Camille Cusumano

Where to buy the best little alfajores in Argentina – see purchasing info below.

Marcela who is the protagonist in Chapter 17 Sundays in San Telmo of my book, Tango, an Argentine Love Story, is a self taught cook in Buenos Aires. Marcela dances tango so she knows all about the care and feeding of a tanguera’s body. Having feasted many times at her home in San Telmo, I would safely venture to say she is the best cook in all of Argentina. She is the only cook I’ve met who can improve on something already good by its very nature, like pasta (more on that to come) or that decadent and ubiquitous Argentine sweet, the alfajor, pronounced—to the delight of English speakers who like an off-color play on words— “alpha whore.”

Above is her new and improved alfajor, which  is out of this world. The crust is made of only eggs and flour, nothing else. The filling is the best dulce de leche and the icing is the best chocolate. You will die with little crumbs and “divino, divino” on your lips when you try one. I was not prepared to love her creations as much as I did because there are so many lousy industrial (dry, tasteless) incarnations of this sweet around. So be forewarned, if you try Marcela’s, it’s like tango itself, you’ll be hooked. Below is Marcela’s chocolate flan which is up there with the alfajores.

To purchase Marcela’s alfajores, call her at home in San Telmo on her cell, at 15-3604-9394. Each alfajor, about six inches by two-and-half inches (big enough for two to gorge on) is five pesos if you have them delivered. If you go to Marcela’s place (it’s on Garay near Chacabuco—call for directions) you can purchase them for three pesos each. Either way is worth the dough. Ask Marcela about her Torta Rogel, which is an alfajor – out of control – a kilo-sized one. It’s 50 pesos delivered, 30 pesos picked up.

Marcela's Chocolate Flan

Marcela’s three daughters live in New York City. Carolina, Laura, who teaches tango, and Julieta, who cooks as a private chef and caterer to the rich and famous. Marcela tells me how she taught Julieta to cook by long distance phone calls from New York to Buenos Aires. Of course, Julieta now has earned her credentials. Julieta and Laura are in the process of starting a business called GourmeTango – stay tuned for details.

Marcela also makes fabulous hand-cranked pasta — eggs and flour, no additives (18 pesos a kilogram). One afternoon I sat in her kitchen as she dunked plum tomatoes in hot water, peeled and chopped them, then seared them briefly in hot olive oil with nothing more than salt and oregano—–what! not garlic? No. She had only cremoso cheese, a mild one. She tossed this steaming plate in front of me and I couldn’t believe how richly flavored, subtle, and perfect this heap of noodles was.

We talk by phone at times and I feel like her daughter- – “Marcela, give me that recipe again for matambre.” She did and I made her grandmother’s matambre right here at home – amazing dish.