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![]() They are so central to Argentine life that the national constitution was reputedly written in an alfajorería (alfajores shop) in the mid-19th Century.Īlthough they are a relatively simple product, alfajores have a long and complex history. When he was a youngster, one of Lionel Messi’s coaches rewarded him with alfajores for every goal he scored. The remote ranch at the bottom of the worldĪlfajores are an integral part of Argentine popular culture, appearing in works as diverse as Jorge Luis Borges’ short story The Aleph and the much-loved Mafalda comic strip.They’re also a great accompaniment to contrast yerba mate, which tends to be quite bitter.” Most Argentines have quite the sweet tooth and dulce de leche is basically a national treasure, so alfajores have long been the perfect quick treat or snack. “Every kiosco sells a great selection of alfajores. “You can find them everywhere,” said Buenos Aires-based food writer and Pick Up The Fork blogger Allie Lazar. Approximately one billion alfajores are sold in Argentina every year, according to the Buenos Aires tourist board, and hundreds of varieties are available in kioscos, supermarkets and bakeries across the country, from the icy realms of Tierra del Fuego in the far south to the high, arid plains of Jujuy in the extreme north. Romero places alfajores alongside Malbec wine, beef and yerba mate (an incredibly popular herbal tea) in Argentina’s culinary pantheon – and she’s not alone. After working for the likes of the Savoy in London, luxury chocolate-makers Artisan du Chocolat and Rococo and the Hilton in Buenos Aires, she now runs UK-based Sur Chocolates, which produces gourmet alfajores. ![]() Romero describes alfajores as “biscakes” – a cross between a biscuit and a cake – and has turned them into a career. In its most common form, an Argentine alfajor is a pair of soft, crumbly biscuits sandwiching a layer of dulce de leche (a thick, super-sweet caramel-like confection) and covered with chocolate or dusted with sugar or desiccated coconut. Sometimes you just need an alfajor to survive.” If you were hungry, needed something sweet, felt sad, you bought one. I have a very strong memory of standing and listening to the children shouting out the names of the different brands – Jorgito, Capitán del Espacio, Fantoche. “We had these kioscos inside the school and would run over at breaktime to buy an alfajor. “My first memory of eating them was when I was little,” she said. Chocolatier Maria Romero's eyes gleamed as she drifted back to her childhood in Quilmes, a city in Buenos Aires province, and her first encounters with alfajores.
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