Picada: Argentina’s Antipasto

The ingredients in a picada can be pretty much anything, depending on the person making it. The classic version usually includes a variety of thinly sliced sausages and cold cuts, cheeses, olives, breads, and preserves.

Salami features heavily in picadas, and comes in various guises, such as coarse, fine, or country salami. Each kind is made differently and seasoned with different spices. In cities like Tandil, salami is practically an art form.

It’s also common to include cooked and cured ham and different types of sausage such as salchichón (a type of summer sausage), mortadela (a type of luncheon meat), and longaniza (another sausage that is similar to chorizo).

The most elaborate picadas include vegetable pickles; usually spicy pepper pickles. Another traditionally Argentinian dish that works really well as a picada is pollo en escabeche, which is chicken marinaded in oil and vinegar with carrots and onions.

When it comes to cheese, you’ll find endless varieties that may vary slightly by province. These include Roquefort, Provolone, Pategrás, Gouda, Fontina, Gruyere, Mar del Plata, and Brie, to name just a few.

Semi-hard and hard cheeses made with cow’s milk are the most common in Argentinian picadas. They are served cut into cubes or triangles, often preserved in oil.

Another essential ingredient is bread, in any of its many forms: country bread, homemade bread, rolls, or focaccia-style.

A picada might be served with one or several kinds of bread. It doesn’t really matter—what’s important is that there is bread of some kind there, as it’s the ideal accompaniment for cheese, sausages, and cold cuts.

Over time, the classic picadas have been updated. New versions have appeared, some bearing the personal flourish of the chef, while others have sought to revive local traditions, using ingredients typically found in a particular geographical area.

An obvious example of this is the seafood picada, famous in coastal towns or places that are near to fishing ports, such as Mar del Plata. This picada includes fresh fish and shellfish, often squid rings or silverside fish, which are usually breaded and fried.

Generally speaking, picadas are accompanied by beer, a glass of wine, different vermouth-style aperitifs, and typically Argentinian drinks such as Fernet with cola, which is especially popular in the province of Cordoba.

Across the country, there are several cities that are known for their high-quality picada ingredients. One such city is Tandil, in the province of Buenos Aires, which is famous for its artisan cheeses, salamis, and other sausages.

The town of Mercedes, in Buenos Aires province, is known as the national capital of quintero salami, so named because it is made in quintas, which are country estates just outside of the city. The town hosts an annual national festival dedicated to this product.

Finally, Suipacha is known for its Cheese Route. This route includes several establishments that offer visitors the chance to sample a range of exquisite cheeses, in this town with a long-standing tradition of dairy production. There are more than 40 varieties, made with cow’s milk, goat’s milk, and sheep’s milk.