Cuisine of Argentina and Chile

Argentine cuisine is influenced by waves of European immigration, particularly from Italy. You'll find many Italian restaurants and pizzerias, plus heladerias, or ice-cream parlors, serving Italian cuisine and gelatos . Argentina is known for its beef, and many meals are based on substantial amounts of carne, but other foods are certainly available. Lingering after an evening meal with a sobremesa is a customary time for conversation.

Soft drinks and fruit juices are popular. As elsewhere, ask for jugo puro, or jugo exprimido, for fresh squeezed. Licuados, milky fruit shakes, are popular. Do try maté tea at least once. Other tea is served black with lemon. Ask for té con leche if you want milk in your tea. Hot chocolate is served at breakfast. Coffee is usually an espresso.

• café chico: small cup of strong, black coffee
• café cortado: small coffee with a little milk, often in a glass
• café con leche: coffee with lots of milk, usually served only at breakfast

Local beers and wine are excellent. Many Argentines mix a bit of mineral water in their wines to make a spritzer. Try these Recipes from Argentina. When you're in Argentina, be sure to try:

• Asado: various cuts of meat cooked over coals and usually served with chimichurri marinade, french fries and salad; also called a parillada
• Carbonada: beef stew with rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, squash, apples and pears
• Puchero: beef, chicken, bacon, sausage, corn, peppers, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, sweet potatoes, squash casserole; may have beans
• Sopa a la criolla: roasted suckling pig
• Ñoquis: gnocchi or potato dumplings served with marinara or other tomato sauce
• Arroz con pollo: chicken and rice casserole with eggs and vegetables
• Puchero de gallina: chicken, sausage, corn, potato and squash
• Locro: corn, white beans, beef, sausage, squash in a stew
• Empanada de humita: pasty filled with corn, onion, cheese and flour

Chile

Chilean cuisine tends to the international, plus wonderful seafood that forms the base of many favored dishes. Ethnic restaurants abound in the cities. Vegetarian meals are available.

Soft drinks and juices are everywhere. The licuados, fruity milk shakes, are good. Try moté con huesillo , a peach and barley drink. Coffee is usually instant, but espresso is becoming popular. Tea is served black with lemon. Herbal teas, aguitas, are popular after dinner drinks. Try manzanilla, camomile, or a boldo .

Chilean wines are superb. Beer, pisco, aguardiente and imported hard liquors are popular. Make sure you try a Pisco Sour, made with egg white, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Try these Recipes from Chile. And when you're in Chile, be sure to try:

• Cazuela: soup with meat or chicken, potato, corn and squash or other vegetables
• Pastel de choclo: corn pie with meat, vegetables, chicken, olives and hard-boiled eggs
• Lomo a lo pobre: fried beef, eggs, onions and french fries
• Arroz con pollo: chicken and rice casserole
• Curanto: seafood stew with chicken, pork, lamb, beef and potato
• Chupes: stews of fish or beef

Chile Traditions

In Chile dominates the European blood, so here travelers from Western countries are not as distinguished as in Peru and Bolivia. For centuries, the Paris education of many Chilean intellectuals influenced the art, music, architecture.  This resulted in art galleries, museums, and theaters. Art, literature and music influence on world culture. Among the Chilean Nobel Prize  are poets Gabriela Mistral and Pablo Neruda. Until the military coup in 1973, Chile filmmakers were the boldest experimenters in Latin America. Folk music is particularly important for the victims of tyranny, and she often played a political emigrant abroad during the Pinochet regime.

Over 90% of the population is Catholic, but Evangelical Protestantism is becoming increasingly common. Catholic Architecture is impressive and ubiquitous, from grandiose colonial churches, holy places and finishing along the roads from which others are excellent examples of the fusion of various forms of folk arts. The official language in Chile - Spanish, but there are some folk languages. In the north of the country over 20 000 carriers Aymara, and in the south about half a million carriers of the Mapuche.

The most interesting linguistic minority - 2000 Media Rapa Nui, a Polynesian language of the inhabitants of Easter Island.

Chilean cuisine is diverse and includes seafood, beef, fresh fruits and vegetables. Among Chilean dishes listed as: empanadas (large tortillas with various fillings); humitas (corn volumes) and several types of bread prepared from flour or potatoes. The most satisfying dish - lomo a lo pobre («meat dish for the poor") is a huge piece of beef, put two fried eggs with potatoes, fried. Dish parillada confuse vegetarians and cardiologists, as its membership includes intestines, udders, as well as black pudding. One of the most delicious dishes - curanto - a hearty chowder with fish, shellfish, chicken, pork, lamb, beef and potatoes. Chilean wines - the best in South America. The popular drink pisco sour is a grape brandy with lemon, egg white and powdered sugar.