Hard to Find seasonings & spices

[PhilipDT]

One of the things I miss most is peanut butter, ranch and caesar salad dressing. I did find some peanut butter but it was $40 (pesos). The caesar I have had is really just tastes like mayo. Also simple pepper seems hard to find and expensive when you do.

I know you want it in a bottle, but caesar so easy to make at home and fresh caesar blows away any bottled dressing. I absolutely love Caesar Salad, I eat it probably 2x a week. Here is my recipe.

I make this all on the "eyeball" method so the measurements are all approximations and are probably a little off.

Dressing:

Wash 1 egg with antibacterial soap

In a mortar put:

Half a spoonful of coarse black pepper corn

4-6 Anchovies
2 Medium ~ Large cloves of garlic.


Crush with pestle until you get a paste.

Add and stir into the paste:


Juice from ~3/4 lemon
Half of a heaping spoon full of Grey Poupon Dijon mustard.

Whisk in:


~1/3 Cup of Extra virgin olive oil. (Note: not all oil is created equal.)


Seperate out ~ 1/2 - 2/3 of the egg whites throw away. Add yolk and remaining white, yes I know its still raw, thats how it's supposed to be.


Stir until it is a constant emulsified consistency. Do not over emulsify, we dont want mayo here.



For the Croutons:


Cut a good baguette into small cubes, put the cubes in a bowl and gently toss with oil, DO NOT SOAK.

Add minced garlic (you can use a garlic press here), minced rosemary and ground sea salt and peppercorn.


Add a small amount (~2/3 inch) of olive oil to a wok. Allow to get very hot (350+ F)


Toss in the bread and turn constantly with a spatula. After a few minutes lower to medium heat and continue turning until all are crispy on the outside. (BE CAREFUL: The croutons can burn easily)



For the Salad:

Wash 1-1.5 heads of romaine lettuce.

Tear in to bite size pieces and add a grated grating cheese of your choice ( I like Romanito Cascara Negra).



Spoon in dressing as you toss the salad, it will toss much better than if you just dump it all on.

Add croutons and re toss





Notes: If your garlics cloves are small, go for more. Likewise with the lemons. Remember cooking is an art not a science.


Also, the raw egg and the anchovies are not optional. Without them you will actually have an excellent italian style dressing but it will not be a Caesar.

 

[PhilipDT]

One of the things I miss most is peanut butter, ranch and caesar salad dressing. I did find some peanut butter but it was $40 (pesos). The caesar I have had is really just tastes like mayo. Also simple pepper seems hard to find and expensive when you do.

Also have you tried the Dame Mani peanut butter. I think its excellent. Most dieteticas have it.

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Mediterranean Sea Salt !! ...i would hope this ridiculous marketing scam is almost impossible to buy in South America, where salt is not lacking ! Why on earth should we ship the same product from the other side of the world and charge a premium for something with no perceptible difference in quality. Seriously people, get a grip.

 

[irina]

You can find any basic spices if you look, but I always bring things that are specific to making food I always ate back home in the south (US), lawry's seasoned salt, tony chacheres, taco seasoning, ranch and enchilada sauce packets, stuff like that. I don't know where you're from but I would bring more region specific things.

 

[syngirl]

have been searching for garam masala and tellicherry pepper for years, can never find those two. most other spices can be found in chinatown or small independent stores.

Garam Masala -- easy, in Barrio Chino. Now the name of the store I have no clue, but it's one of the one's on Montaneses just passing Mendoza. They also have fenugreek, yellow / red curries, tumeric, cumin seeds, asfoetida (however you spell it!). They don't neccessarily have all the spices all the time but they've always had garam masala (which is actually just a blend of cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon and I can't remember what else -- every region tends to have it's own combo).

Here's a garam masala recipe from Vikram Vij:

• 1 heaping tsp. whole cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp black cardamom seeds (~10 pods)
• 6 heaping tbsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. pounded cinnamon sticks
• 1/4 tsp ground mace
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Heat cloves, cardamom, cumin and cinnamon sticks on med to high heat, stirring constantly. When cumin seeds are a dark shade of brown, remove and cool 20 mins. Place roasted spices, mace, nutmeg in coffee grinder and grind. Makes 3/4 c.

 

[Panini]

Wash 1 egg with antibacterial soap

Nice recipe! You wash your eggs? Never heard of that before, unless you have your own chickens!

 

[scottlyon]

I cook often, you can find everything you need in Argentina with very few exceptions.

You'll have a hard time getting fresh limes, but you can't take them with you anyway, proper 'spicy' chilli powder is very difficult to come by - bring plenty, likewise Tabasco sauce is expensive, you'd save yourself quite a bit by bringing a few big bottles with you. Every other herb and spice I can think of (Except a few rare Thai ones) can be bought easily from local vendors or, if pushed, in Barrio Chino.

Apart from that my advise is to bring all the kitchenware you can imagine, it's really pricey and the quality isn't the best here. Tupperware, cooking implements, plates, blenders, electric kettles and anything you see around you in a 'North American' kitchen will easily set you back US$1000 to re-purchase here.

That said, purchasing food to prepare is cheap and of excellent quality.You'll have a great time with chicken, beef and lamb with loads of organic vegetables. The veg is seasonal, so you may have to adjust your menu to compensate but there are plenty of 'traditional' Argentinian dishes to try out like locro, carbonadas and cazuelas to account for the winter months and you've got most of the world living here 7 or more generations which each bring their own flair to the cuisine.

In short; bring chilli powder, Tabasco and all the kitchenware you can muster.

Happy travels!

 

[starlucia]

One of the things I miss most is peanut butter, ranch and caesar salad dressing. I did find some peanut butter but it was $40 (pesos).

Do you have a blender in your apartment? If so, you can just make your own. A kilo of raw peanuts costs $24 and will yield enough peanut butter to feed an army.

 

[BASailor]

Mediterranean Sea Salt !! ...i would hope this ridiculous marketing scam is almost impossible to buy in South America, where salt is not lacking ! Why on earth should we ship the same product from the other side of the world and charge a premium for something with no perceptible difference in quality. Seriously people, get a grip.

100% agree.

 

[BASailor]

There is also another issue that could be considered.
When we travel, we can't expect to find exactly all we eat/drink in our own place. I mean, we can adapt, we can try new things, and may be that's why we travel, to know and discover NEW things, places and people.
I never expected to find yerba mate in Delhi (and I'd never blame Indians for that)...so I adopted Chai and it was delicious, period.
IMHO.