"Fire was a constant part of growing up for my two brothers and me, and the memories of that home continue to define me." This week's grilling tips come from Francis Mallmann, an Argentinian chef distinguished by his enthusiasm for fire in cooking. In his book, Seven Fires: Grilling the Argentine Way, he describes the ways in which fire is essential to Argentinian identity: "I was through with the fancy sauces... I wanted to create a cuisine based on my Andean heritage. My cuisine became, for want of a better word, barbaric in its attempts to achieve the pinnacle of flavors through the use of fire, whether the massive heat of a bonfire, or the slow steady warmth of dying...
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According to Terrence Henry of The Atlantic Food Channel, Buenos Aires leaves much to be desired in terms of food and flavor. He notes that most restaurants use wood-fired grills, which he thinks blanket all foods with similar flavors. He also comments on the lack of variety in the street food available, saying that it is limited to empanadas. Henry writes: A great food city is a place that caters to all manner of the food-obsessed: vibrant street food, affordable ethnic and traditional dining, and highly acclaimed (and more important, highly respected by their peers) destination restaurants. It should have a connection to its seasons and soil (or sea, as the case may be). It should be a place...
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