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Fin de Semana

Monday, February 20, 20060

Abroad by Paul FussellBuenos 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 and off since, not that it’s a long book, it’s more that it’s an odd book, and I had lots of other things going on. In the end though, it was a completely enjoyable and fascinating book. Mr. Fussell takes a look back at literary travel writing – in particular during the “golden age” of travel, between the two world wars. It’s sort of partly literary review and partly a bit of a travel book itself. I’m not going to say it’s action packed, but it definitely evokes some wonderful images of the world of travel via rail and ship and foot during that era. And if nothing else, I learned that the entire concept of passports and visas, is a very recent, 20th century invention of the British – in fact, the very first passports were issued only 91 years ago in 1915! Before then, one just sort of went where one wanted, often with little more than luggage and a little cash or a letter of credit. Think about that the next time you’re in a two hour long line at customs!

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Saturday evening found us wandering our way to the Rosedal, but not to see the roses. Instead, it was to listen to, and hopefully see, Mercedes Sosa, quite possibly the most successful Argentinian singer of all time – nationally and internationally. Of course, we were not alone in heading for this gratis concert in the park, we were joined but a few thousands of other people who had the same idea. At about 7 minutes before 9:00 in the evening, a white helicopter zoomed overhead, and then swooped down and landed backstage. Sharply at 9, Ms. Sosa was on stage to a standing ovation – which was to remain the model of the concert – thousands of folk who’d come and found places to sit on the grass now stood, and remained standing, for two solid hours of music – clapping, cheering, and singing along – slowly pressing closer to the stage in hopes of glimpsing her directly. Not an easy feat, as she was seated in a grand armchair, making her a bit difficult to see – but large screens on either side of the stage kept her in view of everyone. She was joined mid-concert by Diego Torres, one of Argentina’s more recognizable young talents, and at the end of the evening, for her final three songs, by the legendary Charly Garica. No photos – it was dark out, they were using kleig lights shining out from the stage, and the best I could get was a flash photo of a few dozens of folk standing near to me.

Then we went back home and watched the re-broadcast of the concert on local television so that we could actually see and hear her!

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I left my camera at home last evening when I went out to meet my friend Michael for a bite to eat. It doesn’t really matter, as the presentation of the food we ate was nothing exciting – more or less just food slapped on plates. What matters is that the food was absolutely delicious! We’d headed over to Puerto Madero, figuring that it was early on a Sunday evening, and it was our best bet for finding something open. Plus there are ample people watching opportunities. I’d heard about a Cuban restaurant that was supposed to be pretty good, if slightly pricey, and so we took a table in the window, overlooking the puerto, at El Tocororo, Av. de Justo 1050 (Dock 7). Salsa music played in the background, the one other customer in the place was pretty much finished eating and ready to go, but we ordered a couple of well-made, and quite strong mojitos and settled in with the menu. [This place has closed.]

Only a part of the menu is “authentically” Cuban, maybe a quarter. But the rest of it is definitely Cariibbean and/or Cuban influenced. We started with a plate of guacamole, a glistening, parrot green, chunky mound of absolutely fresh avocado, seasoned perfectly, and topped with an array of plantain chips for dipping. A small salad on the side added a little extra interest. We also nearly inhaled the tower of pristinely fresh shrimp ceviche, still tasting briny from the sea, dressed in a light citrus, herb, and vegetable mixture, and topped with radish sprouts. Quite happy, we continued on to a plate of ropa vieja, a huge scoop of shredded pork, stewed in a mildly spicy tomato sauce, heaped atop a large plate of white rice and a “potage” of black beans. On the other plate, masitas de puerco con moros y cristianos – cubes of pork sauteed in garlic, onion, orange juice, and spices; alongside a large hill of a black bean, rice, and chili mixture. A bottle of locally bottled, but quite good tabasco and vinegar hot sauce was brought to the table and a dash or two added just the right amount of heat. We finished off with a creamy rice pudding with a vanilla brulee top, and a cup of the most sublime vanilla custard, swirled with caramel and topped with cinnamon, that I think I’ve ever had.

Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Yes. It’s a shame that the place was so empty, and I hope it’s not that way regularly – literally while we were there only two other people came in, and they only shared a quick snack and a couple of drinks and left. The place seats probably 200 people. If this is normal for them, go before it closes!

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Books (Reviews)

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Bush To Discuss Health Care During Visit To Wendy’s

Sunday, February 12, 20060

bushburger– AP Wire –
Does this really need a comment?
Okay, from the Wendy’s International website:

We care deeply about the quality of our food. Since Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy’s® restaurant in 1969, we’ve served great-tasting, freshly prepared food, just the way you want it.

You manage your daily intake of food according to what’s important to you. Experts agree that it is important to maintain balance. The U.S. Department of Agriculture encourages regular physical activity; eating a variety of grains and plenty of fruits and vegetables; and choosing foods sensibly for good health.

Wendy’s, in collaboration with the American Dietetic Association, has created a guide, “Eating Better Together”, to help you and your family make menu choices for a healthier lifestyle. You’ll find tips about exercise and calorie intake, the importance of dairy and calcium and how to choose a healthy meal while dining out.

At Wendy’s, you can choose from a wide variety of great-tasting, satisfying meal options regardless of how you want to eat. Perhaps you want to look and feel fit. Or you have dietary restrictions for medical reasons. Or you’re controlling your weight.

In this section of wendys.com, we show you how Wendy’s can help address some of your specific dietary concerns. Armed with the right information, you can choose meals that taste great, but also meet your personal goals.

Possibly eating somewhere that doesn’t serve fast food? Not that I don’t like, and when I was back in the States, occasionally ate at, Wendy’s, but I went in kind of figuring that a double burger with mayo, extra large fries, and a frosty, weren’t exactly high on the health food list…

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Flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict

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Spooning

Sunday, February 5, 20060

Buenos Aires – If you’re in the food world, especially in the restaurant end of it, you tend to hear murmurs about this chef or that in that world. The murmurs are usually in the line of “I had the most amazing…” or “X may not be famous, but he’s the best…”. Falling into that category is chef Roger Souvereyns, a Belgian chef who, while not completely unfamous, is not exactly a household name, let alone one that most foodies would even recognize. His inn, in the Belgian countryside, is a gorgeous affair, with a spectacular maze garden. But more importantly is his food – while I’ve never eaten there myself, over the years I’ve heard whispers and sighs as friends who have, have returned to extol the virtues of his presentation, his flavors, his flair, his creativity.

Every now and again I search for one of his books, they’re difficult to find affairs. A couple of weeks ago I found a listing online for a first edition of his Look Into the Spoon. This is a stunningly photographed book, with equally intriguing recipes, and interspersed with the fascinating history of… the spoon. Souveyreyns is an inveterate antiques collector, and his spoon collection is his pride and joy. It makes for a great read, and if you should ever find yourself a copy, it’s worth getting. Mine required long distance negotiation with Simon of Chevin Books in England to convince him that sending a package to the wilds of South America was not akin to tossing the book into the fireplace. I’m delighted that he relented, as this book is ridiculously difficult to find for one that was published a mere ten years ago. I also grabbed another book from his collection, more on that after I’ve had a chance to peruse it.

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Books (Reviews)

The Domestic Partner Analysis

Tuesday, January 24, 20060

agreementUniversity of Florida has opened its benefits plan to domestic partners, gay or straight. The application for benefits requires that the two people swear to the following:

1.We are each other’s sole Domestic Partner and intend to remain so indefinitely;

2.We reside together in the same principal residence and intend to reside together indefinitely;

3.We are emotionally committed to one another, share joint responsibilities for our common welfare, and are jointly responsible for each other’s financial obligations as demonstrated by the presentation of two of the following:

– a. joint ownership of real property;
– b. common ownership of an automobile;
– c. joint bank accounts;
– d. a will, retirement plan, or life insurance policy designating the other as primary beneficiary;
– e. a rental agreement showing both parties;
– f. driver’s licenses showing the same address for both parties; or
– g. IRS tax returns showing the same address for both parties
– h. durable property or healthcare power of attorney granted by either party to the other

4.We are each at least 18 years old and mentally competent to consent to a contract:

5.We are not related by blood closer than would bar marriage in the State of Florida;

6.We are not legally married to anyone else and are not involved in any other Domestic Partnership.

