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© 2008 Dan Perlman
Casa SaltShaker
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Chef: Dan Perlman
Host: Henry Tapia
December 22-23, 2007
‘Twas the night before Larentalia, and all through the house… Not a creature was stirring, except the house elf. Well, not an elf exactly, but a Lare, a sort of djinn, or genie, or sprite, said to live in the corner, near to the chimney, and protect the home from harm. Except that one night a year, December 23rd, when the Lares were celebrated, appreciated, venerated. At least, of course, until the Catholic Church got into the act and decided to declare that the ancient Roman festival really honored Acca Larentia, the sainted nurse of Romulus and Remus, and since, of course, she was sainted, could be celebrated as a real holiday, not one of those pagan ones. Co-opting is such a fun activity. At Casa SaltShaker we took it upon ourselves to return the holiday to its roots… after a fashion.
Thoughts from some of our guests:
"Thank you so much for a wonderful dinner last night. Z... and I really enjoyed your hospitality and humor. I think our favorite dish was the gazpacho -- it would make a good dinner party dish on a hot summer day. R... and N... were great dining companions and we may meet up with them later during our stay." - L.W."It was a treat to be in your home for a lovely dinner- My thoughts on the meal - Most guests thought the soup was too spicy - best to stick to something common- i.e.- mushroom, veg, tomatoes- the apple ending was very nice- but needed to be cooked longer- it was difficult to eat with a spoon- a sauce would have been nice with the warm fruit." - J.F.
"We really enjoyed our evening and thoroughly enjoyed the food. I had intended on emailing you actually as we went for a few drinks after our meal with an American couple, K... and N..., and had a great night out." - M.F.
"Excellent - thanks Dan! We had a great time and loved our night at your home - thank you for the delicious food and wine and a truly unique experience!" - K.T.
"We had a great time. A few comments. It would be great to have more time before dinner to mingle and chat. For that matter, would be nice too if people can linger a little bit afterwards. I don't know if it is just our group that night, where people just sort of got up and left. The menu that night, i thought the ravioli was the best dish. Keep making more of those! Again, we had a wonderful experience. Hope to do it again sometime." - H.S.
