Tango: Why So Serious?

system · May 12, 2010, 9:37pm

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]Mascherano wrote:
We also butcher the meat differently (different cuts), which I beleive make the meat more tender, less sinewy.
[/quote]

Hmmm…I will look into this, but do you have any more info. on this? I know different countries butcher meat differently, but often it’s the same cut, but just a different name…it seems odd that the rest of the world wouldn’t start cutting their meat like Argentinians if the cuts were truly superior…[/quote]

I was wondering if she includes the aging process when she talks about a different style of butchering.

From older folks I’ve talked to, dry aging resulted in more tender beef, but is costlier than wet aging, which is why most of North Americas’ beef is wet aged.

Mascherano · May 12, 2010, 10:38pm

[quote]sen say wrote:

[quote]Mascherano wrote:

[/quote]

Hmmm…I will look into this, but do you have any more info. on this? I know different countries butcher meat differently, but often it’s the same cut, but just a different name…it seems odd that the rest of the world wouldn’t start cutting their meat like Argentinians if the cuts were truly superior…[/quote]

Lol! ok, well “superior” is subjective, but I agree with what you’re saying and for the most part we do have a lot of the same cuts with different names. The few differences are:

First we don’t trim the fat, which I know sounds like a ridiculous detail but its really important for flavor and for keeping things nice and juicy.

As for the cuts, I honestly don’t know enough about US cuts b/c I basically just stick to those that most closely resemble Argie cuts. These are:

Entran(y)a = Skirt steak
Vacio = Flank steak
Lomo = Beef tenderloin
Mollejas = Sweetbreads (I’m salivating btw)

That said, Argentinian Vacio (and another cut called Matambre) aren’t typical flank steaks. For example, vacio also incorporates some of the surrounding muscles, and matambre is like a much thinner version of vacio. Also, we don’t really do porterhouse steaks, as that part of the cow is also included in other cuts.

Also fraggle, I’ve never known an argentinian to eat an aged steak - but this could be the contingency that I know, maybe others do it.

I wish I were more helpful aside from just touting that our cuts are better. The best I can do is direct you to this link. IF you know your meats, maybe you can tell whether they’re different or not.

Brother_Chris · May 13, 2010, 12:16am

[quote]Enders Drift wrote:
Um while I don’t agree with a lot of what Eli said Hispanic does mean Spanish speaking usually from a country besides Spain.

HisÃ?Â·panÃ?Â·ic (h-spnk)
adj.

Of or relating to Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America.
Of or relating to a Spanish-speaking people or culture.
n.
A Spanish-speaking person.

It has nothing to do with what people in America think Hispanic means, its what Hispanic does mean.

People in America often use Latin and Hispanic interchangeably, they are wrong. Many people don’t even use Latin and will just say Spanish for all people when only people from Spain are Spanish. Hispanic is an all encompassing term usually used for people of Spanish speaking cultures.

Why Spanish speaking cultures and not just all of Central America, South America, and Spain? Because not all countries in South America are Hispanic. Brazil is Portugese, though your average American doesn’t know the difference. There is also Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyane which are all French speaking countries in South America.

…
But this has nothing to do with Race or Language. It has to do with people enjoying something from a foreign country. America is a huge country and a lot of things don’t come from here. I don’t know why Eli is trying to single this out. Hockey came from Canada, are you going to say all those crazy Americans that play Hockey need to get over the exoticism of hockey?

Didn’t Bodybuilding first start in Prussia (Germany)? Get over it and be happy there are women that like doing things that make them feel sexy, regardless of what country that thing originated in.[/quote]

Actually it is for people from Hispania (What the Romans called it) or Iberian Peninsula.

Brother_Chris · May 13, 2010, 12:21am

[quote]Mascherano wrote:
I’m Argentinian, i still visit Argentina on the reg, no one in my family dances the tango aside from my grandpops, and even when he does, everyone has a good laugh at his expense. Actually, I don’t know anyone in Argentina that’s into tango, altho I’m certain that the milongas are still chock full of portenos that are.

