From the monthly archives:

February 2006

Grand Scale

2006.Feb.24 Friday

Carmelo – This community along the western edge of Uruguay has a population of a mere 16,000 people (including the “weekend ranch” of Argentine diva Susana Gimenez). The town is, simply, dominated by the winery Irurtia, the giant bottles of which are scattered here and there throughout the town. Dante Irurtia is the present day [...]

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The Hills of San Juan

2006.Feb.23 Thursday

Colonia del Sacramento – At the port yesterday I was met by my, as I put it, handler, Laura Nervi. She turns out to be a charming and delightful travelling companion, she’s an agronomist for the national institute of wine, INAVI, and handles touring around folk like me in all of her spare time. We [...]

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Tan Crudo!

2006.Feb.22 Wednesday

Buenos Aires – Tan Crudo! more or less literally means “it’s too raw!” But it’s an idiomatic expression, used a lot here, and means something to the effect of “You’re a blithering idiot, incapable of boiling water, let alone cooking edible food!” Argentines seem to love the expression, as do other South Americans I meet. [...]

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Tasting Menu?

2006.Feb.21 Tuesday

Buenos Aires – I love a good degustación, or tasting menu, as much as the next guy. It’s a chance for the chef to show off, to send out what they think is their best, to maybe try out a new item and see what a loyal customer thinks. Beautifully prepared, small plates, one course [...]

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Fin de Semana

2006.Feb.20 Monday

Buenos Aires – When I was departing New York back in January from my brief visit, my friend Frank handed me a few books he thought I’d enjoy. We do that. I left him one that I hadn’t. But then, that was all I had with me. I’ve been reading Abroad, by Paul Fussell, on [...]

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Food of Eternal Springtime

2006.Feb.19 Sunday

Buenos Aires – This weekend has followed it’s by now familiar pattern, with Henry’s young niece showing up unexpectedly on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend, out of mom’s hair, so to speak. As the resident computer person, it has fallen to me to design and print the invitations and other sorts of papery things [...]

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Chotos, Pamplonas, & Chajá

2006.Feb.18 Saturday

Buenos Aires – It may have just been coincidence, or it may have been because he knew I’m heading to Uruguay next week, but my new friend, whom I shall call “Pierre” to protect his identity, chose an Uruguayan parrilla for our lunch yesterday. He’s a local food and wine writer and restaurant reviewer, and [...]

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¡Viva La Cheese Sandwich!

2006.Feb.17 Friday

Buenos Aires – In one of those rare moments of prescience in my life, I’ve apparently joined, a day in advance, with a food blogging political cause that is zipping around the blogosphere. I received my first notice of the impending wave when I got my weekly e-mail from The Strong Buzz, where Andrea Strong [...]

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Cinnamon, Basil, & Pecans

2006.Feb.17 Friday

Buenos Aires – Cinnamon is the bark of a tropical evergreen tree – related to the laurel, or bay tree. There are two main types – Ceylon, more properly these days I suppose it ought to be called Sri Lankan (Cortex Cinnamoni), but then we haven’t changed the name of the tea either; and Chinese, [...]

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