Soul Sisters

There are people that you meet along life’s path that are and will remain acquaintances. You meet each other for an occasional coffee or may run into each other at a party, but there is no basis for a deeper relationship. And then there are people that cross your path and you know immediately that you have shared a history that has set the stage for a meaningful friendship.

I met Silvia in October at a BPW (Business Professional Women) function that neither of us had planned on attending. I was supposed to be attending a Spanish class but had lost my enrolment spot in the course due to arriving late for registration (…after spending a fabulous long weekend in Mar del Plata). So, I was available to accept the invitation that Cecilia, a long-time member of the women’s association, had extended. For her part, Silvia was encouraged to attend by one of her friends, also a BPW member, who believed it would be a good networking opportunity in her new catering career.

And even though the meeting was at nine o’clock in the morning, an ungodly hour for two people who had rejected the 9-5, Monday to Friday routine, we both showed up.

Silvia speaks English quite well and was strategically seated next to me to help me understand the meetings proceedings. During the next couple of hours, however, we became distracted from the discussions with questions like: “What brought you to Argentina?”, “Do you like theatre?”, and the clincher “So have you experienced a typical Argentine asado (BBQ) yet?” When I responded “no” to that last question, Silvia quickly extended an invitation to go to her family’s quinta (country cottage) on Sunday. And although I did not know it at the time, the invitation would lead to gaining an Argentine sister.

In the months that followed, Silvia and I met up frequently to go to the theatre, a movie or out to dinner. She also gave me cooking classes in regional Argentine cuisine in exchange for helping her with English cooking vocabulary (a more than fair deal in my favour!) And unlike in Canada where you need to book a date with a friend a week or so in advance, you can call a friend in Argentina any evening of the week - including Friday - and if they are available, off you go.

Silvia introduced me to her friends, I became a part of her family and she became my sounding board to my new life in Argentina. “So”, I would ask her, “when a fellow in the street makes a passing comment to you, what do you do?” “Enjoy it,” Silvia would respond, “smile and walk on by.” Sound advice.

Shortly before I left Argentina to return to Canada, Silvia received an opportunity to go to Panama to prepare Argentine foods. She called me, very excited, and said “Hey Shel, I am going to be in Panama in June with my family. You are welcome to join us!”

Well, Silvia, if I do show up on your doorstep in Panama in June, please don’t be too surprised. And knowing Silvia, she probably wouldn’t be.

The Asado: An Argentine Art Form

In my experience, a Canadian BBQ has consisted of throwing a few hot dogs and hamburgers on a gas grill or an open flame, flipping the contents a few times and voila, 15 minutes later you are ready to eat. In Argentina, the asado (BBQ) is an art form and for the asador, (chief BBQer), it is responsibility not to be taken lightly. As a result, to be invited to share in a family asado is an honor.

Sunday is a devoted family day in Argentina. It is a sacred time when parents, children, and extended family come together to share their stories and experiences of the past week. It is something we have lost in many North American homes due to lack of time, work commitments and a restructured family unit. And where Argentina is heavily dominated by Italian culture, family extends to family friends.

It was on such a Sunday in October that I found myself among Silvia’s family, the Grunbaum’s, in Pilar. Pilar is a town about 45 minutes outside of Buenos Aires and for many city-dwellers, a country escape. It is an area so rich with trees, vegetation and the peaceful sounds of nature that it is easy to forget that you have 9 million neighbors living fairly close by.

Apart from the people that make up the Sunday afternoon gathering, the main attractions are the savory tastes of grass-fed Argentine beef and traditional salads, combined with an endless supply of delicious Mendoza wines. This being my first Argentine asado, Carlos, Silvia’s father and master asador, walks me through this intricate and cultural culinary process. We head into the “asado room” which contains the parrilla (grill) and a long table to accommodate the 12-15 guests.

About an hour or so before the meat even appears, Carlos gets started by lighting the charcoals located to the left of the 6-foot wide parrilla/grill. The trick is to keep the coals glowing red with a light covering of white ash. No open fire here! Also, the heat and distance from the coals are controlled to provide a slow cooking. Once the coals are ready, they are placed under the grill where the meats are to go. It usually takes around 2 hours to cook an asado.

This time allows the guests to greet each other, go for a swim in the pool or laze about the lemon and fig trees. Silvia and I are happy to be lying by the pool with a glass of Malbec wine in one hand and a book in the other. Country living was never so indulgent in Canada!

During all of this activity, Nora, Silvia’s mother, is busily preparing the ensaladas that will round out the feast. Many Argentine farms are organic, or use much less pesticides than they do in Canada. A recent Argentine acquaintance lamented that the farms in Argentina are terribly behind in technology and productivity. If that meant a lack of genetic engineering of the food supply, I for one rejoiced inwardly. This “lack of progress” resulted in the lettuce, tomatoes, onions, carrots that made up the salads we enjoyed taste as nature intended, very fresh and flavorful. They do not need to be smothered in salad dressings, but eaten simply with a dash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

The meats come around the table in the order they are put on the grill. First are the chorizo (pork sausage), morcillas (black pudding) and mollejas (sweetbread), a fatty meat from a young calf. Accompanying this first round are discs of grilled provoleta, a yellow cheese dish commonly found at Argentine asados. Then come the costillas or asado de tira (ribs) and the anticipated bife de chorizo (sirloin strip steak), the meat so tender it melts in your mouth. My eyes must have grown wide with the abundance and selection of beef before me and was relieved when Carlos offered: “Please feel free to try anything, but you don’t have to eat it all.”

For the next two to three hours, in between family jokes and anecdotes, we feast on the most deliciously prepared meats and salads that anyone would experience in Argentina. Even the blood sausage, not a personal favorite, is irresistible, stuffed with fruit and nuts. As the dished are savored, several applauses from family and friends ring out in appreciation for the time and effort Nora and Carlos have spent preparing the food we are enjoying. There are robust shouts of “Un Aplausa para el Asador!“ and ““Un Aplausa para la Ensaladera!“.

Over the spring and summer I would often take part in these family Sunday gatherings and would look forward to a call from Silvia saying “we are going to Pilar this Sunday, want to come?” For me, the invitation meant that I had become part of an Argentine tradition.

Note: Argentina has the world's highest consumption rate of beef, at 68 kg a year per person. As of 2006, livestock farmers keep between 50 and 55 million head of cattle, mostly in the fertile pastures of the Pampas and the country is currently the third largest beef exporter in the world. Source: Wikipedia

Arrival in Buenos Aires

It has been seven short weeks since arriving in the beautiful South American city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. My life has changed somewhat, as you can imagine! BsAs is one of the most sociable cities in the world. And my calendar is booked up at least a week, if not two, in advance.

Daytime hours are spent learning Spanish at the University of Buenos Aires, visiting the many historical and cultural venues of the city and developing friendships with the warm Argentine people. Evening hours are often spent at a tango show, the underground theatre, a ballet, or sharing a meal and a glass of wine with new friends from around the world.

The wine and gastronomy in Argentina are phenomemal, with restaurants and cafes serving the best of Argentine cuisine on every corner and at every turn.

I am also finding myself assisting an organization called ABC Prodein. It provides assistance to disadvantaged children in a low-income area of the city. Along with other volunteers I am helping the organization develop a bilingual brochure which will be used to share the wonderful work they are doing.

Discovery: It is amazing how interesting and enriching life can be when structure is left behind.