Argentina Cooks!

A region-by-region tour of Argentine cooking with 190 recipes, written by a food writer married to a native of Buenos Aires who spent years eating and cooking across all nine regions of the country. Shirley Lomax Brooks treats Argentina as a continent of flavors, not just a nation of grillers.

Why Start Here

Where other Argentine cookbooks focus on Buenos Aires or the asado tradition, this book maps the entire country. Each chapter covers a different region, from the Andean northwest with its earthy stews and corn-based dishes to Patagonia’s lamb and seafood, to the wine country of Mendoza. The 190 recipes are adapted for North American kitchens, and Brooks provides a thorough section on ingredients and techniques to get you started.

The cultural context is a real strength. Brooks weaves in history, geography, and family stories that explain why certain dishes exist in certain places. You learn not just how to make locro or humita, but why those dishes matter in their regions. A chapter on Argentine wines pairs well with the food and adds another layer to the experience.

What to Expect

A substantial cookbook at 330 pages. The recipes are approachable and clearly written, though the book is text-heavy with fewer photographs than more modern cookbooks. It reads almost as part travel writing, part recipe collection. If you want to understand the breadth of Argentine cuisine beyond Buenos Aires, this is the most thorough English-language option. The regional organization makes it easy to explore one area at a time.