Pick Market, Teatro Cervantes, and Milion

Sa 3.2.13

• ok, ok...all I blog about is food
• but come on! you sit down to eat at least three times per day, and we're in a different country, with different foods, and different restaurants...and if you know me at all, you know I have a big appetite, and love to eat....so give me a break people! (had to get that out there)
• I read a blog a while back about The Pick Market, a place that sold white cheddar cheese...
• then I realized that there was a location in our neighborhood, and I had to check it out

• although there was no white cheddar on my first visit, I did discover other good looking imported products, along with a variety of wine, oils, spices, and a fresh selection of various meats and cheeses (including turkey! ...ended up buying some on a different visit, was expensive, a little salty, and went bad fast...but that first sandwich was probably worth it)

• so far, I've gone back there for their meat and cheese, sesame crackers (only 4 ingredients!), and Swedish bread (also like crackers, and healthy)

• anyway, on this particular Saturday, I took Jake for lunch
• we shared a couple different sandwiches on tasty baguette bread
• I got the bondiola (which looked more like jamon crudo) with gruyere cheese, olive oil and pepper

• and Jake ordered a ham, brie, arugula, sun dried tomatos and I think some sort of honey mustard (we both liked his better)
• we shared the bottle of Torrontés you see pictured there...que rico!

• we stuck around a bit longer to read, sip vino, and take advantage of outdoor seating before winter hits

• that night we met up with friends to see the show, Jettatore at the old, beautiful Teatro Cervantes
• the play was first performed and 1904, so it's been around a while
• of course, it was all in Spanish...and we missed the first 15 minutes because we were confused on the time, but I got the general gist, and given that it was a comedy, the actors motions alone kept me laughing (or I'd just laugh when those around me would laugh)
• here are some shots of the inside of the theater:

loved these old red velvet chairs!

• with the great theater district here, we really need to start seeing more plays! 
• after, we went out for a drink at Milion pretty cool place in this old mansion (just click on to check out their super awesome website...seriously so fun)
• they have some seriously awesome mixed drinks, and since Jake and I hadn't eaten, we ordered a couple different salads to share (both were delicious) 
• Jake ordered the most random mixed drink on the menu...some concoction of Corona, tabasco sauce, and lime (I thought it was disgusting. he liked it)

Cheers!

Cocina Sunae

F 2.22.13

• some friends invited us to dinner at a closed door restaurant, Cocina Sunae, their 2nd visit, our first

• Cocina Sunae is located in Colegiales and is set in a couple's home, she, an Asian-American chef living and cooking in BA with her husband and children
• they have a cute little side garden for outdoor dining, and a number of tables inside for separate parties
• the atmosphere was nice, calm and relaxing, and the food, spicy and different (GOOD different)

• the lighting is not great in these photos, but...
• we started with a Philipino Ukoy: crispy shrimp cake with sweet potatoes, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions, served with a shallot-garlic vinaigrette dipping sauce (really loved this! ...oh, and we shared a bottle of Torrontes)

• second course: Thai Yum Gung: hot and sour shrimp salad with lemongrass, mint, cilantro, cucumber, cherry tomato, and onion

• for the main course, we had an option between: Philipino Pesa: pan fried fish in a ginger garlic broth with potatoes and greens, topped with a spicy tomato compote and fried shallots, served with steamed rice 

• or Thai Massamam Curry: Muslim curry in coconut milk with chicken, potatoes, onions, cardamom, tamarind, and peanuts, served with steamed rice

• Jake got one, I got the other so we could sample both
• I enjoyed the curry better, but it was super spicy! (nose was running, but good to have some picante for a change!)
• the night was topped off with Philipino Halo Halo: lychee, passion fruit, nata de coco, oranges, and grapefruit, topped with green tea ice cream, ginger cookie and panden merengue cream...light, yet sweet and tasty...cookie was very gingery and the bitter ice cream balanced out the sweet fruit nicely

• the menu changes weekly, and they are open on Th, F, Sa evening...reservations only
• next time we're craving some Asian spice, we know where to go!
• thanks for the invite friends! ^^*

Becky Day

F 2.15.13

• somedays, I need a Becky Day (I know, I'm guilty of being spoiled and needy sometimes)
• which could mean a quiet day (or any number of minutes/hours) at home alone *my fave, or going to a café to do work, read, study, or surf the net, or it could mean going for a run, or trying a new restaurant in town

• on this day, my last weekday of summer vacation, I chose a restaurant
• you see, restaurants here often have killer lunch deals, but a working teacher can only really take advantage of these deals on her summer holiday (business lunch, what?!?)
• so, after hearing great things, to L'Adesso I went (p.s. don't get there before 1pm...I know it says they open at noon, but it's not true...you know how BA can be)
• the bread basket was just as I expected - tasty

