected. The Iguazu Falls were more spectacular than the big waterfall we were prepared for and the South was more pristine than we had imagined it to be. There were three things we experienced consistently during our three weeks in Argentina.
1. Caramel
We know we just offended every Argentinian by implying in the title that Argentina is known for their caramel. They call it dolche de leche as it's made from milk instead of sugar. It's put on everything - bread, crackers, ice cream...everything. No fridge is complete without it and we can't recall a meal that it wasn't served with. It's good, but two things were far better...
2. Wine
We went to Mendoza for the Malbec and left with a half a case of Cabernet Franc. Our friend Martina had recommended Pulenta's winery so we blame her for completely wrecking our Argentina budget! We couldn't leave this gem behind in Argentina as it's not sold in the US. We are praying Jan's mom doesn't "accidentally" mix up our box of wine with her boxed wine before we get back! ;)
Cab Franc is a grape that smells like pepper but it tastes smooth and buttery with medium tannins. Jan said "mmmmmhhh, it's so buttery!" after almost every sip. Each time you taste it, it's like you're tasting it for the first time. It's impossible to believe its 14.5% alcohol!
We are allocating these precious bottles for very special occasions like (1) the end of our trip, (2) getting a job, (3) buying a house, (4) our one year anniversary and (5) our friend's wedding. Bottle #6 is up for grabs. You should always keep a fancy bottle of vino handy for the unexpected awesomeness that happens in life. (We picture our friend Anmol reading that and immediately letting Yemi know that's him to a "tee.") :)
3. Steaks
When you see the obese cows grazing around this country, you will quickly find your mouth watering. We even spoke to vegetarians giving themselves a pass on one steak. Steaks aren't as cheap as we expected them to be, but relative to what we would pay in the US for the quality we received they were about half price. A nice filet mignon was usually $20-$25 and often large enough for both of us.
Surprisingly, we couldn't find a good steak the first week we were in Buenos Aires despite visiting a premier steakhouse, but we finally broke that cycle of bad luck in Puerto Iguazu at La Rueda, the oldest restaurant in town. After several experiences of tough meat, we were delighted when these steaks practically melted in our mouths.
1. Caramel
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| Dolche de leche tasting during our wine tour in Mendoza |
2. Wine
We went to Mendoza for the Malbec and left with a half a case of Cabernet Franc. Our friend Martina had recommended Pulenta's winery so we blame her for completely wrecking our Argentina budget! We couldn't leave this gem behind in Argentina as it's not sold in the US. We are praying Jan's mom doesn't "accidentally" mix up our box of wine with her boxed wine before we get back! ;)
Cab Franc is a grape that smells like pepper but it tastes smooth and buttery with medium tannins. Jan said "mmmmmhhh, it's so buttery!" after almost every sip. Each time you taste it, it's like you're tasting it for the first time. It's impossible to believe its 14.5% alcohol!
We are allocating these precious bottles for very special occasions like (1) the end of our trip, (2) getting a job, (3) buying a house, (4) our one year anniversary and (5) our friend's wedding. Bottle #6 is up for grabs. You should always keep a fancy bottle of vino handy for the unexpected awesomeness that happens in life. (We picture our friend Anmol reading that and immediately letting Yemi know that's him to a "tee.") :)
3. Steaks
Surprisingly, we couldn't find a good steak the first week we were in Buenos Aires despite visiting a premier steakhouse, but we finally broke that cycle of bad luck in Puerto Iguazu at La Rueda, the oldest restaurant in town. After several experiences of tough meat, we were delighted when these steaks practically melted in our mouths.
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