7.We have been in a non-platonic relationship for the preceding 12 months.

First off, I’m all for domestic partnership benefits, and I totally understand that any organization granting them wants to avoid situations like a couple of friends or roommates deciding to apply for them just to save money. But, a couple of thoughts…

#1 & #2 – the word indefinite means: “unclear, vague, lacking precise limits, uncertain, undecided.” Although in common speech people often use it to mean “forever” or “a really, really long time,” that isn’t what it means, and this is a legal document.

#3 – I know married couples, especially those where both people work, who couldn’t qualify with two of those, though I do think it’s a reasonable list.

#4 – If someone happens to be mentally incompetent to consent, but consents, how does that affect the contract? Not being a lawyer, I haven’t a clue.

#5 – Though on the face of it completely sensible, it brings to mind a wide array of jokes, many of which are often told about folks in the south…

#6 – Shouldn’t there be some way of phrasing this in the singular for each person?

#7 – Already the butt of internet jokes making the rounds on this one, and selected out for particular taunting by Randy over at This Is True this week. As he pointed out, many married couples swearing to that would be lying. As I pointed out to him in return, the statement doesn’t require them to swear to being in a sexual relationship with each other, nor does it require they be monogamous, merely that they state, in essence, that they’ve been engaged in sexual activity during the preceding year…

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Flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict

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On Empanadas

Thursday, January 19, 20060

What’s Up Buenos Aires
NEWS
January 19, 2006

On Empanadas

Empanadas
While not impossible to visit Buenos Aires and avoid sampling empanadas, it would be foolish. Argentina is known far and wide for its beef, and aficionados will argue the fine points of presentation from the parrilla or the asado. Yet probably no other item from the culinary repertoire engenders quite so much passion as the defense of one’s favorite empanada. Arguments range from “my grandmother made criollas that your grandmother wasn’t fit to eat” to “my favorite place has the most perfect… baked, fried, cut beef or ground, potatoes, olives, eggs, onions, or raisins, included or not… and I’ll take you there and prove it.” Culinary historians natter on about the origin of this bread enveloped pastry, tracing it back to Galicia in Spain, or perhaps to ancient Persia. To hear some of them go on, we’d need carbon dating to settle on the origin.

It would come as no surprise to find that every culture on the planet has some version of the empanada – from Middle Eastern fatays, to Asian pot-stickers, to Scandinavian pastys, to a classic savory turnover from France. Yet, there is something uniquely Latin American about the empanada. It would be difficult to put one’s finger on it – the dough is not unique in the pastry world, most often made from simple white flour, eggs, water, and lard. The fillings range from beef to pork to chicken to fish. The spices vary in accordance with local favorites throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean. The additions are too numerous to consider. Yet there’s something about them, when one picks them up, hot and juicy, that fits the Latin culture.

Argentines would argue that theirs are the best. That would be a hard claim to prove, but it would be a fantastically delicious exercise to sit down at a table laden with examples from throughout the empanada world. Certainly there is a wide variety of regional styles, thankfully most of them are available here in Buenos Aires (including examples from neighboring countries), removing the need to hop on colectivos and travel province by province to sample them. Here you can find garlicky, spicy catamarqueñas chockfull of potatoes, green onion packed salteñas, white onion filled san juaninos, touches of tomato and various cheeses in the tucumanas, salmon and tuna from the shore, or packed into Chilean styles, lamb and mushrooms from Patagonia, pumpkin based Venezuelans, and finely ground goat meat in the arabe styles. Cheese filled, corn filled, vegetable laden, or a wide variety of meats abound. Local shops may offer specialty versions, and it is worth seeking out something like smoky pancetta and plum, or spicy sausage and green onion, or even an Italian knockoff like a napolitana.

