From July 9 to 12, INTA is participating in the *Caminos y Sabores* fair at BA Ferial, showcasing culinary creations made with the Kira INTA rice variety, oyster mushrooms from Neuquén, and guanaco meat from Santa Cruz. The "Cocina Show" area—sponsored by the ArgenINTA Foundation—aims to highlight the research, technological development, and territorial coordination efforts behind each of these food products.

The Caminos y Sabores fair is key to Argentina's productive, cultural, and gastronomic identity. The event connects producers, entrepreneurs, chefs, and the public with the flavors and traditions of each region. This year, the activity in which INTA is participating focuses on highlighting the value of various regional foods.

In this edition, the ArgenINTA Foundation is participating as a sponsor of the Cocina Show – Masterclass: cooking with memory– area, supporting a culinary presentation led by chef Paula Comparatore.

ArgenINTA’s participation in this space aims to support the promotion of products that reflect the coordinated effort combining technical knowledge, innovation, value addition, and territorial development.

In this regard, the proposal represents an opportunity to bring the concrete results of the actions INTA carries out in collaboration with the productive sector in various regions of the country closer to the general public.

Regional products

This edition will feature products representative of various regions, highlighting both their culinary qualities and the technical, production, and territorial processes behind each food item. In this way, the initiative seeks to integrate cuisine, identity, production, and applied knowledge.

On Friday, July 10, oyster mushrooms from Neuquén, produced by Mirta Chavarri, will be presented. Jorge Sánchez, one of the INTA technicians advising the project, will be in attendance.

Oyster mushrooms have a mild, fragrant, and subtle flavor, with a firm, meaty texture. The entire mushroom is used in cooking; its gill structure provides greater firmness compared to other varieties. They are cultivated by inoculating softwood logs (such as poplar) in late winter and are sold fresh, canned, or dried.

On Saturday, July 11, guanaco meat from Santa Cruz will be showcased by Carla Cepeda, a technician from INTA Santa Cruz. This product is the result of a collaborative effort involving INTA, the Montecarlo meat processing plant, the Provincial Agrarian Council, and other stakeholders in the value chain. It is sold as vacuum-packed, frozen cuts and has undergone official sanitary inspection.

Characteristics of the meat include its deep red color, firm texture, and—when cooked properly—its tenderness. It has a delicate flavor with subtle wild notes; this is less intense than other game meats and, depending on the cut and preparation, comparable to lean red meat.

Guanaco meat has a high content of high-quality protein and low levels of fat and cholesterol compared to other traditional red meats.

Finally, on Sunday, July 12, visitors can sample dishes featuring Kira INTA—an Argentine variety of long, broad-grain rice developed by INTA’s Rice Breeding Program.

José Colazo—a researcher at INTA Entre Ríos—will be responsible for providing information on this variety, which is the result of rice breeding aimed at combining high productivity, good agronomic performance, and premium grain quality.

It is an agronomically improved cultivar with premium industrial quality and excellent culinary characteristics. It is currently grown in Entre Ríos, Corrientes, and Formosa, demonstrating good adaptation to various rice-growing regions of the country.

It stands out for its premium quality, regarding both its culinary attributes and industrial specifications. It features uniform, translucent grains, which ensures even cooking and an excellent presentation on the plate.

Photo courtesy of Caminos y Sabores