An Edible Voyage

January 2020 And if you need something nutritious amongst all this meat and sweet delights?    Head to Mahalo in Buenos Aires for Waihiki a smoothie bowl of banana, passionfruit, coconut, leite condensado (this is Argentina after all), topped with granola and sliced banana.

January 2020 A hotchpotch of parillas, cafes with coffee and medialunas deals, street food, and the odd hipster cafe thrown in for good measure. For me Buenos Aires was one of those places that’s great to just be in.    Not a huge amount of activities or sights that I was interested in, but a great vibe with some really cool hidden areas, think railway arches turned in to ice cream parlours and bars with swings outside between Plaza de la Shoa and Parque 3 de Febrero, and groups of containers serving posh burgers and artisan beer at Los Dos Arcos.    For an informal beginners Tango lesson, head to La Cathedral, a dingy and sweaty building but full of atmosphere.    It does get busy and becomes a bit like dodgems, but that means there is less pressure.

January 2020 A staple quick bite on the go, or filler upper when you’re running low on cash.     A baked or fried bready pastry turnover with a variety of fillings – beef, chicken, cheese and ham.     The quality really depends on the freshness and whether it’s been mass produced.     I also noticed many shops microwave them which I imagine makes them a little soggy.     In my opinion, a good one should be slightly warm from the oven and full of flavour, so find them from street sellers who carry around small baskets of their freshly baked goods.     I found a great one in the El Caminito area of Buenos Aires.

January 2020 A DIY hot chocolate.    You get presented with a glass of steaming hot milk and a small dark chocolate bar which you stir into the milk until it’s completely dissolved to make a rich and chocolatey hot chocolate. Find it at any café.

January 2020 Mate is another big thing in Argentina.    Whether you’re walking down a city street, relaxing in a park or embarking on a hike, you’ll see locals clutching a mate cup in one hand and a thermos in the other.    This is the drink that never ends - the tea leaves are continuously topped up with the thermos.    But what happens when the thermos is empty I hear you say? Never fear! There are vending machines and street stalls designed solely for the purpose of topping up your thermos in exchange for a few pesos. I was excited to try this as the cups are very pretty, with ornate decoration, and the straw doubles up as a filter so you don’t suck up the tea leaves.    Sadly, I wasn’t a fan of the incredibly strong and bitter green tea taste, but it was fun to try it. Where to try it?    The problem is, that because everyone owns a mate cup, and because it’s generally a social experience – a cup is passed around for everyon...

January 2020 Legend has it that a maid was cooking Lechada, a hot drink of milk and sugar, for a political meeting.    She was called away and the Lechada turned in to thick caramel.    She served it anyway and it went down so well that the political deal was sealed there and then.    After that, it became a national favourite.    To say it’s everywhere would be an understatement.    Ice cream, biscuits, pastries, pancakes, toast, enormous tubs in the supermarket, small artisan jars or just by the spoonful, it seems people can’t get enough of this silky smooth, sweet, rich caramel.    It is totally addictive – I had to gaffa tape my tub before I ate it all – just one more spoonful… Find it anywhere and everywhere.

January 2020 When Italians migrated to Argentina, they brought with them their love for gelato.    Ice cream is everywhere in Buenos Aires.    You won’t walk more than a couple of streets before you find a heladeria boasting a whole menu of chocolate flavours, another of fruit flavours, and of course, a whole menu of dulce de leche flavours, making it near impossible to choose.    Maybe it’s the choice of flavours, maybe it’s the heat, the local thing to do seems to be to buy quarter kilo tubs, but with so many heladerias, it’s difficult to know where to begin.    After consulting bar staff and taxi drivers, I settled on Volta and stuck to the basics.    The Chocolate Negro was a little disappointing – I was hoping for a serious cacao hit, the Dulce de Leche on the other hand was dreamy.    A strong caramel flavour, not too creamy, slightly salty, I could have savoured it for hours, but it was melting at a rate of knots!...

January 2020 It wouldn’t be a trip to Argentina without battling an enormous steak.    I’m not a huge meat fan, particularly not red meat, but anything local and I’m sold.    We stumbled across La Carniceria in Palermo.    It seems eating out is a popular activity in Buenos Aires and despite the plethora of restaurants, many were fully booked.    What I particularly liked about this place was that the door (once we found it) was locked so you have to knock and wait for someone to come out and add your name to the waiting list (you could book in advance but we didn’t have that foresight).    We then sat on the step outside quaffing a delicious bottle of Mendoza Malbec, watching the world go by whilst we waited for a table. The restaurant was intimate, with a handful of tables, a bar with a pit of fire behind it and wallpapered with photos of cow carcasses, which did make it feel a little like we were sitting in an abattoir.  ...

