Week 4: Argentina

A quick interlude to China made it's way into our journey thanks to our friend who is visiting from across the country.  He treated our family to Chinese takeout and the littles were ecstatic.  They even created a China flag to add to our wall.

But let's get back to Argentina.

Argentinean Delight

This dinner really tested my commitment to the project.  The result:  I'm definitely committed!

I had actually been looking forward to Argentina since we started this project... empanadas!  Of course, according to the self-imposed "rules" for this project, everything has to be from scratch... hence, the "committed" part.  What I proved to myself is that I can do it... and even enjoy doing it.

I came across this website when looking for empanada recipes.  Her recipes are wonderful and easy to follow AND she had a recipe for each of the items that I was planning to make.  It was an incredibly wonderful find!  Now I can't say that what I made looks or even tastes like the items that I tried to copy, but I can tell you that everything I made was extremely well received.  This may have been the best dinner yet!

And as a special treat, we were able to share tonight's dinner with our friend.

Dinner:  Empanadas, Humita, and Ensalada
Dessert:  Alfajores with Dulce de Leche

Empanadas

I made the empanadas using this dough recipe.  I opted for baking instead of frying and made them a few days in advance and froze them.  I also made humita, which is a corn pudding wrapped in corn husks and baked.  This was my first time doing anything with corn husks other than ripping them off the cob and tossing them in the trash.  I was apprehensive that it would all go wrong, but it wasn't bad at all... and they even looked appetizing.

Humita

All wrapped up and ready to go in the oven

Right out of the oven

Every web page I visited wrote of the sensationalism that is the alfajor, so I couldn't resist.  Making the dulce de leche was a moment of pride!  To start with milk and sugar and end up with milky caramel goodness or "milk jam"... mmm.  And now allow me to add to all those other web pages, and say that the alfajor is just as sensational as they all say it is.  Simply put, it is two shortbread cookies sandwiched together with dulce de leche.  And it is pure heaven to your mouth!

Alfajores

A highly successful visit to the wonderful country of Argentina.  Highly successful.  And then the littles finished off the night with a bit of Copa America, Argentina vs. Uruguay.  Why not?  Soccer is in fact the most popular sport in Argentina!

Interesting Facts:
- The capital of Argentina is Buenos Aires.
- 39,009,833 people live in Argentina.
- Argentina's money is the peso.
- The tallest mountain in Argentina is Aconcagua.
- Iguazu Falls in Argentina is bigger than Niagara Falls.
- The language of Argentina is Spanish.
- Roman Catholicism is the religion most practiced in Argentina.
- The area of Argentina is 1,073,518 sq. miles - slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US.
- The "Tango" dance comes from Argentina.
- Argentina has 23 provinces.
- Argentina means "land of silver."
- Argentina declared independence from Spain in 1816.
- Argentina's Independence Day is July 9.
- Argentina is the 3rd biggest producer of beef and the 5th largest producer of wine.