Mendoza: Trip to the Farmers’ Market

One of five major highway passes that make the treacherous crossing through and over, up and around the Andean Mountain Range.  Argentina shares a border of 3,200 miles (5150 km) with Chile, but the border crossings are few and far between, creating a bottle neck of trucks filled to the brim with fruits and veggies looking to get to the other side.

These ferías (fairs), are a kind of bulk farmers’ market.  Large-scale buyers and suppliers come to the warehouse, inspect the goods and drive away with truckloads.  The fairs are also heavily populated by local chefs and culinarians looking to get excellent prices for exceptional eats. Though red meat certainly takes priority on the traditional Argentine menu, that’s not to say that fresh produce doesn’t play an important part as well.  Proximity to chile, long growing seasons and large expanses of land allow Mendoza to fill to the brim with fresh foods.

And though the setting is a little drab, an old warehouse on the outskirts of downtown, the brilliant colors of freshly picked foods set the place aglow.