Gifts from Argentina

I have likely alluded to it before, but the next best thing to traveling with my husband when he goes away on business is being on the receiving end of gifts when he returns. This time he went to Argentina and the gifts were plenty; delicious gifts of the food variety.

First, a bottle of Malbec which was wonderful despite the fact that we had to drink it out of plastic cups. I know this can be considered a good-wine sin, but the glasses are all packed away and I assure I enjoyed no less than if it had come from the most expensive wine glasses.

Along with wine, most foodies know all about chimichurri, the popular condiment of Argentina made of parsley, oregano and paprika along with many other ingredients depending on the recipe you follow. My husband received a packet of the dried mix as a gift and we’ve been instructed to reconstitute the herbs in a bit of water, and then add some oil and vinegar. So you can expect a post about this tasty stuff when I’m back to cooking again.

Finally, I saved the best for last. By far one the best sweets I have had in South America are alfajores from Argentina. I never knew cookies, dulce de leche (doce de leite in Portuguese) and chocolate could be so good.

This dessert takes two light and tender cookies and secures them together with a generous helping of caramel goodness. Then, as if that wasn’t good enough, they are covered in chocolate. They crumble and melt in your mouth with each bite. What I find especially interesting is that the cookie has a very slight citrus flavor. At least that is what it tastes like to me.

According to my sources, which happen to be the boxes the alfajores came in; the dessert is an Arabic invention and comes from the word “al-hasu” which means filling. In Argentina they can be traced back to the Spanish city of Córdoba.

The kind we are familiar with are from Havanna a chain of coffee and sweets shops which you can find in the Sao Paulo airports and in some malls in Curitiba. Most often you can find the original flavor, but there are plenty of variations as well. You can find some filled with fruit spread and covered in white chocolate or some with chocolate inside and out, or with a hint of hazelnut flavor. Some lack the chocolate coating and are rolled in powdered sugar.

In Argentina, my husband found the Havanna variety, but he decided to take a chance on some different brands. These were actually less expensive so we were a little nervous that they may not be as good. We’ve purchased some generic brands here in Brazil and didn’t turn out to be very exciting.

Well, we had nothing to worry about. All have been amazing! He picked up a box of the original with chocolate outside and dulce de leche inside.

Next was a specialty box with fruit filling and white chocolate. There is raspberry, wild berry, strawberry and the one I’m most interested to try, but saving for last, wild rose hip. The jams are sweet with a mild tart flavor that goes so well with the white chocolate. And the cookie is that same tender, crumbly goodness.

I’ve not tried to make my own yet, but you can check out this post from Sweets Foods to find a list of all kinds of Alfajores recipes to try.

So as you can see I’m filling up this week on foods from all over South America, not only those from Brazil. Speaking of that, I need to figure out which of my suitcases is going to transport all the coffee I want to take back with me. Alfajores from Argentina and coffee from Brazil, now that is one match up worthy of lugging an extra suitcase!