How to prepare Empanadas. Yummy!!!!!!!!

I wanted to write a simple and hands-on post about how to make Empanadas. Here is the basic set-up for any type of empanada, though the ones shown here are Empanadas Mendocinas (This video shows the sealing technique called repulgue).

The set-up is (top left to right):

Container of filling, which in this case is meat and onion.

A stack of pre-made empanada shells

A handful of pitted black olives

A hard-boiled egg (and knife to slice them both)

Four tapas to make a few empanadas at a time, assembly-line style

A spoon for the filling

A brush to brush beaten egg over the empanadas once they're filled and sealed

A glass with beaten egg used to brush over the empanadas

A glass of water to wet the edges of the tapas right as they are being filled to seal the edges of the dough

A floured pan to place the filled empanadas on

I find that the empanada-making process is quicker and easier with everything set up together on one surface, like a little empanada factory. Since I'm the one making the emapandas, this is a station for one, but with more than one, the filling set-up could be in the center while the individul tapas are at each chair. My two-year-old helps to paint the egg on the filled empanadas. As he gets older, I hope we can do the whole process together.

How do you pronounce Empanada?

em-pah-NA-dah. The NA is a flat N, not an Ñ, so there's no rolling sound.

What type of tapas do you use?

As for premade tapas, I use the La Salteña brand. I buy them at a Latin market here in Denver that has many Argentinean and South American goods, like yerba mate, dulce de leche, and the other products La Salteña makes, like tapas for Pastelitos and Raviolis. If you can't find this brand, that's fine, Goya, among others, makes one, too.

Are pre-made tapas Vegetarian?

These are not vegetarian! The second ingredient is beef fat (seriously) and so if you are going for a totally veg empanada, make your own tapas.

Can I freeze Empanadas?

Yes! I recommend preparing and baking the empanadas before freezing. They can then be re-heated in small quantities in the microwave, or by the dozen in the oven. If your aim is making several dozen (for a party or other event)' bake then freeze' is the best way to ensure everything is thoroughly cooked. To reheat, set the oven temp to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake for about 15 minutes, until the filling is heated through.

What's the difference between the different types of tapas?

I've found 3 types of La Salteña tapas in the store. 'Para Horno' means 'for baking'. 'Para Freir' means 'for frying,' and 'Hojaldre' means 'puff pastry'. The horno style and the hojaldre style are both for baking. The horno style is a pie-crusty type of dough, whereas the hojaldre will give a delicate, flaky pastry-style crust. The fried style lends itself well to seafood or vegetable empanadas, and is more typical in the Buenos Aires area. Of the other brands I've used, the dough style is most like the 'horno' style.

Read more of this on From Argentina with Love.

Dancing TANGO video.

Take a quick look at this video and see how they dance tango!




To see more, go to Youtube.

Argentina: Getting there & away

Tickets

From almost everywhere, South America is a relatively costly destination, but discount fares can reduce the bite considerably. Contacting a travel agency that specializes in Latin American destinations often turns up the cheapest fares.

Sea

Arriving in Argentina by sea is uncommon indeed, although Chilean company Navimag (www.navimag.com) operates the famous ferry from Puerto Montt, Chile (near Bariloche), down the length of Chilean Patagonia to Puerto Natales, Chile, near Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (due west of Río Gallegos).

Water

River

There are several river crossings between Uruguay and Buenos Aires that involve ferry or hydrofoil, and often require combinations with buses.

Buenos Aires to Montevideo High-speed ferries carry passengers from downtown Buenos Aires to the Uruguayan capital in only 2¾ hours.

Buenos Aires to Colonia Daily ferries (50 minutes to three hours) head to Colonia, with bus connections to Montevideo (additional three hours).

Tigre to Carmelo Regular passenger launches speed from the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre to Carmelo (services also go to Montevideo from Tigre).

Land

Border crossings

There are numerous border crossings from neighboring Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay; the following lists are only the principal crossings. Generally, border formalities are straightforward as long as all your documents are in order. For info on necessary visas and documents.

