Is it Possible to Find Good Produce?

[LiXueLee]

Okay, my love affair with beef and yummy potatoes is officially over.

It is the height of summer and I miss amazing Pacific Northwest (from the US) berries, greens, and various other types of produce. My husband and I love to cook, but we've been more and more depressed about the produce we can find.

It is disheartening to shop at the peak of the growing season thinking: "What is the least crappy looking vegetable we can find?" It is no fun to build a meal around "least crappy."

In moving to Argentina, we were excited about relocating to a country with a strong agricultural heritage (unlike, Iceland, for instance), figuring we would be in for some tasty treats in spring/summer/fall. Sadly, that has not been the case. So I ask you, fellow readers, where can we find delicious produce? (Organic, not organic, at this point, I don't really care.)

Also, we've read about some of the organic produce delivery services. Does anyone have any experience with one of these two companies? Any feedback on quality? Companies are: http://www.talloverde.com/ and http://www.elrinconorganico.com.ar/


Thanks in advance!!
http://www.micheleandtom.com

 

[Adrienne]

Hey if you're looking for organic restaurants this blog was AMAZING! Hope it helps!!

http://www.newbuenosaires.blogspot.com/

 

[Stanexpat]

We had the same problem there. The local produce isn't very good, in a lot of cases the stuff available there isn't very fresh and would have been trashed and not offered for sale in other places. The problem with food in Argentina is the lack of variety and quality once you get past the beef. Perhaps someone will write with a good place to buy produce but I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[BSS]

Produce that is both cheap, and high in quality is hard to find. I can't speak for the entire city, but there is a really good produce place in my neighborhood. It's on Viamonte, between Callao and Rodriguez Peña. The prices are reasonable and they usually have good produce.

 

[TomAtAlki]

We have a condo in Palermo, and buy our fruit and veggies at the small vegetable stores. The ones near us have very nice produce, much better than the "supermarkets".
Nancy

 

[jb5]

I would ask for their source at a good restaurant like La Vaneria de Gualterio in San Telmo where I recently had an amazingly good 50 ingredient salad and they were happy to tell me where to buy the best food and wine.

 

[jp]

Get to know your local fruit and veg man, and buy whats in season.

If you only buy in a supermarket, oblivious to whats in season don't expect quality.

There's excellent quality produce here, and not difficult to find.
But you will have to make a bit of effort.
As with everything, a little local lingo goes a long way...

 

[EvergreenGal]

I too am from the PNW and oh so miss the selection and quality of produce...just the selection of apples!!

That being said, I must agree with what several posted here saying is to find one close to your home a smaller vendor and get to know them...we found ours...sadly they just closed for the month for vacation! But we have befriended one of the employees and he is the best always is so careful and only gives us the best fruit and veggies...even when one of the other guys was helping us he made him go back to their huge walk in and get a better avacado for us, as the ones out front were to ripe.

Okay, that being said I have heard nothing but good things about talloverde...and have wanted to order from them for ages, but have never done so...I also read on a post somewhere that someone there does speak english. Don't know anything about the other business you posted. IF you do order from talloverde would you please post a review....appreciate it! I guess my fear for not ordering is I like to look and pickup and smell the produce and this is shopping blind so to speak.

Best of luck...say were in the PNW are you from??

 

[LiXueLee]

Anyway, I appreciate all of the responses, but I do want to make something clear, we are not just hanging out in the local Disco when it comes to food shopping. In truth we shop all over the place (frankly spending way too much time running around the city trying to find fresh herbs, reasonable lettuce...). Rest assured, we understand the concepts of buying locally and in season! But hey, come on, it's summer, there should be a shyteload of irresistably delicious produce in season right now...cornupcopia!

On a side note, I tend to buy lettuce from the supermarkets because they refrigerate it and it's usually in better shape than the incredibly wilted and sad lettuce at our nearby vendors.

On another side note, I have to admire the NZ kiwi association, man they have their product everywhere.

Also, I speak Spanish reasonably well and have developed relationships with the vendors near where we lived before we took off traveling for the summer. The vendors were all nice, and we enjoyed chatting, but again, for the height of summer, the produce that we had access to was shockingly substandard.

EvergreenGal! We are from Portland, Oregon -- where are you from!?! I hear you about the apple selection -- it has been weird to go back to red delicious and granny smith apples. How long have you been here?

We will probably give Talloverde a try when we return to BA from traveling in Patagonia. I will post a review afterwards!

Any other feedback is appreciated.

 

[perry]

I agree that the food here leaves a lot to be desired . Argentina with its world best land should supply to Buenos Aires the best produce imaginable but sadly it is not the case with very little vision or merchadise apparent in most shops.

What I do not understand is the outrageous prices for nuts and berries in a origin country. Rasperries when you can find them are 30 pesos a jar and come from Patagonia . everyone here eats so much meat as its the only cheap product .