January 2020 In general, the coffee wasn’t great in Argentina – I heard that the best South American beans get exported where they sell for more. However, I did come across a place in Buenos Aires where I had possibly the best flat white of my life.    LAB, a micro-roastery in Palermo consistently made excellent coffees.    The milk was steamed to perfection, the coffee was slightly nutty, slightly sweet, slightly bitter and almost creamy.    The café itself is a bright, chic space with a glass wall to let the sunlight stream in, and a natural colour palette of woods and coffee bean sacks.    They also do very good medialunas, and the almost bite-size means they’re almost guilt free.

January 2020 Medialunas Breakfast means two things here – coffee and medialunas or coffee and tostados (see below).    The streets are lined with cafes offering coffee and medialuna deals.    These crescents of deliciousness are slightly crispy and syrupy on the outside, soft and fluffy in the middle.    The coffee perfectly balances the sweetness, I didn’t want them to end!    The best ones I found were at Dulce Maria in Martinez which has the added bonus of being on the Rio de la Plata beach, with views across the water to the city.    Go on a Sunday, late morning, to soak up the atmosphere when locals head to the beach. Tostados The other breakfast option (breakfast is a simple and light affair in Argentina).    Toasted bread served with cream cheese and jam – these work surprisingly well together and are a good option for a tasty breakfast that will leave you with space for an asado later. Find it everywhe...

January 2020 Another meat sandwich – this is Argentina after all.    Very similar to choripan but with pork shoulder, also found at the parilla trucks along the Costanera Sur.    Look for the best ones where the pork is cut to order, and don’t forget to top it with colourful chimichurri and salsa criolla.  

January 2020 More sausagey than chorizo, more chorizoey than sausage, dripping with juice and grilled to order.  Presented in a baguette for you to add whatever combination of salsas you desire from the large, colourful jars adorning the counter.  Heap on salsa criolla - chopped peppers and red onions tossed with olive oil and red wine vinegar, and chimichurri - chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, olive oil and red wine vinegar.  It's rich, it's meaty, it's messy, it's cheap and it's tasty (although it’s so rich one between two is plenty).  Try it at any of the parilla trucks on the Costanera Sur - I suggest the one with the biggest queue.  Go on a Sunday afternoon to wander among locals dancing to microphone wielding signers, alfajores sellers, old school metal presses creating the sweetest and freshest orange juice, and groups chilling on the wall, sipping beer from the beer bikes which cycle up and down pouring cups of cool beer.

January 2020 Patagonia. Home of jagged mountain peaks, mirror lakes, ice fields, and miles and miles of steppe under huge, ever-changing skies. El Calafate The main activity in El Calafate is a trip to see the Perito Moreno glacier.  I was a little unsure whether to go as I feared it may be a tiny, tourist packed boardwalk with a glacier in the distance and a lot of standing around.  I'm so glad I went as it was incredible, exceeding my expectations by far.  Several kms of walkway at varying heights that get close to the glacier, and a beach with rocks, drift wood and miniature icebergs to explore meant a fairly active day.  As one of the few advancing glaciers in the world,  the anticipation builds as the afternoon sun beats down on the ice and you can hear the ice splitting and shifting.  Then with a crack as loud as thunder, a huge chunk crashes in to the lake.  It's an impressive sight and a thrilling experience.  El Chalten The wea...

And when you’re in need of some vegetables (a rare find in Argentina!)… Head to Viva La Pepa in El Calafate.    Specialising in crepes and with a great ethos behind them of wanting to create a place for people to be able to take a pause, they have every sweet and savoury crepe filling imaginable, from those stuffed with lamb, to aubergine and spinach, to trout with leek in lemon sauce, to stewed apples with calafate icecream.    And when I say stuffed, I mean stuffed.    Like their length of the table sandwiches on home-made bread, they are filled to bursting which was perfect when I was in need of a vegetable hit after weeks of meat.    With its flower filled garden, chirpy music and colourful wooden chairs, it makes you feel happy when you walk in, and just a couple of metres from the main street, it’s a tranquil haven from the hustle and bustle.    The staff are genuinely friendly, every table receives complimentary carrot stic...

