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.