Tales of Argentinian Producers: Honey in Santiago del Estero

Argentina is the second largest global exporter of honey and the first in terms of quality. A lot of the beekeepers are concentrated in the province of Santiago del Estero.

The beekeepers' labor is delicate, constant and, like the bees that they care for, is nurtured by nature. In the fields of Santiago, flowers from native plants like the atamisqui, the algarrobo blanco and the quebracho colorado are fundamental for the beekeeping activities.

That’s according to René, an agricultural engineer and founding member of a cooperative that has been producing honey for over 30 years in the province, based on collaborative, mutually supportive ways of working. Its history and working methods have been characterized by hard work, humility, and collaborative efforts.

The empanadas from Santiago del Estero are amongst the most famous in the country and in a visit to the province one cannot miss the tasting tour through the cities and pueblos.

The empanadas from Santiago were popularized nationally by the cook Petrona C. de Gandulfo, "Doña Petrona", originally from La Banda in the north of the province. The mediatic cook included the recipe in her famous book with more than 30 editions.

The characteristic flavor of the empanadas from Santiago come from cumin, which arrived in America with Spanish and Portuguese colonizers. Its culinary use is almost always limited to traditional northern cuisine.