“Oh, you only have a couple hours. We can work with that” —  was my local Argentine friend’s response when I said I had made plans for dinner in a couple hours. A large slice of chocolate cake topped with meringue and dulce de leche and two cappuccinos sat between us in the center of the table on a quiet tree-lined cobblestone street. It was 6:30 p.m. in Buenos Aires, and being from the U.S., my productivity-obsessed culture had not prepared me for the level of lingering in this country — and certainly not over something as simply enjoyable as cake. 

To my delight, Argentina had a real, nationally recognized third out of four mealtimes, situated comfortably between lunch and dinner: merienda. It was a dream come true for me, but no such late afternoon mealtime exists in the States. So, the idea that 1) meeting for an array of caffeine and sweets before dinner was the norm and 2) it would typically last more than an hour or two took me by surprise. 

This was my first time visiting Argentina in January 2024, the trip that would inspire me to return to live in Buenos Aires just over a year later — and merienda, while seemingly just another eating occasion, says a lot about what I love about life in Argentina. 

Walking down the streets........

© Buenos Aires Herald