Comida y Bebida

This post was originally just going to be about Mendoza, after it was suggested I detail a gourmet food experience in a specially dedicated post.  However, there´s been so much good food and drink on this trip, I thought I´d go for a thematic post, on what is after all, one of my favourite subjects, especially when on holiday.

So Mendoza was our next stop after the waterfalls, and one of our days out was to Maipu, which Lonely Planet indeed describes as a "gourmet experience".  Here you can see Christopher tucking into a selection of olive oil, balsamic vinegars, olives, marmalade and such delights as olive pate with garlic.  There was also a fine selection of liquors and chocolates. 

Our method of transport around the various establishments was bicycle, and as Chris pointed out, by noon I had already consumed 4 liquors and 2 glasses of wine! Luckily no incidents occured and we both wobbled around Maipu for the rest of the day, sampling various vinyards and also a micro brewery for lunch (where we also had tasty empanadas, not just a variety of beers.....). 

I may have mentioned elsewhere that empanadas have featured quite highly on this trip - rather tasty, filling and bargainous even in the most expensive of restaurants, they have become an absolute staple of our diet, but contribute little to that (even more elusive than when at home) 5-a-day!

So, to get back on track, Mendoza is the most famous wine region in Argentina, and Malbec is the most famous of all the wines.  However, there are many others produced in Mendoza, and we thought it our duty to sample a good selection, from a variety of different vinyards.  A firm favourite of the vinyards, which has dominated our supermarket choice ever since, is anything from Trapiche, which I am lead to believe is available in England, so will be looking out for that on return.  And as for grapes, being a white wine drinker, Torrontes (as previously sampled in Cafayate), remains my top choice.

Also whilst in Mendoza, we went on a trip to some natural thermal baths, which were really cool and provided a most enjoyable way to spend the day.  Best of all though was the extremely extensive buffet lunch, which was so big, I couldn´t fit it all on one photo, so only a fraction is featured here.  As with tradition for a lunch in Argentina, it was a big asado (barbecue) with a very largeselection of meats, accompanied by a delightful spread of salads and other accompaniments. 

Other culinary highlights have been a really cool fish restaurant in Puerto Madryn (a wildlife related post is forthcoming from this delightful coastal town) where I had the most delicious scallops au gratin.  I tucked in with rather greedy gusto initially, so this photo is half way through

 

and just last night we sampled a rather large proportion of a lamb, cooked Patagonia style.  This photo is of course primarily for the benefit of Mr and Mrs Norton, as the restaurant seemed to particularly favour a wine named after said husband and wife, but it does also feature the lamb being cooked over an open fire. It was utterly delicious, and if I knew lamb could always taste like this I might tuck into it a bit more often at home.

A post about food and drink in Argentina wouldn´t be complete without a mention of ice cream.  I´ve taken it upon myself to sample a thorough selection throughout the trip so far.  Although many pleasing scoops and flavours have been had, a real treat ocurred only just today in Bariloche, from a parlour called Jauja (just in case anyone plans on a visit to Patagonia, be sure not to miss it).  Lonely Planet suggests it is often claimed to be the best in Argenina.  I don´t think my sampling, no matter how thorough, has yet been sufficient to back up that claim, but it was indeed most tasty, and I suspect Heather and Simone would have found it particularly pleasing.

Still to come, hopefully, is one particular treat I am most looking forward to, and that is in Puerto Montt in Chile, which is supposed to have very good crab.  I know not everyone shares my love of this delicacy, but Rach, I will be sure to report back in a few days time!