January 2020 This sweet treat says it all about the nation’s love for dulce de leche.    Traditionally two crumbly, softer than shortbread biscuits sandwiched with a thick smear of dulce de leche, there are countless variations.    From white, dark or milk chocolate enrobed classics, to chocolate biscuits forming the sandwich, to biscuits wrapped around calafate jam, to coconut dusted.    Bite sized to side plate sized, I even saw a triple alfajores comprising 3 biscuits and 2 layers of dulce de leche – a sweet club sandwich.   Find them everywhere - in cafes, panaderias, street stalls and artisan shops.    My favourite was a calafate jam filled, white chocolate enrobed alfajores from Chaltenos in El Chalten.    Made on the premises, the chocolate coating gave a satisfying crunch to an otherwise soft snack, the jam was fruity and flavourful, the biscuit wasn’t powdery like others I’ve tried, and it was the perfect size to e...

January 2020 Patagonia km 24.7 v La Zhorra beer Patagonia km 24.7 is brewed with Patagonian hops in Buenos Aires, and named after the place where their microbrewery in San Carolos de Bariloche is situated along route 77.    I found it a bit wishy-washy, with a watery lager taste.    With several craft offerings, I had high hopes for the La Zhorra microbrewery in El Calafate (there’s also a tap room in El Chalten).    I opted for the honey beer which had lovely honey notes without being overly sweet, but unfortunately had a metallic after taste.    I’d definitely be keen to try their other beers though.

January 2020 El Calafate is named after this Patagonian berry, said to be similar to a blueberry.  I actually found this jam to have an unsatisfyingly smooth texture and tasted more like a poor quality strawberry jam.    Maybe the tantalising purple ice cream better showcases this native fruit, although I didn’t try it. Find both the jam and ice cream in many shops lining the main streets of El Calafate and El Chalten.   

January 2020 Patagonia Chocolate Chocolate made in El Calafate is a bit like a giant flake, with white, milk and dark chocolate versions.    The flavour of the milk chocolate was nothing special, but I loved the texture and chunkiness which was very satisfying to bite in to.   Find it at the several souvenir shops and ice cream parlours on the main street in El Calafate.

January 2020 A must have on any trip to Patagonia.    But beware, even lamb for one is an enormous portion and a meal in itself, even without any sides.    Impressive to see, several lamb carcasses are tied to crosses over a pit of fire.    Different cuts, ribs and all, then served at the table over a pot of glowing embers.    Tasty and tender but incredibly rich – I’ve never experienced such rich lamb before.    For a change from Malbec, try it with a glass of Patagonian Pinot Noir at La Tablita in El Calafate. Lima (butter) beans A great little bar snack, particularly when marinated in oil and (chilli peppers).

January 2020 I was surprised to find homemade pasta and gnocchi served in many restaurants, but as with ice cream, the Italians also brought to Argentina their pasta expertise.    Spoilt for choice, I decided to combine two local specialities – homemade ravioli and Patagonian lamb.    This was one of the tastiest dishes I have ever tried.    Presented in a hot stone bowl on a wooden board, tender chunks of lamb were enrobed in thick pasta which had a good bite to it, and served in a rich and silky stock.    Cubes of bacon gave it a slight saltiness and the mushrooms, earthiness.    Twigs of rosemary and a spoonful of cream rounded off this meathy, earthy dish which managed to be both rich and fresh at the same time.   Try it at Mako in El Calafate, where you are given metre long bread sticks for the table.   

January 2020 You’ll find a homemade flan on the dessert menu of many restaurants.    Very similar to a crème caramel, with a set custard base, topped with a thin layer of caramel.    My favourite was a deconstructed flan.    A glass of creamy, drippy, slightly eggy and sweet like a good custard deliciousness, topped with light as air dulce de leche mousse for that classic flavour, and a hidden hit of thick, super molassesy caramel at the bottom, so thin it complemented perfectly and wasn’t at all overpowering.    It was decorated with caramelised almonds, giving a fabulous contrasting texture, and edible flowers for a little colour amongst all that caramel. Where to find it? Also at Mako in El Calafate.

February 2020 Snow in winter, sun in summer and always incredibly scenic mountains.  The cuisine is influenced by rural farming villages of years gone, leading to hearty dishes, heavy in dairy products. Winter and summer I love the French Alps.    Chamonix is my choice for the summer – plenty to do, great vibe, some stunning hikes, start of the Haute Route trail, and close to some beautiful lakes to cool off in.    Come winter, La Plagne is great for mixed ability groups as there are lots of wide, cruisey blue runs, but plenty to keep more advanced skiers and boarders challenged.    St Martin de Belleville is a pretty, quaint mountain village with a relaxed vibe, but which is linked by a gondala and chair lift to the 600km of pistes in the 3 Valleys.    It’s a great option if you’re not looking for anything too raucous but don’t want to compromise on the size of the ski area.    And if you do fancy an apres-ski p...

