Food

It’s possible to drink in more than just the scenery in Argentina—a precious land named for silver (argentums in Latin) and known internationally for its grand landscapes, glaciers and gauchos, as well as a thriving cosmopolitan city life.

In Buenos Aires, you can sip the traditional yerba mate outside the government’s famed Pink House (while mothers gather at the Plaza De Mayo), or you can opt for espresso in the Café Tortoni—a historic meeting place for writers and artists dating back to 1858, with a clientele that has included playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, Italian dramatist Luigi Pirandello and the legendary tango singer Carlos Gardel. And of course, you can always try a Malbec—the fruity red wine varietal that’s grown not only in Argentina, but in France, Chile, Australia and parts of California.

It had been a while since I’d gone tangohopping in Argentina, so I consulted with several natives and wine consultants about their favorite beverages. I caught up with Pablo Aslan, a tanguero, producer and bass player currently living in New York and writing for his group Avantango, while he was sipping yerba mate, a typical herbal infusion from Argentina. It doesn’t leave him jittery like his favored French roast coffee does (a taste he acquired in California), but as Pablo explains, he isn’t from a mate-drinking home. “It was more of a class thing,” he says, recalling his childhood in Argentina. “The kitchen help drank mate—not middle- or upper-middleclass families.”

Indeed, yerba mate is a non-alcoholic beverage associated with rural and working- class roots. The drink is made by fireroasting the leaves and twigs from a South American species of holly, which are then dried and crushed to produce a vitaminpacked antioxidant akin to tea. The mixture is steeped in hot (but not boiling) water, and shared by an intimate group of friends or family, perhaps over a discussion of family affairs, local gossip or the state of the world. It has traditionally been a popular drink with the gaucho cowboys it complements their meat-heavy diet and serves as a digestive.

Nowadays, mate can be found as far away as Alaska, with online accessibility for the intrepid drinker, and sometimes its flavor is augmented with green tea, vanilla, coffee, or fruit. Some prefer the more social and authentic method of drinking the loose-leaf herb in a gourd (also known as a mate—the name itself comes from the Quechua word “mati,” meaning container or gourd) through a metal straw with a built-in strainer called a bombilla. Others brew it in a French-press coffee pot and pour it into a thermos, and it’s possible to find it sold in teabags.

The history of yerba mate stretches back to the pre-Colombian era, when the Guarani Indians drank the infusion from earthenware pots for medicinal purposes. (Among its many health, vitality and longevity benefits, it is said to boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, promote better sleep, and act as an appetite suppressant.) Centuries later, it was adopted by the Spaniards and other Europeans, while Jesuit priests even established mate plantations. Today mate is still drunk from gourds, and a well-seasoned one is said to add to its flavor.

Mariela Franganillo, an accomplished tango dancer and choreographer, prefers boldo, which is a caffeine-free tea made from evergreen shrubs. An herbal infusion that aids in digestion, boldo also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and liver tonic.

The Incas purportedly treated bladder infections with boldo leaf infusions. Both Franganillo and anthropologist Maria Lagos also have fond memories of their childhood favorite: the hot chocolate variant called the submarino—a glass of steamed milk served with a bar of bittersweet chocolate (sometimes shaped like a submarine) that is dipped and stirred until it melts. Franganillo says the drink is equally refreshing hot or cold, and while the history of the submarino remains shrouded in mystery, Lagos says it is at least five decades old. Those interested in a U.S. version can access Divalicious (see sidebar), which offers the chocolate on a stick for easy dipping. In Argentina’s Italian-influenced café culture, you might find a submarino on the menu alongside a café (espresso), cortado (espresso with steamed milk), or café con leche (half coffee and half heated milk, usually served at breakfast).

For those who prefer wine, there are many excellent choices. The Spaniards introduced wine to Argentina in the early 16th century. Today, the Argentine wine industry is well-established, with a huge geographical range that allows for planting grapes that thrive in diverse surroundings and at high altitudes. Argentine vineyards boast no “bad years” because they irrigate with pure water melted from the snowcapped Andes they don’t worry about too much rain or the pests it might attract.

The country’s signature aromatic white wine, with floral and fruit components, is the Torrontes the Zolo Torrontes was recently named “Best Value” by the Wall Street Journal. If you’re looking for something more high-end, try the Michel Torino Don David Torrontes from the high-altitude, northernmost Salta wine region. According to the Wines Of Argentina group (formed in the mid-1990s and currently dealing with over 100 wineries), the Torrontes is best paired with fish, smoked cold meats, paté, cheese, onion quiche, oriental food, curry, and empanadas.

But Argentina’s flagship varietal is still the red Malbec. This grape was originally grown in the southwest of France, but the Argentine Malbecs, many of which are grown in the Mendoza region, have won many medals. Matt Hedges of Vino Del Sol recommends the Melipal Malbec 2005, calling it “a powerhouse of a wine.”

This inky-purple, medium-bodied wine from the Angelo area in Mendoza comes from 85-year-old vines. Nora Favelukes of QW Wine Experts calls the Norton Barrel Select Malbec “very drinkable” because of its intense aromas of blueberries and vanilla along with a spicy flavor and good structure. She also suggests other red grapes such as Bonarda (check out the Nieto Senetiner Bonarda) or the Pinot Noirs from Argentina’s up-and-coming wine region of Patagonia (with Schroeder classic Pinot Noir priced under $10).

Argentine wines are the seventh-most imported in the U.S., making them readily available here. The next time you throw Astor Piazzolla on the sound system or go check out Pablo Aslan’s Avantango, take a moment to enhance the mood with a full-bodied Malbec or any number of tasty Argentine beverages.