Bon Appetit Recommended: From Mate to Malbec

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Have a yearning for fine Argentine grilled beef? Interested in learning how to cook empanadas and "alfajores" and get hands-on in an Empanada Competition with prizes awarded to the best creations? This lunch or dinner tour features charming hosts and a fun-loving group of travelers just like you, joining together to create an unforgettable Argentinian experience.

Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is an eclectic blend of contemporary vitality and old world languor. And it provides the nighttime visitor, a view of historic architecture, high-rise hotels, glitzy shops, humble barrios and colorful street scenes shimmering in neon and white lights. Arriving at your inviting restaurant to the warm greetings of the friendly staff, you'll don a checkered apron and white chef's hat…a sure sign that this is a hands-on experience you won't soon forget.

You will learn how to make your own traditional empanadas, and then you'll get creative in Argentina's first and only "Empanada Competition" with fantastic prizes. The empanada consists of bread or pastry folded over a stuffing of meat, cheese, vegetables or fruits and either fried or baked. The name comes from the Galician, Portuguese and Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Alongside your creations, enjoy grilled "provoleta" cheese with sliced "chorizo" sausage, warm bread and homemade "chimichurri". This delicious sauce is made from finely chopped fresh parsley plus garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar.

Next, enjoy what many claim to be the very best steak in Argentina, cooked to order, accompanied with velvety mashed potatoes and oven roasted vegetables. For desert, make your own "alfajores", Argentina's national sweet, where biscuits, dulce de leche, melted chocolate fondue and coconut shavings combine to delight the senses. You'll also be able to enjoy the history and etiquette of "Mate", Argentina's national pastime, and prepare it from scratch amongst yourselves. During the meal, you will enjoy unlimited Malbec wine from a limited boutique line: another great Argentine palate pleaser.

This contemporary city-based activity harks back to the pampas and the days of the gaucho. In Argentina, the term gaucho originally meant vagabond and was used to describe members of the lowest levels of society who survived by roaming the Pampas and working cattle. Their dress consisted of a woolen poncho, neck fastened bandana, pleated trousers and long leather boots and they had no home or belongings other than what they carried on horseback. Because there was no way to preserve meat on the open plains, the horsemen of the Pampas invented the barbeque or "asado", a delicious style of cooking that lends itself to social interaction.

After your meal, return to your coach and sightsee back through Buenos Aires to your ship to complete one of the most enjoyable and interactive dining experiences of your life.