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Online Publications, What's Up Buenos Aires

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Too Much Chianti

Wednesday, December 28, 20050

New York City – I was chatting via e-mail with a friend of mine recently about my food writing adventures, and the possibility of some sort of future book. We got to talking about books like Under the Tuscan Sun and A Year in Provence, and other such gems of travel writing that tend to involve a fair amount of food. I have to admit, those types of books, while interesting, tend to strike me as both over-romanticized and also a trifle vicious, usually by presenting local residents in caricature. There’s also the omnipresent attempt to define local culture in terms of one’s own background.

Now, while that’s understandable to a certain extent, it reminds me of conversations I sometimes overhear in Buenos Aires that I’ve become attuned to when I listen in on tourists. Last week when we went to Colonia, seated behind us were two young men, a couple, from Philadelphia, chatting with another young man from somewhere in Europe. The couple were bemoaning the fact that Buenos Aires was not nearly as interesting as they’d been led to expect… the conversation went something like:

“There’s really nothing to do here unless you want to go out in the middle of night to a club.”

“Have you gone to any of the museums or galleries?”

“We have museums in Philadelphia, what could they possibly have here that would match those?”

“Have you gotten out and explored the neighborhoods?”

“We’re staying in the center of town, in “Centro” [note: the downtown financial district], we’ve walked all around that area and haven’t seen anything historical except the “Pink House” and it wasn’t nearly as impressive as the White House.”

“Well what do you think of the food?”

“Who wants to go out for a steak in the middle of the night, besides we can get steak back home. We’ve just been eating in the hotel or at a nearby coffee shop.”

This sort of conversation isn’t unusual. I’ve heard complaints about the lack of peanut butter for “real sandwiches,” the lack of American or Canadian bacon to go with breakfast, the lack of Starbucks, the confusion of not having streets laid out in grid patterns, and even the old “how come they don’t learn to speak English here?” On the other hand, the vast majority of folk that I meet who are visiting Buenos Aires are fascinated by its rhythms and pace, charmed by its architecture and style, eager to seek out new food and wine experiences, and, well, just plain explore.

Too Much Tuscan SunBack to the conversation, and my friend recommended that I pick up a copy of a relatively new book entitled Too Much Tuscan Sun: Confessions of a Chianti Tour Guide by Dario Catagno. So, I did, and it was my reading on the train back and forth to Lancaster over the last two days. Well, for me it was more of the same. The only difference is, it was told from the perspective of the local, talking about the tourists, rather than the other way around. But it still over-romanticizes Tuscany with long homages to grapes and olives and abandoned farmhouses and country roads, and from reading it you’d think that every local person is nothing but the most charming and interesting human to walk the face of the earth.

Despite a claim at the beginning that he had no intentions of the book being a vendetta against Americans who write travelogues about Tuscany, in the end, that’s exactly what he has written. With little exception, his “memorable clients” are villified for their lack of understanding of local culture despite his best attempts to guide them through it, and rather than emphasizing the charm and interest of those clients who are actually interested in learning and exploring (whom he dismisses in a couple of paragraphs in a late chapter in the book), he focuses on those who aren’t, and who were problems to guide around. I was left with the impression that he sees Americans as little more than Diet Coke swilling, shopaholics who wear too much makeup and do nothing but complain. In the end, despite his clear passion for the Tuscan countryside and local history, I couldn’t think of anyone I’d less rather spend time with in that part of the world – and I don’t think that was his intent in writing the book!

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Books (Reviews)

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Rainy Day Reading

Wednesday, November 23, 20050

Vinas, Bodegas & VinosBuenos Aires – It’s pouring rain in Buenos Aires today, so plans for some outdoor activities, and probably even a visit to a museum have been backburnered. I promised weeks ago to give you a review of the new edition of Viñas, Bodegas & Vinos de América del Sur, or Vineyards, Wineries & Wines of South America. This book is an annual guide, now in its 3rd edition (2006), published by Austral Spectator. A panel of judges selected from local experts (primarily Argentina and Chile, some from Brasil and Uruguay as well) are brought together to taste through wines submitted from various wineries throughout the continent. Any winery that wishes to participate may, but it is voluntary, and based only on submissions, so it is definitely a selective view of what’s happening in South American wine. That said, for the first edition there were less than 300 wineries participating and less than 1500 wines, in this edition there are now 394, and over 2000, respectively.