Current weather conditions, hours of service and other useful information for Argentina’s border crossings are provided online by the Gendarmería Nacional de Argentina (www.gendarmeria.gov. ar/pasos/pasos1.htm).

Bolivia

La Quiaca to Villazón Many buses go from Jujuy and Salta to La Quiaca, where you must walk or take a taxi across the Bolivian border.

Aguas Blancas to Bermejo From Orán, reached by bus from Salta or Jujuy, take a bus to Aguas Blancas and then Bermejo, where you can catch a bus to Tarija.

Pocitos to Yacuiba Buses from Jujuy or Salta go to Tartagal and then on to the Bolivian border at Pocitos/Yacuiba, where there are buses to Santa Cruz.

Brazil

The most common crossing is from Puerto Iguazú to Foz do Iguaçu. Check both cities for more information on the peculiarities of this border crossing, especially if you’re crossing the border into Brazil only to see the other side of Iguazú Falls. There are also border crossings from Paso de los Libres (Argentina) to Uruguaiana (Brazil) to São Borja (Brazil).

Chile

There are numerous crossings between Argentina and Chile. Except in far southern Patagonia, every land crossing involves crossing the Andes. Due to weather, some high-altitude passes close in winter; even the busy Mendoza–Santiago route over RN 7 can close for several days (sometimes longer) during a severe storm. Always check road conditions, especially if you have a flight scheduled on the other side of the mountains. The following are the most commonly used crossings.

Salta to San Pedro de Atacama (via Purmamarca) Twelve-hour bus ride through the altiplano with stunningly beautiful scenery.

Mendoza to Santiago The most popular crossing between the two countries, passing 6962m Aconcagua en route.

Bariloche to Puerto Montt The famous, scenic 12-hour bus-boat combination runs over the Andes to Chile. Takes two days in winter.

Los Antiguos to Chile Chico Those entering from Chile can access the rugged RN 40 from here and head down to El Chaltén and El Calafate. Best in summer, when there’s actually public transport available.

El Calafate to Puerto Natales & Parque Nacional Torres del Paine Probably the most beaten route down here, heading from the Glaciar Perito Moreno (near El Calafate) to Parque Nacional Torres del Paine (near Puerto Natales). Several buses per day in summer; one to two daily in the off-season.

Ushuaia to Punta Arenas Daily buses in summer, fewer in winter, on this 12- to 18-hour trip (depending on weather conditions), which includes a ferry crossing at either Porvenir or Punta Delgada/Primera Angostura.

Uruguay & Paraguay

There are two direct border crossings between Argentina and Paraguay: Clorinda to Asunción, and Posadas to Encarnación. From Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, you can also cross through Brazil into Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.

Border crossings from Argentine cities to Uruguayan cities include Gualeguaychú to Fray Bentos; Colón to Paysandú; and Concordia to Salto. All involve crossing bridges. Buses from Buenos Aires to Montevideo and other waterfront cities, however, are slower and less convenient than the ferries (or ferry–bus combinations) across the Río de la Plata. The crossings at Gualeguaychú and Paysandú may be closed due to conflict surrounding the construction of a pulp mill on the Uruguayan side of the river.

Bus

Travelers can bus to Argentina from most bordering countries. Buses are usually comfortable, modern and fairly clean. Crossing over does not involve too many hassles; just make sure that you have any proper visas beforehand

Entering the destination

Entering the country

Entering Argentina is straightforward; immigration officials at airports are generally quick to the point and waste few words, while those at border crossings may take a little more time scrutinizing your passport before stamping it. Anyone entering the country is required to have a valid passport. Once you’re in the country, police can still demand identification at any moment. It’s a good idea to carry at least a photocopy of your passport around town at all times.

When entering by air, you officially must have a return ticket, though this is rarely asked for once you’re in Argentina. However, it is commonly asked for by the airline in the country of origin. Most airlines prohibit from boarding any passengers without proof of onward travel, regardless of whether the person was sold a one-way ticket or not. They do this because the airline would be responsible for flying you back home should you be denied entrance (which is highly unlikely) once you’re in Argentina. For those planning to travel indefinitely, the only way out of this predicament is to buy a cheap, fully refundable onward flight (say, Mendoza to Santiago, Chile) and either use it or get the refund once you’re in Argentina. The refund, however, can take months to process.

