Translating Vegan Food from English to Spanish (so you don't starve!) - Eating Vegan in Buenos Aires

some vegan staples I've managed to track down

Hola! mi amor.  I'm currently ensconced in the sweltering heat and noise of Buenos Aires.  It's day 3 and I've not eaten out yet.  Day 2 my attempts to find not one but two options for vegan restaurants failed when I forgot to write down the street numbers.  In the UK, the streets are usually pretty short.  Not so in Argentina, they are more like American streets and the numbers reach into the thousands.  Last night, I located a raw food vegan place I wanted to try and the bloody power was down.  Now, it's a raw food restaurant…who needs power right?  Apparently, their back-room kitchen was so dark they could not see to doing any prep.  I happened across an Indian Krishna restaurant in Palermo and couldn't read the menu - a) because the writing was so small and b)because I couldn't make head nor tale of what it had on it and my travel dictionary was lacking.  Sheesh!
Today I am going for a private Spanish lesson to learn how to order food.  Ah…so then the feasting can begin.  My 'wish list' notebook has pages of vegan eateries to try in Buenos Aires.  So surprising in a predominantly meat-eating country.  I wonder whether one can really get into a culture if you remain in a minority…of course, it is the same as being in any country.  I do as I am and find those that share my life philosophy.  I do worry that I won't blend with the portenos (locals),  if I am not eating at 10pm?  Jesus, how do they do that?  My normal eating pattern is to have finished chowing by 6pm at the latest!  Who'd want a gut full of food at bedtime?  Can't be right, can it?!

I've been eating really lightly, because the heat just isn't getting me hungry.  I've a juicer in my room which is a Godsend.  For lunch and dinner I've just been preparing raw cauliflower nori wraps and enjoying lots of flavourful sun dried tomatoes.  I've been making a wrap sauce out of nutritional yeast, kelp powder, chlorella and spices (I had stashed in my suitcase from the UK) which has been serving me well.  But today, I'm heading out again and this time I WILL eat out, dammit!

Here is a sample list of  vegetarian/vegan foods translated into Spanish.  Not everything is listed.  I hope I've covered the basics to help you buy your staples or eat out in a Spanish speaking country ¿"Por favor, puedo ver el menu?"

I promise mucho food porn in my next post!  

Aren't these useful?!  Print them out and keep them in your bag!

That done I'm back to watching South American  TV and, of course, the cooking channel. Currently a fast speaking, very hairy handed and mucho shiny, bald headed man is cook tamales.   He keeps saying vegan and vegetariano.  I think I love him!  

Nearly forgot, this will help too…

Vegetariano estricto, or vegano 

To say "I am vegan" it is "Soy vegano"

Happy travels..happy eating! 

Oh, and for the mosquito bites (honestly, I love creatures but what are they for in the scheme of things!)  I recommend vinagre de sidra de manzana (apple cider vinegar).

Besos
India xx

I will be posting vegan friendly supermarkets in Argentina soon too.  Come back and see.