FRIDAY 04/09/10
(first sight of the sierras)
We arrived in Córdoba and the passengers debarked for their destination as I stayed on for another 45 minutes to Carlos Paz. The entire upper level had cleared out, but I assumed that there were still people were below. As I went to get my luggage, there was no need for a baggage claim ticket – mine was the only one.
Pato picked me up and we headed straight to Cristian’s restaurant on the lake for a little breakfast of facturas (pastries) and dulce de leche. The restaurant is part of a hotel and is one of the only directly on the lake – absolutely gorgeous.
After meeting Pato’s brother, Fede, and his girlfriend, Nati, they brought me up to Cristian’s father’s resort that has 14 cabins, 1 of which I would be staying in. It was on the other side of the lake from the restaurant and up a large hill. The first sensation that I had as I exited the car was the smell of the fresh air and then the chirping of birds and the wind in the trees. It was a wonderful little refuge from the city life.
(reception)
(path to my cabin)
(my cabin)
The cabin was fully equipped with a little stove to boil water, a fridge, TV, hairdryer…more than I had expected!
Pato and Fede had to get to work, so I hung out at the cabin just watching the lake, listening to the rookery of birds above me, and feeling the wind in my hair.
With the low season having just started, there wasn’t a person around, except for the cleaning ladies and Cristian’s family.
After relaxing a bit, Cristian’s brother brought me to the center of town. It wasn’t too large – a few mainstreets, but I wandered around, popping into the souvenir stores. Carlos Paz actually takes the siesta, and many places closed around 2:00 pm. I headed to a larger restaurant for lunch and then decided to go take a siesta myself at the cabin.
Later in the night, Pato and Fede came to pick me up to go buy meat (from the butcher, who is the husband of one of the servers at the restaurant…it has definitely got a small town feel). We went back to the restaurant and cooked it all up for a great first night asado.
These asados aren’t a small production. There is a main asador (barbecuer) that is in charge of the parrilla (grill), who starts by heating up the coal on a side part of the grill while seasoning the various cuts of meat with seasoned salt and lemon. As the coal gets to the right temperature, it is placed under the actual grill. The whole process takes a few hours from start to finish, so there’s always a bit of socializing around the parrilla to keep the asador company.
(Cristián keeping Pato company)
(I guess that Pato wasn't giving up the role of asador so easily)
The chorizo (sausage) and morcilla (blood sausage) are some of the quickest things to heat, so we begin with “choripan” or “morcipan” – the sausage between French bread, sometimes accompanied by chimichurri (garlic, parsley and olive oil mixture). Then, the meat is brought out in rounds of how quickly it’s done – no matter how many people there are, there are usually about 4-5 rounds.
This night, quite a large group of friends had come to join at the restaurant - Critian, Pato, Fede, Nati, Luz (Nati’s daughter, 6 years old), Pato’s sister and her son, Ivan (5 years old), Toto (part-owner), Rogelio (server), and Rocio (friend). It was so great to be with my friends and their families and friends – and the kids were a blast to watch.
Pato picked me up and we headed straight to Cristian’s restaurant on the lake for a little breakfast of facturas (pastries) and dulce de leche. The restaurant is part of a hotel and is one of the only directly on the lake – absolutely gorgeous.
After meeting Pato’s brother, Fede, and his girlfriend, Nati, they brought me up to Cristian’s father’s resort that has 14 cabins, 1 of which I would be staying in. It was on the other side of the lake from the restaurant and up a large hill. The first sensation that I had as I exited the car was the smell of the fresh air and then the chirping of birds and the wind in the trees. It was a wonderful little refuge from the city life.
(reception)
(path to my cabin)
(my cabin)
The cabin was fully equipped with a little stove to boil water, a fridge, TV, hairdryer…more than I had expected!
Pato and Fede had to get to work, so I hung out at the cabin just watching the lake, listening to the rookery of birds above me, and feeling the wind in my hair.
With the low season having just started, there wasn’t a person around, except for the cleaning ladies and Cristian’s family.
After relaxing a bit, Cristian’s brother brought me to the center of town. It wasn’t too large – a few mainstreets, but I wandered around, popping into the souvenir stores. Carlos Paz actually takes the siesta, and many places closed around 2:00 pm. I headed to a larger restaurant for lunch and then decided to go take a siesta myself at the cabin.
Later in the night, Pato and Fede came to pick me up to go buy meat (from the butcher, who is the husband of one of the servers at the restaurant…it has definitely got a small town feel). We went back to the restaurant and cooked it all up for a great first night asado.
These asados aren’t a small production. There is a main asador (barbecuer) that is in charge of the parrilla (grill), who starts by heating up the coal on a side part of the grill while seasoning the various cuts of meat with seasoned salt and lemon. As the coal gets to the right temperature, it is placed under the actual grill. The whole process takes a few hours from start to finish, so there’s always a bit of socializing around the parrilla to keep the asador company.
(Cristián keeping Pato company)
(I guess that Pato wasn't giving up the role of asador so easily)
The chorizo (sausage) and morcilla (blood sausage) are some of the quickest things to heat, so we begin with “choripan” or “morcipan” – the sausage between French bread, sometimes accompanied by chimichurri (garlic, parsley and olive oil mixture). Then, the meat is brought out in rounds of how quickly it’s done – no matter how many people there are, there are usually about 4-5 rounds.
This night, quite a large group of friends had come to join at the restaurant - Critian, Pato, Fede, Nati, Luz (Nati’s daughter, 6 years old), Pato’s sister and her son, Ivan (5 years old), Toto (part-owner), Rogelio (server), and Rocio (friend). It was so great to be with my friends and their families and friends – and the kids were a blast to watch.
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