A Gastronomic Tour
And now, what you´ve all been waiting for. It´s time for a gastronomic tour through Southern Peru.
4 Basic Rules to Follow:
First and foremost, "An empanada a day keeps the doctor away." Carne, Pollo, Queso, you name it, all wrapped up in the flaky goodness of the one food hard to mess up in any country, bread. In the great words of Rachel Ray…YUMMO. And for around .75 USD, they make for the perfect afternoon snack.
Second, expect every meal to come with French Fries. No matter what it is, fried rice, omelettes, salad, potato casseroles...you will receive a healthy portion of papas fritas on the side. That being said, I never want to hear again that Americans are the worst french fry consumers on the planet. Peru has our 'Super Size' Fries beat by a "King" and "Biggie" Size.
Third, pizza in Peru is never what it seems! Dabbled with a tasteless puree of tomatoes, smothered in the cheapest cheeses (the type where pasteurization has gone wrong...very wrong), and lacking any form of typical Italian spices...yeah, wouldn´t necessarily place them on my top 10. I can´t even begin to describe the mental collapse experienced when biting into the most brilliant looking piece of pizza, only to find that it is nothing more then a greasy, flavorless imposter. Maybe I´m biased, now having savored the explosive flavor of Italy´s best pizza pies, but honestly, give me a Totino´s Party Pizza any day of the week.
4 Basic Rules to Follow:
First and foremost, "An empanada a day keeps the doctor away." Carne, Pollo, Queso, you name it, all wrapped up in the flaky goodness of the one food hard to mess up in any country, bread. In the great words of Rachel Ray…YUMMO. And for around .75 USD, they make for the perfect afternoon snack.
Second, expect every meal to come with French Fries. No matter what it is, fried rice, omelettes, salad, potato casseroles...you will receive a healthy portion of papas fritas on the side. That being said, I never want to hear again that Americans are the worst french fry consumers on the planet. Peru has our 'Super Size' Fries beat by a "King" and "Biggie" Size.
Third, pizza in Peru is never what it seems! Dabbled with a tasteless puree of tomatoes, smothered in the cheapest cheeses (the type where pasteurization has gone wrong...very wrong), and lacking any form of typical Italian spices...yeah, wouldn´t necessarily place them on my top 10. I can´t even begin to describe the mental collapse experienced when biting into the most brilliant looking piece of pizza, only to find that it is nothing more then a greasy, flavorless imposter. Maybe I´m biased, now having savored the explosive flavor of Italy´s best pizza pies, but honestly, give me a Totino´s Party Pizza any day of the week.
Finally, when you see Cuy on the menu, recall those furry animals that so many of us had as children. No, not hamsters, how about their larger relative? That´s right folks, step right up and dig into your very own deep fried guinea pig. And, believe it or not, the hardest part of eating these critters is not overcoming the childhood pet syndrome, its overcoming the sneaking feeling that someone is watching you...yes, that would be the guinea pig with eyeballs still intact.
Hungry yet...or do you want more? |
Another delicacy is ceviche. Basically, raw fish cooked in lemon and lime acids, with a touch of chillie spice on top. This raw fish takes sushi to a whole new level. Word of warning though, there is no middle ground between good and bad ceviche. It is either really good or really "fishy".
Raw fish not tripping your trigger? How about Chocollo Con Queso? Women selling it in train stations, on buses, through windows of moving vehicles...an ear of corn (chocollo) with a hunk of cheese on the side, is never far away. Sounds good, however, with no butter or salt to compliment, I could never grow to fancy it. Mom, I blame you for my butter and salt problems =) |
Oh, and how could I forget, the one, the only, CHIFA. A cheap version of Chinese street food, restaurant after restaurant serve up these tasty, straight from the wok, dishes. The most common being Lomo Saltodo. Usually llama meat with onions, tomatoes, and french fries (I told you, everything with french fries), all stir fried together and served over rice. Hey, I never said it was real Chinese.
And finally, this edible tour would not be complete without something to wash it all down. For those of you with weak stomachs, be forewarned of the secret ingredient used in their national cocktail, Pisco Sours. Juevos (eggs). Raw eggs are whipped into this traditional drink to add that extra bit of raw protein necessary for a big night out on the town.
Well, I don´t know about you, but I´ve worked up quite an appetite writing this. Maybe I´ll even be daring tonight and go for Fluffy...I mean the Cuy!
Buen Probecho!©
And finally, this edible tour would not be complete without something to wash it all down. For those of you with weak stomachs, be forewarned of the secret ingredient used in their national cocktail, Pisco Sours. Juevos (eggs). Raw eggs are whipped into this traditional drink to add that extra bit of raw protein necessary for a big night out on the town.
Well, I don´t know about you, but I´ve worked up quite an appetite writing this. Maybe I´ll even be daring tonight and go for Fluffy...I mean the Cuy!
Buen Probecho!©