Sundays, San Telmo is the sight for an Antique fair plus adjacent markets lining the streets leading to the square. These are real antiques, not some junk you find sometimes in US street markets, and it kept us busy for a couple of hours. We really didn't have time to explore the side streets. This would have to wait for another visit. There were booths specializing in gaucho items, artwork, silver work, jewelry, etc. It was really the place to be this sunny day.
This afternoon we had an in-home experience for lunch. There's a website, EatWith, where people advertise for dinners prepared in native fashion. We choose one that focused on outdoor grilling. I think we all were a little interested to see what this might be like. Our dinner was prepared by two young men, one a chef and the other a software engineer. The house was in Palermo and had a bachelor pad vibe, perhaps not where we would have picked based on the appearance, but fun none the less. We were shown to the rooftop where our meal was being prepared in a brick grill that is common place in homes in the area. Several types of meat, some we don't often find like beef kidneys, were already on the grill roasting slowly and hardwood charcoal.
Our first taste was chorizo with chimichuri sauce and fresh baked bread. It was delicious! Susequent meats came off the grill and were passed along with potato salad, corn on the cob, beet salad and rip tomatoes, lettuce and carrots. Also on the grill were eggplant, garlic and onions. It was a lot of food but was tasty. They prepare their grilled meats very simply. Many families gather on Sundays and spend the afternoon and early evening gathered around the grill. It seems like a great tradition.
We also got to try the local tea, Mate, which is very herbal and slightly bitter. The mate is place in a gourd with a special spoon that the hot water is sipped through. More hot water is added and it is passed around to anyone wanting a taste. it is all about care taken to prepare and share it that makes it special.
Our first taste was chorizo with chimichuri sauce and fresh baked bread. It was delicious! Susequent meats came off the grill and were passed along with potato salad, corn on the cob, beet salad and rip tomatoes, lettuce and carrots. Also on the grill were eggplant, garlic and onions. It was a lot of food but was tasty. They prepare their grilled meats very simply. Many families gather on Sundays and spend the afternoon and early evening gathered around the grill. It seems like a great tradition.
We also got to try the local tea, Mate, which is very herbal and slightly bitter. The mate is place in a gourd with a special spoon that the hot water is sipped through. More hot water is added and it is passed around to anyone wanting a taste. it is all about care taken to prepare and share it that makes it special.
All this meat meant we were ready for a little siesta before any evening activities. It was a hot, sunny day so some in our group laid around the pool, while others refreshed with my new favorite, lemonade made with fresh mint, ginger and little or no sugar. I vow to make this a regular at home.
We found ourselves still quite full even at 8:00, so we walked to a local pub for a beer and light snack to top off our evening.
Tomorrow: Last day and final thoughts
No comments:
Post a Comment