The Packers and Bears are duking it out on Monday Night Football. Do I prefer the Vikings or the Bears in the playoffs? Machs nicht. I guess I would just like to see another Packer victory but I'm just glad I can watch the game from the warmth of my couch in Arizona. However, I digress. Food and fun in Argentina is the topic for today.
After work today, I was on a mission to find Quilmes, an Argentine beer. Quilmes brewery was founded in 1888 in Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province, by Otto Bemberg, a German immigrant. You may have noticed its appearance in a few of my pictures. Unfortunately, I did not find it at World Market or AJs. Instead I found more Malbec wine (Urban and Luna Rosa), some great stollen, cookies and fabulous coffee. Is it possible Quilmes is not sold in Arizona? I need to do more research. More on that next time. Today I want to cover water, portions and potential cousins.
Ordering water in Argentina is not as simple as requesting bottled or tap. One needs to order water "sin gas" or "con gas." Yes, you know the difference even if it is in Spanish. I preferred sin gas.
Many times the portions of food we received were incredible. The two pictures below show typical offerings of meat and fries. This huge feast was from a dinner in Olavarria.
I particularly enjoyed the restaurants with a strong German Russian connection. In Parana, we ate at Juan Denning's restaurant, El Viejo Marino. The generous portions were unbelievable. Juan was pleased to have us at his restaurant and he certainly knew his fish.
Juan spoke better English than I spoke Spanish. His ancestors lived in Marienthal, Russia before migrating to Argentina. Both of our ancestors lived in the small village of Marienthal. Could we possibly be distant cousins? From everything I have discovered about my ancestry, the small German Russian villages, and the courtship rituals, I think it would be incredibly unusual for us to not be related.
So, I won't promise not to share more about vino, cervasa y comida...but I believe I covered most of it. Except if someone has a picture of the roadside restaurant during our overnight bus trip to Iguazu....stay tuned.
4 comments:
There are too many jokes to be made about "sin gas". Especially when lots of good food is involved. But I won't make any, nicht wahr? In England you order "still water" if you don't want the bubbles. There is a beer from Argetina called Jeromes that you can order from Liquid Solutions but it is not rated very highly. I am sure the Argentinen beer is excellent because of the German heritage there. Now I'm thirsty. Time to open that Ayinger Dunkel Weiss that's awaiting me.
Or perhaps a Stella? One never knows what beer to expect next.
Your research on Quilmes is just what I needed. I am going to track it down soon.
Anna...great blog! I'm adding your adress to mine...
hehe, yeah, one of the best things in Argentina are our meals...(Stella Artois my favourite beer here, when I cannot find another Belgian imported one)
So, when you come again? you must know Entre Rios!, I can tell you for sure our asado y better than the Buenos Aires's area...hehe
Best regards from Argentina.
Alejandro, I hope to go to Argentina again, but I know it will not be soon enough for me! I enjoyed Entre Rios so much. We stayed at the Gran Hotel in Parana and visited the villages of Protestante, Valle Maria and Brasilera. We were graciously welcomed by the asociacion during our second night in Parana. Great people! Were you there? I met their President and sat next to a woman named Claudia who was from Germany and taught English and German.
Post a Comment