Day 149 (November 18): The Universe Provides, Provided You Listen

This is Henry learning how to make an empanada with our chef/teacher, Joaqui.

In one of my favorite childhood spaces, you could hear the ancient clock tick from 100 feet away. In silence, among hundreds of other school children, I would listen. Listening deeply is a skill that Quakers teach, believing that the practice allows you to connect with truths lodged within the clutter of your mind as well as swirling all around us.

As we prepared for and then began this trip, we've had an incredible opportunity to listen. So often, "answers" come to us from sources that would be impossible to anticipate. Often, we're unable to act on the advice we receive but sometimes, as my mom is fond of saying, "the way opens."

On one of my favorite trip-prep podcasts, An Epic Education, the host would often talk with his guests about food. These were families traveling in the world in one way or another their stories usually spoke directly to my questions, especially my anxious ones: what if the kids don't eat? what if somebody gets sick? what if you can't decipher a menu or an ingredient list?

One consistent piece of advice was this: as soon as possible after you arrive in a new place, sign up for a cooking class. Ideally, find the opportunity to go to a local market with a savvy guide. Learn about local ingredients. Understand what is in season. Try to enjoy a regional dish, especially if it is seasonal. Use the subject of food to meet people and hear their stories. Above all, listen. Listen deeply.

Our friend Josh (surely by now you remember Josh) has family here in Buenos Aires. He provided an introduction to his cousin Martina and last Friday night Elise and I went out with Martina, her brother Nocho and Nacho's wife Sofi. I said something about cooking class to Martina and soon thereafter I was in touch with her cousin, Joaquina (on the other side of the family from Josh, what we'd call second cousins in the states). The universe provides.

Fast forward three days to Monday evening and we (the six of us) are in the kitchen of Joaqui's apartment with her husband, Marcos. First, though, we had to have a little adventure:

• There was a massive downpour as we waited for our cabs
• Coincidentally, our cabs went to a completely wrong pickup spot
• Our apps took our cabs to the wrong dropoff spot
• Still, we (Elise/Ali/Cate and Jon/Lily/Henry, in separate cars) ended up 1/2 mile apart.
• I found Joaqui, left Lily and Henry with her, and ran to find the others
• Elise found a Starbucks with free wifi, which enabled us to reunite
• Joaqui took Lily and Henry shopping in Chinatown
• We found each other
• We saw the markets that apparently have, by far, the freshest fish (and more) in BA
• We rode a nearly-new commuter rail (heaven for a transportation nerd)
• We walked through a part of town we had not yet explored

Elise, Ali and Cate at BA's Chinatown Gate

Street art in Barrio Chino

Joaqui, Lily and Elise walking to the train station

The Belgrano C Station

Nerds!

Train!

Trains are fun!

We love bike racks on trains!

Newly renovated Retiro station

They call BA the Paris of Latin America for a very good reason

Joaqui is a professional chef and a passionate traveler. There was plenty to talk about! Marcos has 32 cousins and, when he's not working as a lawyer, is clearly an excellent uncle based on his way with our kids. (Most of all, the twins thought Marcos performed a miracle by linking their tablets to his wifi. Very big hugs about that one!) He is also a terrific sous chef.

The first major project was to prepare empanadas. To me, this was perfect because it seems eery culture has something like this, whether it's pirogi or spring roll. You make a filling with whatever you have and wrap it in whatever you can turn into a pocket of some kind. It's also a great hands-on dish for kids to make. We prepared ours with beef. We learned that you use a specific pattern for pinching the pocket closed that indicates the contents. 

The empadnaa filling

Henry: stuffing

Henry folding and pinching his empanada

Lily and her empanada

Beef Empanadas

While they cooked, Marcos produced some cheese and salami that evaporated under the children's fingers. Then came a polenta toast with a dollop of cream and touch of salsa. It was a terrific combination of textures and flavors. Joaqui said that she always keeps an inventory of the toasts (which are made by preparing and then baking the polenta) on hand in case friends stop by.

Polenta "toast" with cream and salsa

The main course (in case you still have room) would be steak, of course. Joaqui and Marcos said that they generally don't eat meat on Mondays after a weekend of heavy eating so this was a special occasion. The steak is a cut we've seen on several menus: lomo. The cut is from the back and it is extremely tender. She prepared it on a pan in the form of medallions, accompanied by potatoes that had been seasoned with a smoky version of paprika. I regret that we didn't take a picture of it, for it was excellent.

In the meantime, we learned about the regional cuisines of Argentina. It was exciting to learn that we are - pretty closely - following the major areas Joaqui described. What I'm left with is that we had a tremendous opportunity to listen. I'm sorry that Ali, Cate and Henry don't have the patience for this. They spent almost the entire evening on their tablets. So most of the night looked like this:

Joaqui, Elise and Lily. In the bowls are the seasonings employed in the evening's menu.

To be clear, this advice does not belong to me but I want to repeat it: a cooking class (especially one as intimate and personal as this one) is an amazing experience, a true gift. So much more than eating a beautiful and delicious meal in a restaurant, I feel so grateful that I've had the opportunity to associate the food of this place with some of its finest people. It was a full sensory experience. 

Also, if you ask Lily, she's ready to give Joaqui and Marcos a full tour of Portland and its farmers' markets!

Jon, Lily, Joaquina, Ali, Elise, Cate, Henry, Marcos