Having spent a fair amount of time reading through all three editions, I can say that the new one has vastly improved. First and foremost, it is far less self-congratulatory. The original edition goes on ad nauseum about the importance of each of the participants and how much work went into producing the tasting and the book. I’ve talked with several of the folks involved in the judging panel, and according to them, much of what was in the first, and still some in the second edition, was apparently just made up. The claims to have visited nearly every winery in the book were simply not true, in fact few actually had been visited by anyone from the guide, instead they relied on reports of the wineries themselves as to conditions and practices. In the new edition this has been pretty much eliminated, plus, over time, many of the wineries have now actually been visited.

The information in the book, especially that relating to the industries in the various countries covered (Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Chile, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay, and Venezuela) and the specific regions, is more comprehensive, more accurate, and more interesting. The book is written in Spanish, with a side-by-side translation into English. The English translation is far more readable than it was in past editions – it is less literal (the first edition at points looked like someone had sat down and just done a word for word translation without the knowledge of English grammar or style) and instead covers the same material, accurately, but written to make sense. The maps are clear and comprehensive. For those who simply must have a rating system, they’ve opted for a one to five star rating, along with a price level indication. The writeups on the individual wineries are quite good, including contact information, which is a real plus for wine travellers.

The book starts off with a detailed listing, with descriptions, of the Top 70 Wines of the year. From my perspective, it is unfortunate that so many of these are wines made in “the international style.” My gut feeling from the tasting, and from reading the book, is that there is too much of an emphasis amongst the judges on trying to find, and like, wines that will get high scores in international publications. That attempt to “fit in,” is in my view a mistake. This book ought to strike out on its own and create a new path, and a serious and critical look at the quality of wine making in South America. That doesn’t necessarily mean only looking for wines made in traditional fashion, many of which were low quality bulk wine, but perhaps to look more for wines that emphasize the qualities of traditional grapes. Of the “top 70,” 41 were Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or a blend with those, 9 Syrah, 1 Pinot Noir, 1 Sauvignon Blanc, and 1 Chardonnay, virtually all aged in new oak barrels and with high alcohol levels. Only 11 pure Malbecs, 3 Tannats, 3 Carmenères, and not a single Torrontés, made the grade.

As I said above, this is a self-selected sampling of wineries, obviously there are far more than 394 wineries in South America, though many still produce basic table wine for local consumption. The book is a fascinating read, and an equally fascinating view into a part of the world’s wines that many folks in other parts of the globe either don’t have the opportunity, or don’t make the opportunity, to taste. It’s well worth its list price in the U.S. of $58 (though I’d note that Amazon is offering it at $36 – and also, for some truly bizarre and inexplicable reason, in a duo-package with a DVD of an Argentine film, Last Images of the Shipwreck from 1985), and certainly its local Argentine price of 90 pesos.

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Books (Reviews)

Pyx of the Day

Saturday, November 19, 20050

pyxdoorThis is the Pyx Door. It is part of Westminster Abbey. It is mostly important because earlier this year it was identified officially as the oldest door in Britain. The details of the process are unimportant, but for those interested, you can find them on the Abbey’s website.

What I found most interesting were reports on both the website, and the website of Heritage Today magazine, the magazine of the English Heritage, who had a part in the dating process. The part that caught my eye:

“A detailed archaeological study of the “Pyx” door, which opens into the outer vestibule of Westnimster Abbey’s octagonal Chapter House, reveals that the wood in the door was felled between 1032 and 1064AD, and that the door was made some time in the 1050s.”

There’s more to the reports than that. But I’m a numbers kind of person. God is in the details and all that. Take a look again.

Hmmm… let’s see, I understand that the archeological process is inexact, and was only able to narrow down the range to between 1032 and 1064. But from other records, they know that the door was manufactured in the 1050s. One might think that the period from sometime in the 1050s until 1064 could be eliminated as a possible date for the “felling of the wood.” Not that I’m an expert carpenter, but my guess is few doors are made from wood while it’s still in the middle of the tree.

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Flotsam, jetsam, lagan, and derelict