February 2020 Micro-breweries are popping up all over the Alps.  MBC in Chamonix brew some tasty beers and also do delicious chicken wings (half price on Mondays!).  Ibex brewery in Morzine was a recent discovery for me.  Both their Cabin Fever IPA and Apres Apres IPA are full of flavour and well balanced. Find Ibex beers at Pourquoi Pas bar in St Martin de Belleville, and MBC beers at MBC in Chamonix.

February 2020 I am never too sure about this dish.     Hailing from Savoie, it’s a must-try in the Alps, but I always feel it should be served as a side dish rather than as a meal in itself.    Layers of potato, onion and bacon are baked in a reblochon cheese, cream and white wine sauce.    It’s a very rich dish, and a good one to keep you full for the day when in the mountains, but the mildness of the reblochon means I find they are often rather bland.    A variation is Croziflette, made in the same way but using tiny squares of locally produced buckwheat pasta in place of potato. Find it at almost every restaurant in the Savoie region.

February 2020 These sausages from the Savoie region have a dense, meaty texture and are bursting with flavour.     They are traditionally cooked in white wine and served with crozets (see ‘Tartiflette’).     I was sceptical about whether these would be any different to a good British sausage, but they really were distinctive and so flavoursome. Find them at L’eterlou in St Martin de Belleville.

February 2020 Another of my ‘must try’ dishes whenever I find myself in France, and another dish accidentally created when the filling was overcooked and started to burn but was served anyway and loved by all.    An apple tart caramelised with calvados so that the pastry is soft, sticky and sweet, the apples are soft, sticky and sweet, and there is a lively zestiness from the brandy that goes particularly well with the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream.    This one had the added bonus of being served alongside a canelé, a cylindrical pastry from Bordeaux with a gooey centre which contrasts particularly well with the tough, caramelised crust.    The nut brittle gave a pleasing contrasting texture to a soft dessert. Find it at La Roy, a homely mountain restaurant hidden just off the Biolley run in St Martin de Belleville.    

February 2020 I get excited when I come across a place selling escargots.    Even though they taste only of the copious amounts of garlic and parsley butter they are swimming in, I do enjoy the meaty texture.    I found some at La Voute, a restaurant on the main street of St Martin de Belleville, although they were out of their shells and I think I prefer them when they still have their shells on – the process of using the various implements to remove them adds a certain something to the drama of the dish.    So although they were good, they didn’t quite match the ones I found at a restaurant near the Trocadero in Paris which were beautifully presented in a ceramic egg box.

February 2020 Anywhere else this would be textures of chestnut.    A miniature chestnut crème brulee works fantastically well to give a subtle variation on a traditional dessert, and features alongside a miniature chestnut tart and madeleine.    Use the chestnut brittle and smears of the sticky, sweet crème de marron to balance the delicious, almost savoury chestnut ice cream – a real highlight of the dish for me.    Find it at La Montagnard in St Martin de Belleville, a cosy restaurant in a converted barn with an intimate atmosphere and cheerful staff.    They also do a fantastic burger topped with local cheese.

February 2020 Make no mistake about it, I love cheese, pretty much every type of cheese, so you would think these dishes would be a dream come true for me.     And I do love them in small doses, I just find it difficult to comprehend eating such a vast quantity of cheese in one sitting – where almost the whole meal is melted cheese.   Raclette is a Swiss cheese, nutty and sweet with earthy undertones, which has become popular in the French Alps.  Around 200g of cheese per person is melted under a table top grill and scraped off as it cooks, on to a plate of boiled potatoes, gherkins and charcuterie. Cheese fondue is a mix of firm, mountain cheeses such as gruyere, emmental, comte and beaufort, heated with white wine, a little garlic and Dijon mustard.  The communal ceramic pot is placed above a burner in the centre of the table for everyone to dip bite-size pieces of bread in to, using a long, thin fork.  It is delicious, especiall...

February 2020 Patisserie I love a good choux pastry.    In fact, it’s probably my favourite type of pastry, so any trip to France is a great opportunity for me to get my fix.    It only seemed right to combine it with a French favourite – crème de marron, et voila, you have a Choux Crème Marron.    A sort of chestnut flavoured pastry cream is piped on to a choux dome with a very thin tipped piping bag so it looks like spaghetti.    The slightly crisp, light choux pastry the perfect vehicle for this very sweet with a hint of nuttiness creamy delight. French meringues are a delight for my palette when it comes to texture – crunchy outside, chewy inside.    Add in the crack of dark chocolate chips and it’s a winner. Find these at La Rissole, St Martin de Belleville’s village bakery.    They also do a delicious tarte au citron – tangy, sweet and a little bit sticky. Viennoiserie I’ve spent a lot of...