It had been 30 years since I had visited Argentina so I was excited to visit again and see the difference. I had 4 nights in Buenos Aires and 1 night in the country at a magnificent Estancia. I thought you may enjoy a snap shot of my trip.
I firmly believe Argentinians love their food. No matter in which direction we went, we were provided with the most incredible meals. Steak naturally was the highlight. We did have a fantastic night at “The Argentine Experience” Hidden behind 2 massive doors in the Palermo district is this fabulous “closed-door restaurant” The communal dining table hinted at the fun we were about to have. I am sure if Ken was here he would be more interested in the making of this table than that of the food. We made empanadas, we discussed the cooking of the meat, tasted beautiful Malbec wines and finished with beautiful alfajores. An hilarious night that was overseen by the engaging and charming owner. It was an entertaining insight into the Argentinian way of life and perhaps a tad too much wine!
Dance is a major part of the culture so naturally, we took in a Tango show. There was the option to learn this exotic dance prior to the show. After an hour the dance teacher held me closely and whispered quietly into my ear ” Lo siento pero no puedes bailar” I gasped, what could he be saying to me, should I be blushing? Imagine my despair, he was only speaking the truth, “I am sorry but you cannot dance” After my disappointment, the evening continued with a fabulous meal and dancers far better than I!
The highlight of the trip was the visit to the ranch: La Bamba de Areco Estancia. It was about a 2-hour drive which in normal conditions would have been a sightseeing event in itself. We travelled through an incredible storm and water flowed readily through the fields and gushed into the gutters and table drains. We had to change vehicles when we drew closer to the ranch as the road was covered in water. They do not abide by "If it's flooded, forget it" It was a very slippery drive into the ranch but once there it was well worth the adventure.
The area where we gathered was the original building with the original bricks where centuries ago the gaucho's would stop after a long ride, take a meal and perhaps change horses to continue on. This building is more like a recreation room now. There are assortments of games, a bar and at one end a magnificent roaring open fireplace. At this stage, it was surrounded by a dozen pairs of wet shoes.
Lunch was also taken in this area. We were served at the table. The choice of meat was incredible, I tasted a little of everything. A little beef, a smidgen of pork, a small sausage, a wing of chicken, a dash of lamb and a morsel of whatever else was offered. All served with a beautiful salad. Quite the feast. Our rooms were scattered around the few buildings that made up the hacienda. All very well decorated and with the comforts of home.
Naturally being on a ranch, a horse ride was in order. Due to the storms in the area, we were limited to just half an hour. It was fun to be out in the paddocks, the horses kicking up the mud behind (as the last rider I was well covered) as we made our way through the flooded fields. The gaucho was certainly a great horseman himself as every now and then he took off, perhaps to view the livestock, or just to show us his riding skills.
Prior to dinner, we had drinks and canapés before once again a magnificent steak meal. I am usually told I ruin my steak by overcooking it, so I went with the flow and had it medium. I was pleasantly surprised. Just a side note to all the mentions of steak, vegetarians are welcome and well catered for.
Argentina is a nation of contrasts. They are proud of their heritage but are certainly a country moving forward. I would love to return and explore this land further
