Book of Days Tales

The last Friday in April is known as Día de la Chupina in Rosario in central Argentina. The name is local slang for Goofing Off Day. In 2001, the secondary school students of the city decided not to attend lessons but to meet in the center of Rosario instead. Several of them got drunk and caused enough havoc for the police to be called, with a few being arrested. Things got worse in subsequent years, with more damage to shops and more arrests year upon year to the point where shopkeepers boarded up their shops and did not open for the day.  Since then, students still take the day off, but peace has been restored.

The classic lunch dish in Rosario is the carlito sandwich which is essentially a toasted ham and cheese sarnie with ketchup. The reason that Rosario carlitos are renowned is that they are made from locally produced ingredients. Let’s start with the bread. It is freshly baked every day at one of the numerous panaderías throughout the city. The Argentine panadería is a legend in its own right. They are on every street corner and are busy from opening to closing. Porteños flock to them first thing in the morning to buy fresh facturas to have with their yerba mate, and throughout the day restaurants send messengers to them for orders of fresh bread. Therefore, the only way to make an authentic carlito is to start with Argentine bread.

Take two slices of bread and butter one side of each. Place a slice of melting cheese on the bread. Again, choose an Argentine cheese – there are many. Spread some ketchup thinly on the cheese, and then add a layer of Italian ham. Close up the sandwich and toast it on both sides, under a broiler or on a griddle.  Serve hot.