My theory is that its a class thing, and my family are complete elitists and as such prefer other leisure time activities like going to church, complaining about the government and snooping on the neighbors.

Why your mom might be into tango could possibly be b/c she’s trying to keep in touch with her Argie roots. Taking up activities in one’s host country that are typical in one’s native country reinforces cultural ties. I do the same with my ridiculous asados (see hub) and my love of footie. Vamos Argentina Carajo!

Anywho, according to some academics, if you spend 10,000hrs a year doing something you can consider yourself an ‘expert’ in that activity (probably said to validate their nerdy academic endeavors). But with that status comes douchbaggy virtuosity and ‘know it all’ cred. So I guess what i’m saying is, meh, let her have her fun and just indulge her.

The tango is hard to master. She deserves it. Plus, dude, Argentinians are so fucking full of themselves (clearly b/c we’re the best), so there’s probably no way to stifle her arrogance anyways.[/quote]

Well if you spent 10,000 hours a year doing something, I am sure you would be an expert, especially an expert on freezing time (which makes no sense), there is 8,760 hours in a year. And your beef looks good, what’s for dinner?

Mascherano · May 13, 2010, 12:47am

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

Well if you spent 10,000 hours a year doing something, I am sure you would be an expert, especially an expert on freezing time (which makes no sense), there is 8,760 hours in a year. And your beef looks good, what’s for dinner?[/quote]

HAHAHA! You’re fucking right! Whatever, you get the idea.

Eli_B · May 13, 2010, 12:52am

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

[quote]Eli B wrote:

[quote]ronaldo7 wrote:

[quote]Brother Chris wrote:

[quote]Spartiates wrote:
Yeah, but there’s maybe only a 10:8 ratio of women to men.

Men are becoming weird about it in the same way too.

[quote]clockworkchad wrote:
where in the US are you?

Im assuming your mom is Latina - which really explains everything. they seem to spend all of their time and money making sure that everyone around them knows that they think they are better than them. Im in new england, its not a problem here that i know of. hotties your age are most likely latina as well, and i advise you not to date them if you can help it. they are crazy. [/quote]

Is my mom Latina? Who the fuck knows. I don’t really know what that means anymore.

We’re from Argentina (her side of the family), but Argentine isn’t an ethnicity, and before my family crossed the Atlantic they were Spanish, Italian and Swedish… we’re not meztiso, so some of your Latin-American friends from further North don’t consider us “real” Latin Americans… who knows, that’s a different conversation. She’d say she’s Latina.[/quote]

Don’t worry, to tell you the truth if you are Spanish and Italian you are the real Latins, the ones that came from the Roman Empire, not these Hispanics.[/quote]

WTF is Hispanic anyways? I’m from Colombia with mostly Spanish roots. When I meet people for the first time my country of origin comes up often in conversations. I have a slight accent when speaking English. I tell them I’m from Colombia and they go “I thought you were white” , I don’t know what being Colombian has to do with being white/black/mestizo.[/quote]

hispanic is supposed to mean spanish speaking. Its a stupid made up term.

Our white and your white are slightly different things. I’ve studied race and identity in South America and the Carribbean (I had to for my spanish major). It just goes to show you that race is a very ambiguous thing and mostly made up to enforce social hierarchies.[/quote]

Hispanic is not supposed to mean Spanish speaking, nice try though.[/quote]

We are both right.

“Still more recently, primarily in the United States, the term has also (or alternatively) been used to denote the culture and people of countries formerly ruled by Spain, usually with a majority of the population speaking the Spanish language.”

“The definition of “Hispanic” has been modified in each successive census.”

Its ambiguous and stupid.

Eli_B · May 13, 2010, 12:59am

[quote]Enders Drift wrote:

But this has nothing to do with Race or Language. It has to do with people enjoying something from a foreign country. America is a huge country and a lot of things don’t come from here. I don’t know why Eli is trying to single this out. Hockey came from Canada, are you going to say all those crazy Americans that play Hockey need to get over the exoticism of hockey?

