FRIEND'S DAY!

Last Sunday, July 10th, we start talking with my friends to see how we will celebrate the friend´s day next July 20th. This is a really big celebration in Argentina and as most restaurants/coffee shops/parrillas in your building (mine is already taken!) and parks get crowded for that date, you need to plan in advance.

It is said that the idea for Friend's Day goes back to Argentine teacher, musician, and dentist Enrique Febbraro, who lobbied to turn the anniversary of the first moon landing into an international day of friendship, along his Rotary Club de Once, in Buenos Aires. He argued that on this particular day, the whole world had been friends of the three astronauts. The first official recognition of the day came with decree No. 235/79 by the government of the province of Buenos Aires, which authorized the celebration and gave it official nature.

In the Argentine TV its possible to see several commercials about friendship, this is a new one that I really like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Ri9LkqWg4&feature=related

It says something like: "Like the good beers that refuse to use artificial ingredients, so the good friendships. From a friend we dont expect money, or contacts or vip passes. Or that they laugh if we werent funny or that they tell us that we are always right. The only thing that we expect is that they are there when we need a sincere opinion, a hug when we feel like crying or that they go for us to the airport at 4 am. A beer, that, like real friends dont need to add any artificial to be choosen."

I swear I dont work for Isenbeck, in deed, I dont like beer haha, I just love the message! I hope my translation is not too bad and you can get the meaning!

HAPPY FRIEND'S DAY FOR ALL NEXT JULY 20th! :)

LOCRO, the choosen dish to celebrate Patriotic Dates

Locro (from the Quechua ruqru) is a hearty thick stew popular along the Andes mountain range. Its origin dates to before the Spanish colonial times.

The defining ingredients are corn, some form of meat (usually beef, but sometimes beef jerky or chorizo), vegetables, beans, squash or pumpkin. It is mainly eaten in winter.

It is considered a national dish and is often served on May 25, the anniversary of the May Revolution and July 9, the anniversary of our Independence Day.

My mother is from the province of Tucuman, where the Independence of Argentina was declared and where Locro its a very common meal. She use to prepare Locro and Empanadas for special ocasions, like birthdays, as she did on July 4th for my youngest brother birthday. Here you can see the Locro in the pot, being prepared:

If you want to know how to do it, in this link, its explained how to do it, step by step and with pictures:

http://www.encontrarse.com/notas/pvernota.php3?nnota=26149

My mother served it in earthenware bowls:

And here is the final product :)

In this video, you can see my mother serving it and explaining which are the main ingredients:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9NqbGfZHk4



Buen provecho!