Epicurean Delight

Great Cuisine in Latin America

Argentina
Argentina’s cuisine is a melding of Spanish, Italian and indigenous influences. The country is a huge producer of beef and wheat, and the national diet reflects that. Argentines take a great deal of pride in their steaks (though in certain regions, lamb and goat are more popular than beef) as well as their pasta-based dishes. Argentina is famous for their wine, with a climate that is perfectly suited for vineyards.

You’ll find two different worlds of cuisine in Argentina. First, there is the urban cuisine, highly influenced by international recipes and cooking trends, reflecting Argentina’s importance in global society. Second, there is the rural cuisine that draws inspiration from Andean and Amazonic cultures. In both cases, those with discriminating palates will find plenty to satisfy them.

Brazil
The many different cultural influences in Brazil have made its cuisine virtually indefinable, though each region of the country has developed patterns in ingredients and cooking styles. You can find good restaurants anywhere, and most of them serve the national dish feijoada, a hearty stew containing black beans and a variety of meat products such as salted pork trimmings, pork sausage and bacon, and salted beef loin and tongue.

Dishes in Brazil’s five distinct regions are based variously on shrimp, shellfish, dried meat, tropical fruits, and red and black beans.

Costa Rica
The staples of rice and beans dominate native dishes in Costa Rica. The national dish of gallo pinto consists of fried rice and black beans slightly fried. Most other native dishes are variations of gallo pinto. Other staples of Costa Rican cuisine are seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, and tortillas.

In urban areas, restaurants feature some excellent international cuisine more complex than the native fare. On the Caribbean coast, you’ll also find scrumptious meals prepared with a definite Jamaican influence.

El Salvador
El Salvador’s signature food is the pupusa, a thick tortilla filled with refried beans, cheese and pork. Most restaurants also offer fried plantains and a variation of beef pies, known as pastelitos de carne, along with the spicy marinated cabbage.

The cities have many restaurants serving well-prepared international cuisine, but to get the full flavor of the country, follow the locals and eat where they eat. San Salvador is home to one of the biggest food markets in Central America. There you’ll find lots of delectable cuisine.

Guatemala
Local specialties include pollo asado (grilled chicken), chuchitos (tamales) and frijoles con arroz (beans and rice), but most restaurants in Guatemala serve international fare.

Mexico City
Mexico City is home to approximately 15,000 restaurants, so you can find something to fit your taste. You can choose among food stands on the streets, American-style fast food establishments, affordable family-style eateries and posh restaurants with five-star chefs serving cuisine from every region of the country. The upscale restaurants that serve traditional Mexican fare are, as you might expect, some of the best in the world.

Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and almost a ritual, for Mexico City inhabitants. It starts no earlier than 2:00 p.m. and lasts at least two hours.

Uruguay
Since livestock is a fundamental part of Uruguay’s economy, beef is the main staple of the national diet. The unofficial national dish is grilled steak, and you have not truly experienced Uruguay until you attend a barbecue with an open-pit fire.

Uruguay’s cuisine is also notable for its drinks, which include a tea-like beverage called mate, a mixture of white wine and fruit juice called clerico, and a mixture of sparkling wine and white wine called medio y medio.