Air

Argentina has direct flights between countries including North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Spain and South Africa, and from all South American countries except the Guianas. Alternatively, you can fly to a neighboring country, such as Chile or Brazil, and continue overland to Argentina.

To read more go to Lonely Planet.

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team is the national football team of Argentina and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Argentina has won most international titles by any national team - 19, a record shared with Uruguay.

Argentina is one of the most successful national football teams in the world, and is currently eighth in the FIFA world rankings. The team has twice won the FIFA World Cup, in 1978 and 1986. Argentina has won the Copa América 14 times, a record shared with Uruguay, won the Confederations Cup in 1992 and the Olympic Football Tournament in 2004 and 2008.

Argentina and France are the only national teams which have won the three most important men's titles recognized by FIFA: the World Cup, the Confederations Cup, and the Olympic tournament. They have both also won their respective continental championship (Copa América for Argentina, and UEFA European Football Championship for France).

Keep reading about Argentina's football league on Wikipedia.

From the North of Argentina to the World!

Check out more pics on Flickr.

Nightlife Etiquette in Buenos Aires

A night on the town in Buenos Aires is reliably fun-filled. But before heading out for your first night, here are a few guidelines to ensure that you enjoy the night as thoroughly as possible:

Don’t plan on arriving to a club before 2am. Although this is typically when bars and clubs close for the night in other countries, dance clubs typically don’t begin to get busy before this time in Buenos Aires.

Don’t balk at having to pay a cover charge (entrada) at major bars and clubs here in Buenos Aires. Often these charges will come with a free drink or two (consumisión).

Don’t hesitate to immediately hop onto the dance floor and start shakin’ that thang! Most visitors to dance clubs are there to dance (not just to drink). So get out there and enjoy yourself!

Tipping the bartender more than a peso or two is not standard practice in Buenos Aires. An exception to this rule, however, is a request for a stiff drink (bien fuerte or bien cargado). In these cases, be sure to be a bit more generous with your tipping.

Be aware of the fact that it is considered poor form to drink too much, especially in fancy night clubs. Sloppy drunkenness and scrappy bar fights are frowned upon entirely, and almost never occur.

Single women should be prepared to meet a myriad of interested suitors who seemingly won’t take no for an answer. Women should never hesitate to frankly tell an unwelcome on-comer to buzz off. Don’t worry, it won’t be perceived as rude.

Finish reading about it on LandingPad BA.

EMPLOYMENT IN ARGENTINA

Employment prospects

The recent economic crisis meant many Argentineans lost their jobs. The economy is slowly recovering, but job openings for foreigners remain very limited.

Foreigners who speak Spanish and are willing to work for Argentinean wages or do an unpaid internship are more likely to find a job. Unemployment has been decreasing since the peak of the 2001 crisis. However, it remains high today at an estimated 12%+.

Argentina has since long attracted migrants from other countries in the region. Among others, Paraguayans, Bolivians and Peruvians are often found working in agriculture and domestic services. Argentineans often see migrants from the region as a threat to employment in Argentina.

Legally employers are obliged to register employees for taxation and social security purposes. In order to keep costs low, many employers employ people without legally registering them. The Argentinean government has started a campaign in 2005 to reduce the amount of unregistered workers. Fines are being given to both companies and individuals working illegally.

Voluntary Work & Language Teaching

Finding many types of employment in Argentina as a foreigner is not easy. If you want to get work experience in Argentina, your best bet might be voluntary work or language teaching.

Voluntary work is offered in a wide variety of fields, from medical internships to direct assistance for building schools and houses. If you want to do voluntary work there are two main ways to find a position: through an aid-organisation or a specialised agency. Lists of aid-organisations and NGO’s (Non Governmental Agencies) can often be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your home country. The specialised agencies often offer several services such as language courses, and frequently it is even the other way around, language school organisations offer voluntary work. However, finding voluntary work through agencies often means you will have to pay for it.

Read full text on Allo' Expat.