Preparing the Curanto

Pilar and Alberto also told us about the Curanto in what is called Colonia Suiza, or the Swiss Colony, on Wednesdays and Sundays, and advised us to take a bus there on Sunday. A Curanto is an earth-covered roasting of meats, chicken and vegetables which the Swiss settlers actually developed from Polynesians. We took a bus ride for about an hour to Colonia Suiza, paid our $12.50 each, and watched and enjoyed a beautiful day with Argentinean people. A fire is built until coals are very hot, then large river rocks are placed over the coals. More wood is piled on until the stones and coals are very hot; then the remaining sticks are removed and green branches of leaves are put on the stones. Chicken, lamb, beef, pork, and sausages are placed on the leaves, then potatoes and squash and whole apples and other vegetables, then more leaves and finally burlap. An Argentine flag was placed on the top layer of burlap, then one more layer of burlap, and the whole thing covered in dirt. It smoked for an hour and a half, then the bell was rung and everyone heard a patriotic speech by the cook (in Spanish, we didn't pick it all up) and the layers removed. It resulted in a perfectly cooked and delicious meal of roasted meats, potatoes, squash and apples. I still can't believe I ate something that at one point was covered with dirt.