Didn’t Bodybuilding first start in Prussia (Germany)? Get over it and be happy there are women that like doing things that make them feel sexy, regardless of what country that thing originated in.[/quote]

Yeah, I was just giving my best guess at like 3 in the morning. This is a classic talking out of your ass thread and I was more than willing to comply. I probably should have just gone to bed.

At the same time I think Americans (and american women with too much time on their hands) find south american culture romantic and sophisticated. Unlike canadian culture, and hockey in particular…

ron_e · May 13, 2010, 1:11am

Not tango related, but Piero is from argentina.

This is a great song. Gets me teary eyed.

Enders_Drift · May 13, 2010, 2:09am

[quote]Eli B wrote:

[quote]Enders Drift wrote:

But this has nothing to do with Race or Language. It has to do with people enjoying something from a foreign country. America is a huge country and a lot of things don’t come from here. I don’t know why Eli is trying to single this out. Hockey came from Canada, are you going to say all those crazy Americans that play Hockey need to get over the exoticism of hockey?

Didn’t Bodybuilding first start in Prussia (Germany)? Get over it and be happy there are women that like doing things that make them feel sexy, regardless of what country that thing originated in.[/quote]

Yeah, I was just giving my best guess at like 3 in the morning. This is a classic talking out of your ass thread and I was more than willing to comply. I probably should have just gone to bed.

At the same time I think Americans (and american women with too much time on their hands) find south american culture romantic and sophisticated. Unlike canadian culture, and hockey in particular…
[/quote]

Its okay just help me convince Spartiates to post pictures of his mom who we all know is a hottie. He wouldn’t be so worried about this if his mom wasn’t getting more play than him.

ronaldo7 · May 13, 2010, 3:19am

[quote]ron-e wrote:

Not tango related, but Piero is from argentina.

This is a great song. Gets me teary eyed.[/quote]
It’s an awesome song. He is from all over. Was born in Italy, then moved to Argentina when he was very young with his amily then moved to Colombia and got citizenship there as well.

Petermus · May 13, 2010, 5:29am

[quote]angry chicken wrote:
I experienced the same thing with both salsa and tango. The snobbery and douchebaggery is simply unbelievable!

But you find that just about anywhere you go or any thing you do. I have experienced the same thing in various martial arts that I’ve done; on some rugby teams that I’ve played for; at certain sailing regattas I’ve attended/participated in; at certain rock climbing gyms/clubs that I’ve belonged to; Chess clubs and investing groups; professional associations; etc…

Just about any activity that requires any kind of skill and/or experience to be proficient it will have a kind of “don’t talk to the FNG” attitude. You even see that attitude here on T-Nation to a degree “if you can’t bench 300 lbs, don’t fucking talk to me” kind of attitude on some of the forums (although I have to say that this attitude is FAR from the level that you are referring to with Tango and most T-mag members go to great lengths to help out newbs)

The reason for all of this nonsense (from what I’ve studied) is that humans are wired to function in small, tribal societies. That’s how we evolved for tens of thousands of years. If you look at it from that context things start to make sense. These “avocations” become our “tribe”. This need is seen in many different forms from the radical behavior of sports fans to just about any other group that you can imagine. There is a hierarchy or “pecking order”, levels of skill or accomplishment, status, sometimes mating opportunity, competition, distrust of strangers and contempt for other tribes, just about every variable you’d have in a tribal society.

So to answer your question: It’s how we are wired. Funny, huh?[/quote]

I think part of it is just how freakin annoying people are. Fuckin 150lb twerps telling you to work on your core,buy a bosu ball and hit up BB.com. Believe it or not…when I mention T nation on other sites I usually get a negative response from “lifters”…usually they are hitting up BB.com. lol. The last one I talked to aggressively denied any difference between regular yogurt and greek yogurt justifying the difference by saying “ive talking to alot of competitive bodybuilders”…I dont need suggestions…he posted looking for suggestions…or more OMG ur awesome meal plan makes me cum responses. Hes also apparently had negative experiences on T nation <3.

IMHO you should be helpful when introducing new people into a sport or hobby but it can be annoying as hell. So keep it in the beginners forum where people wana deal with your smith machine bullshit.

Brother_Chris · May 13, 2010, 7:29am