Chile 3... Argentina 1... Goal...

Well I think I might have found a new career... a tour guide is what I was today to some blogger friends... We visited 3 Chilean bakeries and 1 Argentinian... I even managed to sneak in a visit to an Italian deli... I think I had some happy customers... not to mention the shop owners when my guys started their buying frenzy...

First point of call was Haley's, this is the oldest of the Chilean bakeries... We could not buy any Chilenitos (biscuit wedged together with dulce de leche then covered in meringue and lightly baked) because they had just sold the entire tray to one man... never fear this was only our first stop...

Secondly we headed to Empanadas las Penas... these guys do the whole bread and cake thing too but they specialize in empanadas (chilean pies, filled with mince meat, onion & spice mix, olives and a slice of boiled egg)... this is the more traditional type they also had on offer a seafood version and the cheese which is deep friend whilst the previous two are oven baked...
Next stop Argentina... we strode in and our heads were dizzy with the sweet smell of pastry, all vanillery and toffee-esque... I was immediately transformed to childhood and I swore I smelt the scent of fresh ice cream, all milky and creamy... I was almost a baby suckling.... no, please, no visuals... we cannot go there!!! It was just the sweetest smell... here they had lots of little bitty cakes filled with fruity jams, creamy custards and caramel...
Last stop transported us back to Chile with a cake shop called Marciano's... Marciano walked in shortly after us and I teased him about his ever whitening hair... maybe it was flour but somehow I doubt it... here we could have Chilenitos galore and pan de pasqua (Christmas bread), filled with dried fruit and very pengent and spicy, we noted cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in our tastings that Marciano's daughter offerred us...
So it goes like this, Hayles for Chilenitos, Empandas at Las Penas (the do the best empanadas) and lots of imported liquor, chillie paste, mayonaise, jams, soaps, baby perfume, and chewing gum, Monica's (Argentinian) for little cocktail pastries and Marciano's for birthday and special occassion cakes. They do them filled with dulce de leche with flakey pastry, or sponge with pineapple and syrup, or tea enfused sponge, apricot jam and dulce de leche then the whole thing is covered in merengue, the soft Italian type, delicious. I had in tow Thanh and Furry, the lovely Ella (Purple Goddess) and they seem enraptured... Furry had indeed lived around these very parts and Thanh does so now and neither believes they would ever have found these places on their own... they had no idea such bakeries existed and in their own backyards... I was pleased to share my bounty...

Last and very quick stop was Clayton Road Deli where we were in an Italian nirvana... all the pannetone one could wish for, the cheese of the pizza gods, seeds for those who have to grow their own vegies and basil, vinegar, rice, flour, PASTA by the shelf load, no quince paste but there was sweet potato, there was guava, there was... well I don't remember what else there was but it was plentiful.... I left my friends at this point to pick up my Ella Bella Ballerina... my work was done...

Vida x