The Gnocchi Puzzle of Buenos Aires

Most restaurants in Buenos Aires only serve gnocchi on the 29th of the month—but why? Marisa Robertson-Textor scoured the city for answers for Gourmet, and uncovered conflicting accounts. Gnocchi day may be a Genovese tradition, one diner said—or perhaps Uraguayan. Another claimed it is meant to give people luck on payday. “Hardly!” a musician told her. “You’ve just been paid, so who needs luck?"

Miffed by the mystery tradition, Robertson-Textor vowed to swear off the gnocchi for good. Then the 29th came, and she went to a trendy hotspot for oysters or foie gras. And "there it was: Gnocchi. Was I mad? Did I just plain not know when to quit?" But she couldn't resist. "Laced with crisp bits of morcilla, or blood sausage, the gnocchi were phenomenal." (More pasta stories.)