Argentina is one of only five countries that have more cattle than people. Steak and Malbec are a way of life here. We couldn’t resist spending a day at an estancia (large estate and cattle ranch) in the famous Pampas, the grasslands of South America. We were eager to learn about the gauchos, to ride horses through the Pampas, and to eat a traditional asado.
Our guide, Manuel, met us in a small, charming town about 1.5 hours outside of Buenos Aires called San Antonio de Areco. This traditional gaucho village is proud of its old-time ways and authenticity. Manuel was a wealth of knowledge and was also quite witty, so he made learning about the culture and history of the area extremely fun. We had no idea that Argentina was such a melting pot, with a blend of Italian, Spanish, British, Irish, and French immigrants. Jimmy actually noticed when speaking Spanish with the locals that their accent and cadence sounded Italian. This influx of immigrants and European influence was evident at one of our first stops, the local church.
Here, Manuel showed us the plaque with all the names of the past priests. From the last names, you can see that many of them were Irish Catholics.
Back out on the main square, the European influence in the building design and city structure was noticeable.
Another stop on the main square was a traditional silversmith shop. This famous artist actually made silver pieces for world-class visitors to Argentina, like Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II. His pieces are exquisite. In the museum, we got to see some examples of his work. Silver pieces worn by the gauchos are full of symbolism and reflect their heritage and status. We learned about the stirrups that were made to look like upside-down crowns, so the gauchos were stepping on the Spanish crown every time they mounted their horse.
We also learned about all the social nuances of drinking mate (yerba mate). Most often, mate is enjoyed with a group of friends, and we were surprised that you can’t order mate at a coffee shop. The preparation and serving of mate is taken very seriously. Never stir or wipe the bombilla (straw/filter apparatus) as it will be offensive to the group and the person preparing the mate! Of course, with the popularity of mate in Argentina, the silversmith had gorgeous silver mate sets.
Our final stop in town was at the local chocolate shop, La Olla de Cobre. I was eager to try the traditional Argentinian alfajores, a treat made with two sweet biscuit cookies that are stuffed with dulce de leche and dipped in chocolate.
Oh my goodness!! Their alfajores were heavenly. We only bought one each because we were worried they would melt while we were at the estancia. But, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity for more of these delicious cookies, so our driver was kind enough to let us go back to the shop on our drive back to Buenos Aires to pick up another half dozen. We are so glad that we did too because we bought some alfajores in Buenos Aires to compare, and quite honestly, they were terrible.
As we chowed down on our alfajores, our driver and guide whisked us off to the estancia, El Ombú de Areco. Manuel filled us in on all kinds of history and fun facts during the drive. He mostly does English tours, so he was so excited to talk to Jimmy, an English-speaking tourist who also spoke Spanish. Some phrases, including Manuel’s poetry, just can’t be translated. So, he recited in Spanish his funny, but true, poem about one of the promiscuous gauchos in town for Jimmy. After passing by lots of cattle and green fields, we turned onto a dirt road and drove down a beautiful tree-lined drive to arrive at the mansion, which was built in 1880.
We were treated to a glass of Malbec and some beef empanadas as we relaxed under the estancia’s namesake, the great Ombú.
This giant leafy plant is not a tree but actually a giant weed that is found all over the pampas. Underneath the bark, you will just find soft, spongy fiber and not the typical hardwood tree rings.
This great ombú is over 200 years old, and gauchos have been tying their horses here for over a hundred years. Many people (us included before our trip) believe that gauchos are the South American equivalent of the North American cowboy. Although they both ride horses and work on cattle ranches, the similarities end there. Gauchos carry knives and not guns. Gauchos also wear different clothing such as ponchos, loose-fitting cotton pants, and beret-like hats (thanks to the French influence). No jeans or cowboy hats seen here. However, the most important difference is that gaucho actually means that a person is a blend of European ancestry and native ancestry. The original gauchos had a native mother and a European father because the majority of settlers were men.
The gauchos led us on a short horseback ride around the fields to get to see more of the estate. After spending a few days in noisy Buenos Aires, the green grass, fresh air, and wide-open spaces for the horses and cattle to roam made for a pleasant, relaxing visit.
Up next was the main event…the traditional asado, or Argentinian barbecue, served al fresco in front of the mansion. We were served some of the world’s finest free-range beef. The gauchos presented us with many different cuts and preparations including two kinds of sausage, chinchullin, chicken, short ribs, beef ribs, and sirloin.
Now, you might be wondering what chinchullin is. Well, Manuel told us that we had to try it before he told us. We agreed. I found the flavor to be pretty good, but the texture was not my thing…a bit too chewy. Yeah…it was small intestine. Luckily, I had a lovely Malbec to wash it all down.
Of course, an Argentinian meal is never complete without a dessert featuring dulce de leche. Here, we had a bread pudding with a giant, delicious mound of dulce de leche on the side.
After the large, scrumptious meal, we were treated to some traditional gaucho music and dancing. Of course, the tiniest gaucho, Fausto, stole the show with his handkerchief dance.
Along with dancing, gauchos are known to be brave, noble, and skilled horsemen. So, we got a demonstration of horse taming. We were impressed with the grace and skill the gaucho displayed to be able to instruct the horse into various positions. Have you ever seen a horse lie on its back?
Wow! Just like that, our day with the gauchos was over. We were so bummed to be leaving. The relaxed ambiance, wonderful food, and friendly people made for such a lovely day that we wished we had more time.
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