Spanish Project - Argentina

Art in Argentina is a diverse and growing entity. It ranges from past classical painters and sculpters that helped to shape the countryside as we know it - influencing the landscape of the cities, and now, the very walls of Buenos Aires are vivid with modern history and colorful works of art.

Two such pronound urban artists are Blu and Chu, with their collections "Muto", and "Doma".

Though Blu was originally from Bologna, Italy, he has made a great impact in graffiti around the globe, in major cities such as Berlin, and Buenos Aires. Here is a stop-animation video that shows Blu's talent and dedication. It took months to create, and a lot of paint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGaqLT-gO4

Chu's profile:
http://www.studiochu.tv/info.htm

And here is an example of Chu's work:
http://www.studiochu.tv/street-art.htm

Not only are the visual art within the streets and on the walls of Buenos Aires appealing to the eye, but they are also the artists' interpretation of life. Many of Blu's artwork features mythological creatures from Italy's history, and some of both Blu and Chu's work take the form of political issues and opinions that most wouldn't interpret until the artist was asked directly about the meaning of his pieces.

Another important factor to Argentinan living is food. I have made empanadas, which are a type of meat patty that is traditional to Argentinan culture.

Here is the recipe, and where I found it:

Ingredients:

***Crust:***
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 ounces stick butter or margarine
1/3 cup milk

***Filling:***
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil, olive preferred
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, finely chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeds and stems removed, minced
1 medium potato, peeled, boiled, finely chopped
2 hard cooked eggs, finely chopped
10 green olives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons raisins1 tablespoon ground mild paprika
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or substitute dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

***Glaze:***
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

To make the crust, sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Work the margarine or butter into the flour using your fingers or two forks. Add the milk and mix just until the dough comes together and can be formed easily into a ball. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Saute the beef in a skillet until well done, stirring frequently with a fork to keep the meat broken-up. In a separate skillet, saute the onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos until the onions are a golden brown.

Combine all the remaining ingredients for the filling and nix well. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Divide the dough in two and roll out to a thickness of 1/8-inch and cut into circles 7" in diameter. Spoon the filling onto one half of each leaving room to fold in half and seal. Press the edges with the tip of a fork and cut a 1" slice in the top. Place on an ungreased baking pan. Combine the ingredients for the glaze. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue baking until the crust turns light brown. Brush the tops with glaze and bake for an additional 5 minutes.

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/262/Argentine_Empanadas22263.shtml

I hope you enjoyed this very brief excursion into Argentina's art, and culture.

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