Buenos Aires: The Food Edition

Yes, I'm still completely enamored of this city. And it's gotten even better since Annie joined me last Wednesday morning. It is so much fun and so, so relaxing to have someone to travel with, after being on my own for so long (special thanks to everyone who helped to get her here. I could not be more grateful). We have been absorbed in exploring every facet of BA, including the food. Which deserves its own entry. Because it is... AMAZING.

Firstly, the coffee. So, going out to coffee in Seattle is a pretty mundane affiar. You sit at a table and order something and they bring you that something. On occasion you get a little pot of looseleaf tea instead of a packet, and you might get a small pitcher of cream, or some cool latte art. In BA, however, going to coffee is quite possibly the most civilized thing I have ever experienced. The first time we went, I assumed it would be a kind of quick affair, like it is in the states. I ordered tea with milk, and Annie ordered a plain small coffee. The total price was probably equivalent to about USD $3. First, they brought out a TINY cup of coffee (espresso style) for Annie, with a perfect little silver dish of sugar cubes, and then they brought out my tea, an empty teacup with a selection of teabags on the side, and two small silver pitchers, one of hot water and one of hot milk. Then they put a little platter of cake in the middle of our table, and teeny tiny (so cute!) glasses of sparkling water on either side. There's something about the care with which they set the table, and the thoughfulness of all the additional things-- the cake, the water-- that just makes my heart fill with glee.

Secondly, the steak. Thanks to the friend of Miss Claire Mauksch (thanks!) I was recommeded what is, according to most, the best steak place in BA. So on Friday night we ventured out to La Cabrera, a restaruant in the Palermo neighborhood that doesn't take reservations, opens at 8:30, and usually has a one to two hour wait. We were smart and got there about half an hour early, so we were high up on the waiting list, but there was STILL a huge line when we left at about 11pm at night. However, waiting isn't so awful, as there is bottomless free champagne for those in line! Woo!!! It was probably the fanciest restaurant I have ever been to in my life, and compared to Peru was exorbitantly expensive. Which meant that in USD we paid approx $60 for our whole meal (including a bottle of some of the best wine I've ever had, called Marianne-- hi mom!) We each ordered different steaks, and we were kind of just expecting to get slabs of meat thrown on our plates. However, in addition to the (best) meat (I have ever eaten) each steak came with about 15 different side dishes in tiny silver bowls. Spinach with walnut cream sauce, pumpkin puree with nutmeg, whipped potatoes with dijon mustard, roasted garlic and carrots, tiny onions pickled in amaaaaazing balsamic vinager, sundried tomato compote, quail eggs with green beans, and delicious, buttery, fluffy salads. I was glad I had barely eaten all day, because it was a huge amount of food (we could have probably shared one meal, but we wouldn't have gotten such an assortment of side dishes!) and I wanted to eat it all. I have never been in such food heaven in my life, and it will be hard to recreate those incredible flavors ever again... heavenly.

We've been doing a lot of exploring, trying to tackle one neighborhood a day. The city is so gigantic that there's really no way to see it all, but we've been trying our best. Some highlights so far: the Recoleta cemetary, which is where Eva Peron is buried, among many other famous people. It's a creepy, creepy place with row after row of mausoleums filled with coffins (you can look through the glass doors and see them all!) and stray cats, as well as cobwebs and dust. Also, the Saturday craft market, where we almost bought out the mate gourd stand, and I got some awesome earrings made of Argentinian coins. The empanadas here are also GREAT, and there are incredible pastry stands on every corner rivaling those in Paris (I guess that should go in the food section). Annie is here for 4 more days, heading back to Seattle Wednesay night, and I'm here until Saturday morning, when I fly to THE RAINFOREST!!! and spend a week floating down the Amazon river.

Endnote: I am coming home in approx two weeks and 4 days. This is totally bizarre to me. I feel like I've been gone forever and also like I just got here. I am not looking forward to the cold weather. I am looking forward to being tanner than everyone. Bwahahahha.