Hospitalidad Argentina - pulenta!

We learned the true meaning of Argentinian hospitalidad in Mendoza. Ariel, Paula and Ariadna wouln't dream of us staying anywhere else while we got the bike ready for the more remote roads of Bolivia. As Andy has mentioned, Ariel had already opened his immaculate workshop to us a week earlier, and took great interest and professional care in the mechanical stuff we needed to do. And again, they all opened their house to us - this time we two shared Ariadna's bed and a spot on the floor.

...while the bike took up space in the already crowded workshop.

On Saturdays, the bikes get pushed to the back of the workshop, the trestle tables come out, and the crew settles in for one of Argentina's great traditions - the asado. We might pride ourselves on the great Australian BBQ, but we could take a few lessons from the Argentines. Firstly, they don't muck around with quantity. When they plan an asado, they get 1 kilo of meat per person (Andy was in heaven).

The cuts of meat are different to the ones we know at home. Also, there're just one or two people involved in the cooking, and as far as we have seen at the four home-cooked asados we have had the pleasure of attending, this person is never from the host family. Asados are no secret hereabouts - you see people along the streets in the suburbs cooking up, and on the weekends people get out and have one on a riverbank or just under a tree on the roadside.

Then, there is the specific way the fire is made - the meat is cooked slowly over coals which are shoveled from the fire, never over the flame itself. This milder heat ensures that the salted meat does not dry out, despite taking at least two hours to cook. The extended cooking time also ensures that the aroma of the asado fills workshop, house, and streets. Wow!

It also allows for the other serious part of the asado - drinking beer and yarning with mates. Surprise, surprise!

The meat is cut into small portions as it is ready, and served by the asador on wooden plates. Vegetables play a token part in this meal, and Paula considers Saturday a holiday - her contribution to the meal (apart from regualr trips to the beer fridge) being a couple of simple (but tasty) bowls of tomato or eggplant salads. While Andy tucked into the great cuts of meat, plus blood sausages and lamb intestines, I busied myelf with these. Though each of us goes through periods off the meat, we were both tucking in keenly.

And how's this - you can get excellent (already referred to in this blog as world's best) gelato, home delivered! That's desert sorted.

During the rest of the week, Paula - an expert in the art of Argentinian fare - treated us to many classics - here we are making empanadas de carne y huevo. This kitchen was home to many a good convo - Paula was very patient with my basic Spanish, and taught me a lot about life from the perspective of an Argentinian woman.

We also cooked for them- they quite enjoyed our rabbit casserole!

All week, I played with Ariadna, my youngest Argentinian friend. It took her some time not to get upset when I didn't understand her rapid speech, but as the week drew on, she started talking slower, I started underrstanding more, and the whole lanaguage barrier seemed to dissapear. We found common interests in painiting, drawing, walking in the park and swimming her rooftop pool.

We left with many a 'te extraño mucho!' and 'nos vemos, amigos!', and a tear in more than one eye.

Paola, Ariadna, Emily, Ariel, Andrew, Mandinga y Gabriel, afuera de Bahia Blanca 625. Faltan El Turco (se estaba limpiando el uerto), el Condorote, Daniel, y Sergio.

Muchísimas gracias por todo. Pulenta!