[Transcript]

Sweet, creamy, and oh-so-irresistible—dulce de leche is a beloved treat that has captured hearts across Latin America and beyond.

Made simply from milk and sugar, this caramel-like spread is the result of slow cooking over low heat, where the sugars gradually caramelize, giving it that signature golden-brown color.

Dulce de leche is a staple in countless kitchens, used to enhance everything from morning toast to decadent cakes and pastries.

Although for Argentinians it’s more than just a treat— it's a symbol of identity, tradition, and a way to boost creativity with that particular sweetness that reminds you of something called home.

Welcome to Further Records, the podcast where you can stay One Step Ahead with your English practice. I’m your host, Forest

Whether it’s filling alfajores, topping a flan, or oozing out of a churro, dulce de leche adds a touch of sweetness to any dish.

There are many legends about the origins of dulce de leche: one of them places it in Argentina and dates back to 1829 when the then governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Juan Manuel Rosas, and his opponent, General Juan Lavalle, were meeting. That day Rosas' cook got distracted: she left some milk on the fire and it burned, giving birth to dulce de leche. However, this is just a legend, historians assure that can be traced back to many more countries outside of the ones around the Rio de La Plata. According to the story, this event happened on October 11th, which is the reason it’s celebrated as the international day of Dulce de Leche.

In 2002, The Argentinian government declared Dulce de Leche an Argentinian cultural heritage, and everybody was happy with that!

You wish.

Uruguay considered that THEY were the people who created dulce de leche, where legend says that a convent of nuns in Montevideo created it. This difference of opinion sparked a small fight between the two countries. In the end, a joint Committee between Argentina and Uruguay ended up deciding that Dulce de Leche would be considered to be indigenous of both countries. At last, there was peace in South America.

But one historian even said that the true origin is in Indonesia! According to the theory, it was then exported to the Philippines. When Spain invaded the Philippines, they took the recipes. The rest, as they say, is history. When they then invaded America, the recipe was propagated until it reached the shores of the La Plata river.

Legends and theories aside, one thing that is certain is that Argentinians are obsessed with this treat. Recent studies show that in Argentina the average person eats 2 kilograms of dulce de leche per year, one of the highest figures in the world. And even then, you know, I see that number and think to myself: that’s not much at all really!

According to the latest industrial survey, there are 112 companies in Argentina that manufacture dulce de leche, and they create all kinds of recipes: brownies, pancakes, and of course we should include the beloved “cones” which are little cookies with a nice dollop of dulce de leche on top, and covered in chocolate. Decadent, really.

One of the most famous recipes, which is included in the list of the best cakes in the world, is the Chocotorta. But honestly, chocotorta deserves its own episode! For now, we’ll just say the love is justified.

“But what about vegans?!” I hear you say. And it’s true, Dulce de leche is made with milk and sugar. However, you can simply change the milk, and you’ll be fine, don’t worry. You can also buy vegan dulce de leche, but those are usually quite expensive.

Truth be told, the best recipes in the world are quite simple. Naturally, so is dulce de leche. But it’s great because it’s simple! It’s versatile, it works with a lot of recipes, and it’s popular around the whole world! When I was a kid, I never thought that it would be popular in the United States, but life is full of surprises!

Argentinians are proud people, and we’re incredibly proud of our food especially. But another quality is that we love sharing. After all, one of our favourite drinks is mate (which, yes, we’ll also talk about in another episode). There’s nothing that makes us more happy than sharing this with the world. Because, let’s be serious, have you tried it? I want a spoonful right now, actually!

You’ve been listening to Further Records, a podcast by Further Corporate.

In this episode, we used certain phrases associated today’s topic! Have you heard of these before?

• Caramelization: The process of cooking sugar so that it transforms in colour and flavour, into a dark brown colour and thick consistency.
• Dollop: A small amount of a soft material, usually food. A dollop is not usually a consistent shape.
• Decadent: Something that gives you excessive pleasure
• Versatile: Something or someone that can do many different things
• The rest is history: A phrase that means "you already know this story" or that the conclusion is obvious
• Staple: As an adjective, staple means something that is regular and common

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See you next time!

Music and SFX:

Himno Nacional Argentino from El Cancionero Patrio (https://elcancioneropatrio.com/)



Music: “Tango de Manzana” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

“World Vice” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

“Cumbia No Frills” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Music: Savour The Moment by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com