On a recent trip to Argentina, we were fortunate that many people spoke English. In fact, I find it embarrassing that people in many countries speak my mother tongue while I struggle or am ignorant of theirs. Nevertheless, there are now a good selection of travel language CD's available. For the commuter, a fair bit can be learned during down time. (Warning: It must be the case that trying to learn a language in your car is as dangerous as talking on a cell phone.) Not only is learning a bit of a foreign language interesting, but my experience has been that people are quite generous with their patience when your effort is sincere.
For concise travel language, I have found the Teach Yourself series to be quite good, but would stick to the "conversation" sets, for example "mandarin Chinese conversation." For this trip to Argentina, however, we tried Penton Overseas Inc "Spanish, The Complete Language Course." Although this set was more involved, almost all the work can be done in the car and it built you up nicely. I personally find that I like to see some of the words to grasp them, and a little reading on verb conjugation doesn't hurt, but busy folk can accomplish much without this.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Posada Los Juncos, Bariloche
Posada Los Juncos
Ave Bustillo, km 20
Bariloche, Argentina
I have to give more than a nod to the small inn we stayed in, Posada Los Juncos. It ranks 5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor, and it deserves all of them for the hospitality, chic/rustic atmosphere (there is more 'cool' in this inn than I shall muster in a lifetime), and great food.
Gaby, brother to the gracious hostess, Flavia, is the cook Defying apparent inefficiency, Gaby provides a choice of three entres, three principal plates, and three desserts every night to the five rooms...or not. It is up to you. While prices are not cheap by Argentinian standards, they are by no means outrageous for what amounts to a private dining room. The food itself if fresh and creative. Gaby plays a little strong on dessert flavours, but everything is homemade, including the bread. And here is where I was pierced through by an arrow of undying devotion; Gaby tried his hand at gluten-free bread. Simply trying is all it takes. Like burnt toast from a loving child, it is a gift you accept with heartfelt thanks. And yes, it was modest, and yes, it sucked the moisture out of your mouth like so many GF products do, but I could only encourage such bravery by asking for seconds.
Two small caveats would not dissuade me from staying again: first, it is 20km west of Bariloche, meaning it is well situated for some but not all destinations, and two, it is not at all secluded, although it is quiet enough at night.
Ave Bustillo, km 20
Bariloche, Argentina
I have to give more than a nod to the small inn we stayed in, Posada Los Juncos. It ranks 5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor, and it deserves all of them for the hospitality, chic/rustic atmosphere (there is more 'cool' in this inn than I shall muster in a lifetime), and great food.
Gaby, brother to the gracious hostess, Flavia, is the cook Defying apparent inefficiency, Gaby provides a choice of three entres, three principal plates, and three desserts every night to the five rooms...or not. It is up to you. While prices are not cheap by Argentinian standards, they are by no means outrageous for what amounts to a private dining room. The food itself if fresh and creative. Gaby plays a little strong on dessert flavours, but everything is homemade, including the bread. And here is where I was pierced through by an arrow of undying devotion; Gaby tried his hand at gluten-free bread. Simply trying is all it takes. Like burnt toast from a loving child, it is a gift you accept with heartfelt thanks. And yes, it was modest, and yes, it sucked the moisture out of your mouth like so many GF products do, but I could only encourage such bravery by asking for seconds.
Lago Argentino
Two small caveats would not dissuade me from staying again: first, it is 20km west of Bariloche, meaning it is well situated for some but not all destinations, and two, it is not at all secluded, although it is quiet enough at night.
Estancia Nibepo Aike, El Cafate
A ranch at the end of the road south of El Calafate, Estancia Nipebo Aike provided an experience I hope to replicate if ever I return. The two ranches we stayed at on our trip to Argentina offered beautiful scenery, a sanctuary from the busy life of the city, and the slower peaceful pace you associate with the country. Apart from some great horse riding and hiking and stunning scenery, this ranch offered great food.
Although I do not know the name of the chef, he earned my heartfelt appreciation. Meat is a feature of lunch and dinner here, but this posed no problem. In fact, they have an on site restaurant dedicated to meat. You don't really order; you just wait for the fresh meat to come in piles.
Like Los Juncos, the impressive thing here was the willingness of the chef to improvise. First, the soups were declared to be flour free and were fresh and simple. One night, in lieu of standard cannelloni, the chef prepared a corn version. Stuffed with cheese and spinach and topped with tomato and lamb, this dish had it all. The dessert that night was a delicious layered fruit, cream, and corn trifle, a one-off for the celiac. On another occasion, making something totally different than the other diners, he prepared a crispy corn bowl filled with vegetables and cheese. Finally, when we requested a picnic lunch to visit a nearby glacier, he procured a dish of meat, polenta, cheese, and fresh tomato sauce. Since that time, the chef has been kidnapped and now makes regular lunches for me from his basement cell.
One caveat here is that the breakfasts were poor from the celiac perspective. I was glad to have brought a stash of GF granola. In his defense, I don't think the chef gets the discredit for this.
Nipebo Aike -- Where every pic is postcard perfect.
Although I do not know the name of the chef, he earned my heartfelt appreciation. Meat is a feature of lunch and dinner here, but this posed no problem. In fact, they have an on site restaurant dedicated to meat. You don't really order; you just wait for the fresh meat to come in piles.
Real. Fresh. Lamb.