• a cute little bruschetta came out as a complimentary appetizer

• I ordered the set menu which included water, main course, and dessert
• I went with the penne rigate

• and the house chocolate mousse for dessert

• some of the best Italian food I've had in the city
• grand total = AR$55 (~US$11)
• since I was alone, I brought along the ol' laptop to work on the blog a bit
• then I spent the rest of the afternoon getting some grocery shopping done and laying out on the patio
• NOW, I feel a bit more ready to start school again
• do you have "ME" days? what do you do with a free minute, hour, day, or summer?

V-Day 2013

a month tarde but here we go...

Th 2.13.13

• for Valentine's Day this year, I kept it pretty low-key
• but Jake brought home flowers from work, and presented me with the sweetest homemade card

he's got MAD skills!

• and he had made reservations at Annetta, an Italian restaurant in our neighborhood that I'd been wanting to try
• they give giant pours of vino, big plus

• they have leather arm chairs with outdoor seating on a cute little boulevard, Cerviño

• Jake enjoyed the comfy arm chair

• we both liked our dishes, Jake a pasta, me a mushroom risotto

• dessert was nothing special, unfortunately, but I think we'd return
• an evening out, just the two of us, especially on a weeknight, is always enjoyed and appreciated 
• <3 love you, Valentine!

Cooking with Teresita

Tu 2.12.13

• just after moving here last year I had heard of an empanada cooking class, Cooking With Teresita, that looked like something I would like
• so in an attempt to fit it in before I started teaching, a friend and I decided to go during our long weekend
• we took the recommended shuttle bus from Teatro Colon, and after ~45 minutes and a 10 minute walk, we were south of Capital Federal in the neighborhood, Adrogue at the home of Teresita
• after chatting a bit in her beautiful, green backyard

• we put our aprons on and got to work
• first task on our recipe, chop the onions

• today we were making traditional carne empanadas (meat) and humita empanadas (corn)
• we chopped up various vegetable like corn, red bell peppers, green onions, and green olives

• then it was time to cook the meat and corn fillings

• once the filling was well-seasoned and cooked, it needed to be refrigerated for a bit to let the flavors meld together
• while melding, we went back outside for a little wine tasting, or "recess" (Teresita used to be a school teacher :)

• we tasted Trapiche Origen Torrontes, the white of Argentina 
• when recess was over, we returned to the kitchen to start on the dough, or tapas
• instead of using butter or oil, the secret ingredient to a good empanada dough is some good ol' pork fat, or lard

cute little piggie

• the other secret might be an old-fashioned scale to measure your flour (and I got to be the flour measurer!)

now this thing is an antique!
I think Teresita said it used to be in her Grandma's house

• we mixed together the perfectly measured flour, a little brine, and melted lard, formed little dough balls, then lined them up to get a head count

• then using a good ol' wooden dowel cut into rolling pin length pieces, we rolled out our dough balls into flat circular tapas

added raisins and chopped hard boiled egg to the meat as well

• then Teresita showed us how the magic happens

• she so effortlessly filled her tapa and twisted her little empanada into a perfect little bundle with a beautiful decorative edge 

• we tried to follow suit, but maybe ours didn't look quite as nice as hers
• the not so nice looking one should go into the oven to be baked

the humita empanadas were sealed simply with a fork, the carne with the special twist

• and the better-sealed ones go into the pot of sizzling oil to be fried

• the fried ones received a little sprinkling of sugar

• and that was it! time to dig in!

• and of course, these were some of the best empanadas I've had...we thoroughly enjoyed several over several copas de vino
• we wandered around the beautiful backyard for a bit, admiring the plants, flours, a green BA park bench (I want one!) and their stone outdoor oven (I want one of these too!)

• and after a few shots with our teachers

Teresita with her granddaughter (aka sous chef)

all of the students: me, Yayoi, couple from US travelling S.Am., couple from US studying in BA,
then Teresita's husband, and granddaughter

• we shuttled our way back to BA
• my review: great, organized website, good communication through e-mails, organized class, quality ingredients and instruction, laid back, relaxing feel in a typical Argentine home setting, REALLY enjoyed our afternoon! would highly recommend!
• *only complaint: she wanted us to pay in dollars.  we earn in pesos and do not have dollars, so she was willing to accept our pesos.  we wanted to pay the official exchange rate, she wanted more...we settled somewhere in the middle.  I know she gets a lot of tourists from overseas who could pay in dollars, but for people living here, she should also post her rates in pesos on her website