Carnivorous in Argentina- a few helpful hints for the uninitiated

1. Never order 'rare; unless you are prepared to personally kill, skin and butcher the cow at the table. I had to send my slab of steak back it was so intimidatingly raw- I was embarrassed, but the waiter smiled at me like, it happens all the time gringa.

2. Cuts of meat do not come under 500gm. When the menu suggests the dish should be shared between two people, assume you and the local football team could happily tackle the hunk of beef and still have leftovers for sandwiches the next day.

3. There are more parts to an animal that you have ever dreamed of. Filet, t-bone, chuck steak etc are just the tip of the iceberg.  A lot of restaurants offer a helpful diagram of the relevant animal carved up into its various cuts!

4. Red wine is not only advisable but necessary to be able to digest such enormous quantities of meat. Vegetables are an afterthought and frequently shunned.

5. Seriously consider buying your own 8 inch carving knife, sheathed in a leather pouch, to bring to local restaurants.   It adds panache and also saves you the trouble of having to hack through a 4 inch steak with a butter knife.