Like Los Juncos, the impressive thing here was the willingness of the chef to improvise. First, the soups were declared to be flour free and were fresh and simple. One night, in lieu of standard cannelloni, the chef prepared a corn version. Stuffed with cheese and spinach and topped with tomato and lamb, this dish had it all. The dessert that night was a delicious layered fruit, cream, and corn trifle, a one-off for the celiac. On another occasion, making something totally different than the other diners, he prepared a crispy corn bowl filled with vegetables and cheese. Finally, when we requested a picnic lunch to visit a nearby glacier, he procured a dish of meat, polenta, cheese, and fresh tomato sauce. Since that time, the chef has been kidnapped and now makes regular lunches for me from his basement cell.
Crispy Corn Bowl Creation
One caveat here is that the breakfasts were poor from the celiac perspective. I was glad to have brought a stash of GF granola. In his defense, I don't think the chef gets the discredit for this.
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is big, some 14 million persons in the greater metropolitan area, and there is no shortage of eating establishments. If you want to dine in your apartment or room, there are health food stores that offer gluten-free foods. Labelled as above, these foods are not hard to pick out. In fact, a visit to one of these stores can stock you up on 'just in case' foods and provide fare for picnics. Check out Dietetica Cuarto Soles (Juncal 2376 in Recoleta) and others. Several establishments worked very well for this gluten-free eater.
Celigourmet (Thames 1633, Palermo Soho) is a totally gluten-free bakery in Palermo Soho. Yes, the 'Soho' is a gimmick, but Palermo is a fun area to wander about, and Celigourmet offers great pastries and other portable delights. They offer a limited supply of bread
Muma's Cupcakes (Malabia 1680, Palermo Soho) is not exclusively a gluten-free bakery, and I can not speak to their contamination protocols in the kitchen, but I can speak to the rich chocolate and sweet cream that slid between my lips in the company of a fine little coffee.
Don Julio (Guatemala 4691 and Gurruchaga) is a parilla (restaurant focused on meat) also in Palerma Soho. The food, being fairly straightforward, appeared quite safe. The bife lomo (tenderloin) was tender and tasty, while the sweetbreads (thymus) was meaty in the mouth, a bit spongey in appearance, and not overly gamy. The vegetables were steamed to the point of mush, but the real vegetable, the Goulart 2007 Malbec, hit the spot.
Freddo is a chain offering coffee, a few (non-GF) pastries, and ice cream, including a great selection of ice cream specifically marked gluten-free. They use individual spoons in each tub, which means you are as close to safe as you will get. Cultural exploration demands that you sample the dulce de leche flavour.
Celigourmet (Thames 1633, Palermo Soho) is a totally gluten-free bakery in Palermo Soho. Yes, the 'Soho' is a gimmick, but Palermo is a fun area to wander about, and Celigourmet offers great pastries and other portable delights. They offer a limited supply of bread
Celigourmet--A happy pile of yummies.
Muma's Cupcakes (Malabia 1680, Palermo Soho) is not exclusively a gluten-free bakery, and I can not speak to their contamination protocols in the kitchen, but I can speak to the rich chocolate and sweet cream that slid between my lips in the company of a fine little coffee.
Muma's Cupcakes--What's rich, hypercaloric, and gone in thirty seconds?
Don Julio (Guatemala 4691 and Gurruchaga) is a parilla (restaurant focused on meat) also in Palerma Soho. The food, being fairly straightforward, appeared quite safe. The bife lomo (tenderloin) was tender and tasty, while the sweetbreads (thymus) was meaty in the mouth, a bit spongey in appearance, and not overly gamy. The vegetables were steamed to the point of mush, but the real vegetable, the Goulart 2007 Malbec, hit the spot.
A diner can not live on meat alone.
Freddo is a chain offering coffee, a few (non-GF) pastries, and ice cream, including a great selection of ice cream specifically marked gluten-free. They use individual spoons in each tub, which means you are as close to safe as you will get. Cultural exploration demands that you sample the dulce de leche flavour.
Argentina
Vegetable Stand, Argentina
If you need a little time in a place far away, in a place with beautiful and varied landscapes, and in a place where the people are as friendly as the food is....meaty...then consider a visit to Argentina.
Argentina the Gluten-Free: Argentina lends itself to gluten-free eating. First, the food is kept fairly simple. Argentinians really do eat a lot of meat (a remarkable 70kg per person annually), but they don't mess it up with overdone sauces. This leaves little to worry about for the GF eater. And the official vegetable of Argentina--red wine--is well known to be gluten-free. Truthfully, vegetables play second fiddle, but they are generally also simply done.
Just as good as this is Argentinian labeling. Like our European friends, the Argentinians have the little symbol with the wheat stricken off. Yes, that little 'no gluten' sign that celiacs view with the glee of a jaded lover watching his ex get a flat tire. They also have a "Sin TACC" label, meaning "without the four nasty grains". There are, of course, many foods that contain no apparent wheat but which are not so labeled. While helpful, this can be a double-edged sword. A greater than expected proportion of waitstaff, and even retail staff, appeared to be aware of the gluten issue. On occasion, however, this awareness appeared quite superficial, as if understanding was limited to "labeled safe" or "not labeled safe". While good to know, limiting yourself to "certified" food would be very restrictive. This is a good argument for learning a bit of the local language. Sorting this out is not always possible in English.
Where can I eat? From restaurants to cafes to gluten-free specialty stores, Argentina can feed you well. Check out the posts under the Argentina heading.
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