Wherever you look at Ranquilco you’ll find something interesting, something beautiful, or something colorful. Actually, it’s all three. And that is true, as well, for the food we serve.
This land provides
We know we are privileged to be able to care for the land in this beautiful country. All of us who live and work at the estancia also know the importance of caring for ourselves and for the guests who come here for adventure, or for relaxation, or for both. The land gives us the gift of clean air and beautiful vistas, and we work in partnership with it to grow and nurture much of the food that is served every day.
Garden to table
We are a “garden to table” establishment. Everything we can grow or create on our own we do, including vegetables and herbs, fruits, meats and dairy.
Our gardens are colorful and rich with lettuce, corn, zucchini, green beans, carrots cucumbers, winter squash, potatoes, beets, tomatoes, and more. Our honey is local, as is our grass-fed beef, lamb and goat we serve to staff and guests alike. Our cows provide fresh milk and yogurt, and the Trocoman and Picunleo Rivers are the source of the fresh trout found often at our family-style tables.
The chefs and the cuisine
Staff, volunteers, and guests can expect garden salads at dinner, homemade granola and freshly-baked bread at breakfast, and a variety of dishes, from California cuisine to traditional Argentinean fare, at our lunch and dinner tables.
If you asked our chefs, they would say they have the best job in the world. They get to work in a beautiful, well-equipped kitchen and look out any of the windows at the glorious scenery of the estancia. They can walk outside to the gardens to pick that afternoon’s salad greens, or help make yogurt fresh from the cows that were recently milked.
Every morning the chef fills the kitchen and beyond with the aroma of freshly baking bread. If a trek or other adventure is planned, some of that bread will be a part of travel lunch they put together for everyone riding off that morning. The rest might be served that night with milanesas and mashed potatoes, or a melt-in-your-mouth stew made with lamb raised on the estancia and vegetables grown in our garden.
Special foods for Special Needs
We are happy to create custom-made meals to meet specific dietary needs. Whether gluten-free, diabetic, lactose intolerant, vegan or vegetarian, or because of religious beliefs, our chef will create delicious, colorful, and healthy meals that suit every palate. It is best to let us know beforehand, so we can make sure we have what we need, especially since our chefs pride themselves on making beautiful dishes for every person they serve.
Family-style meals
We eat together at every meal except breakfast. The morning fare is served continental style, in deference to different morning rhythms. Dinners and lunches can be served on the outdoor terrace, in our dining room, or in the kitchen. Whether we are eating on crystal and fine china or out near the barbeque pit, we always have wonderful Argentinean red table wines, crystal clear water, and the ever-present mate (the traditional South American tea).
When you visit Ranquilco, your food will be colorful, delicious, healthy and fresh. We’d love to show you our gardens, and share a family style meal. Come down to Argentina and join us.
