Bolitas, Milanesas, y Libres...Oh My!

For the entire trip so far we've been on the hunt for a bead shop for Carinn’s jewelry, with low expectations of finding one. Imagine our surprise when we finally Googled bead shops and found one literally across the street from our hotel. It was the quintessential example of finding a needle in a haystack and was a good sign for the beginning of our designated shopping day. All you beadies out there know that each bead shop is unique in its own right and this one yielded many treasures. Unlike ones in the States, the beads in this shop are in individual jars that the shopkeeper must climb a ladder to retrieve.

Over the Pond and Through the Park...

Elliott discovered a great park on one of his runs so we took a detour on our way to the Evita Museum. Situated near the Palermo neighborhood, this park is a cross between Greenlake, an English rose garden, and a tropical resort. Argentine couples cuddled on benches as gaggles of geese roamed the grounds. Except for the occasional honking horn, it really was an oasis in the middle of the city.

Tango in an Elevator

We'd heard a lot about the neighborhood La Boca and decided to brave the crazy taxi ride in rush hour traffic to get there (traffic laws and stoplights are clearly just a suggestion here). La Boca was originally settled by poor Italian immigrants who would paint their homes with any color that was available. It's still a working class neighborhood with a small tourist center called El Caminito, an amateur photographer's dream. All of the guidebooks were clear about not staying after dark for safety reasons, which led to a mass exodus of the tourist-lemmings 45 minutes before sunset. This gave us the opportunity to stick around for a bit longer to take advantage of the empty streets and the perfect light.

A (Monday) Night Out With a Local

This is what a photo looks like when your battery dies in the middle of a shot...
or maybe Martin is just a figment of our imagination.

Last night we connected with a family friend and got a Porteño's tour of the city. Martin was super friendly and as good a host as two touristas could hope for. He took us to dinner in Cañitas, a chic neighborhood just outside of Palermo. Even though Monday night is not the hot night to go out in Buenos Aires, the large restaurant was filled to capacity by 9:30. We told Martin that we love to eat so he took charge of ordering for the table. The first round consisted of some of the best chorizo we've tasted, grilled cheese with oregano, and a mystery meat that Carinn would like to keep that way. From what we could gather it came from the "other" category of a cow but was extremely tender and succulent. 

Two Little Tourists Went to the Market

After an 11 hour coma to recover from our travel day, we were ready for an adventure. We'd heard about the Sunday market at San Telmo but the scope of it was way beyond our expectations. 

What's New Buenos Aires?

¡Buenos Días Desde Argentina! Well we finally made it after 23 hours of travel and less than 2 hours of sleep. Our first stop was lunch at The Natural Deli, a local hang-out with surprisingly good food. The menu didn't have a lick of English so we played our first round of Eating-Out Roulette. Not too bad for a couple of zonked touristas! 

Habañero-Slaw Redux

Last night I pulled up our blog so I could consult Elliott’s method for the Habañero-Slaw. He’s usually the one in charge of making it on taco night but I thought I’d get a head start with recipe in hand. In the process I discovered a key ingredient was missing. Then I tasted the slaw and found the seasoning to be way off. I put everything on hold until Elliott returned and wondered where I went wrong.

A few problems were discovered. First off, the head of cabbage I was using was quite a bit smaller than what he typically uses. Another key part was in the directions. Elliott guesstimated a bit on the high side when he wrote “add 2 teaspoons of salt to the cabbage and set aside.” I just drained the excess liquid when I should have really been squeezing it. We also adjusted the amount of rice wine vinegar and added in the lime juice. It is a crucial part of the dressing but somehow was left out of the original recipe. You’ll know the slaw is perfect when you get the perfect combination of the four S’s: salt, sweet, sour, spice.

A key lesson in all of this is in the wildly different ways we tackle cooking. Elliott tends to cook by taste and feel while I tend to follow recipes with a variation here and there. I need to tap into my senses more and Elliott needs to hone in on his measurements. In the future we will try to look at our posts from both viewpoints so we can give you the best possible recipe! 

Alliteration Chicken (a.k.a. Cheddar & Chutney Stuffed Chicken Breasts)

The idea for this chicken actually came from Rachel Ray’s “Big Orange Book,” a solid collection of totally manageable recipes. This is technically my second attempt at this dish. When I tried it years ago, I wasn’t quite sure how to stuff the chicken so the cheese ended up oozing out into the pan instead of on my plate. With Elliott at the helm however, I knew this chicken recipe had a fighting chance. White Cheddar and chutney may sound counter-intuitive, but the flavors are actually quite complimentary.

Strawberry Clouds

On a recent Saturday morning I had a hankering for pancakes. Elliott is usually up for a weekend feast but he wanted to somehow offset the white flour. He threw some flax seeds into the batter and voila, our version of a compromise: I got my flapjacks and he got his fiber. What I didn’t expect was the dreamy concoction he created for the topping. It was like dessert in the morning but so much more subtle and sophisticated than your typical maple syrup. And don't let the flax seeds scare you. Their nutty flavor and slight crunchiness turn your old friendly pancake into a completely new experience. You can change up the berries if you like, but it will still be a meal straight from heaven!

Pasta for Grown-Ups (a.k.a. Pasta Puttanesca)

I first stumbled across a Pasta Puttanesca-like recipe a few years ago when I was trying to put together a meal from the meager supplies I had in my cupboards and fridge. I usually always have a tomato on hand and with some capers, canned tuna, and some questionable parsley, I had a quick and easy Italian dinner. Since that night, I’ve perused a few recipes and added more of the staples like olives and anchovies. I know what you’re thinking. Anchovies? I remember as a kid making a face anytime I saw someone order that stinky pizza with the fish on it. It took about twenty years for me to actually get over the fishy part and value them for their unique salty flavor. Once they melt in the sauce and meld with all the other ingredients, you won’t even notice them. All you’ll be able to taste is how just a few simple ingredients can transform into something so complex. What literally translates as “whore’s pasta” keeps you coming back for seconds…and thirds.