Stuff unrelated to food, wine & spirits that I just feel like posting.
I apologize for starting off a Saturday morning with a geography lesson, but after all this time, it seemed like a basic one was in order. This, is the continent of South America. It’s changed since I studied geography, not particularly in its physical shape, though I’m sure that even in my lifespan there’s been… Read More A Little Geography
Colón – Yesterday morning as we passed out of the city of Montevideo and headed north we passed through the port area of the city. An interesting sight met my eyes, as I noted bundles of 15 foot logs, stripped of their bark, roughly 20 to a bundle, piled along the docks. Not just a… Read More 240 Years of Tradition
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… Read More Grand Scale
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… Read More The Hills of San Juan
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.… Read More Tan Crudo!
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… Read More Fin de Semana
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… Read More Chotos, Pamplonas, & Chajá
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… Read More ¡Viva La Cheese Sandwich!