Argentina: Comida

Comida (food)

One of my cultural goals has been to learn about Argentine food and the practices and values relating to it. Eating and sharing food is a big part of the culture here and I think I have definitely achieved what I set out to do!

Argentina is famous for beef (la carne de vaca)and pasta, pizza and gelato (thanks to the Italian heritage). The food also has Spanish influences such as empanadas.

Because it is such a large country the food is very varied depending on what is readily available in the area. For example; Patagonia is not a beef producing region so lamb and seafood is more common. And because my city Crespo just happens to be the poultry capital of Argentina I have been eating my fair share of pollo (chicken) and huevos (eggs)!

Desayuno (breakfast) tends to be something from the panadería (bakery) and is smaller and sweeter than what I'm used to at home! Almuerzo (lunch) is the main meal of the day. Children either go to school in the morning or the afternoon and people who work normally stop between the hours of 12pm and 3pm so families eat together at home. Cena (dinner) is less important than the midday meal and is often something leftover. It is not common here to eat cena before 9pm!

Every house I have been to has its own asado “oven”. Asado refers to the barbecue technique and also the social event of hosting or attending a barbecue. Asados happen all year round and on Sundays families normally get together to share one.