Porteño can be anyone who lives in Buenos Aires, but also anyone who has been part of its history.
Porteño was born in the 70’s and is approximately 40-something years old. He is the grandson of Italian and Spanish immigrants and knew how to embrace the best of each culture, mixing it with the Argentine interpretation of the European immigrant culture.
He was born in the neighborhood of Almagro, accustomed to the big tables on Sundays where the crowded table of uncles, cousins, brothers and friends enjoyed the glorious Sunday asados prepared by his grandfather. His grandfather commanded the fires in a masterful way. The grill loaded with the great Argentinean cuts such as asado strip, loin and entraña was never lacking. All accompanied by chorizos, morcillas, chinchulines, kidneys and sweetbreads, bathed with creole sauce and homemade chimichurri
On rainy Sundays it was customary for his grandmother, Vicenta, who had escaped the war from Genoa, Italy, to knead large quantities of fresh pasta with plenty of pomodoro sauce, basil, meatballs and fresh Parmesan cheese. His other grandmother, Teresa, the Spanish one, always greeted him with a large potato omelet, with onions of course, to which she claimed she added 8 eggs and just the right amount of salt. No one could ever be sure that the recipe was exact because she always made sure to make it on the sly so that no one could “steal” the recipe from her.
The memory of the soda siphon mixed with wine cooled with ice in summer was as infallible in Porteño’s life as soccer, which had a leading role. His family was divided between River and Boca, which he was passionate about, especially because he participated in the intense discussions during the long after-dinner conversations about soccer and politics in which no agreement was ever reached.
The television of the 80’s marked his life with the great characters of the time such as Olmedo and Porcel, Carlitos Bala or Tato Bores. His biggest idol was Diego, he saw Argentina champion in Mexico 86 and still remembers it as if it was yesterday. His grandfather Renato took him to see Carlos Monzón when he won the championship belt at Luna Park in an epic fight that he will never forget. He remembers seeing his dad on Saturday afternoons in his favorite armchair reading Cortázar, and his face lights up when he remembers Les Luthiers in some theater on the famous Corrientes Avenue with his parents.
Today, our Porteño is a man of the world, who has traveled enough. As when he was a child, he enjoys Sunday barbecues and good pasta on rainy days, but today he kneads the pasta himself and makes sure that the meat comes from free-range cows. He no longer drinks good wine with soda and ice, but travels to Mendoza every time he can to fully indulge in one of his great passions: Mendoza wine. He keeps the complete collection of Mafalda intact and does not forget Clemente either. Soccer, theater, music, family and friends are still his great passions.
Porteño is a sybarite, a lover of good food, barbecue, good wine, family and friends, but it can also be anyone who is part of our new story.
