Warning: This Post May Induce Hunger...



A Traditional Street Food Vendor Selling Patas de Pollo

Cuy Frito

It would be depriving you of something absolutely vital I left Peru without describing the unbelievable Peruvian cuisine. Aside from Cuy Frito (fried guinea pig) and Patas de Pollo (Chicken feet), I have come to discover the Peruvian cuisine is the most amazing food I have ever eaten. 

Here are some of my favorites: 

1.  Ají.  I could eat this condiment with a spoon.  (Okay, so there is a slight possibility that I have done that... on multiple occasions...) This spicy sauce is made from different varieties of peppers, mixed with salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Every meal is accompanied by a small dish of this heavenly goodness and I generally end up asking for seconds.  This request is usually followed by a laugh from the waiter because they are not used to Gringos asking for more! I do not know what I am going to do without it when I go back to the US.   American hot sauce is like water compared to Ají.

Ají de Tres Colores

2. Choclo. This white corn variety is served on street corners, where women boil the corn and serve it with nothing more than a dash of salt.  It's gigantic kernals are sweet and juicy and leave you begging for more.  In Southern Peru, specifically the Cusco region, they serve it with a local cheese.  I have dreams of Choclo.  Mmm...

Choclo

3.  Arroz Con Leche.  A silky, creamy sweet rice with a hint of cinnamon.  Plump, juicy raisins are like delicous little pieces of treasure every time you find one in the bowl.  I have this at least 2x/week.  Okay, maybe closer to 4x/week...

Creamy Deliciousness

4.  Humitas and Tamales.  Humitas are made of delicously sweet Choclo, corn meal, and queso fresco. They are wrapped in corn husks and are generally cooked in boiling water. Tamales are a savory variation, and are usually spicy, large and wrapped in banana leaves. They are generally filled with chicken or pork, boiled eggs, olives, and chili peppers.  As most dishes are in Peru, it is accompanied by mass amounts of mayonaisse. 

Tamales

5.  Ají de Gallina.  A delicous dish consisting of shredded chicken served with a creamy, yellow sauce made from ají amarillo, cheese, and crackers.  It is served with Peruvian rice and topped with hard-boiled eggs. ¡Fabuloso!

Ají de Gallina

6.  Lomo Saltado.  Although I do not eat red meat, I did try this (eating off Amber and my Dad's plates!).  For a girl who hates red meat, it is absolutely amazing.  It is a dish that has Asian influences, consisting of thin strips of tender steak, marinated in vinegar, soy sauce and spices, then stir fried with red onions, parsley and tomatoes. Served traditionally over white rice and homemade french fries. Yum!

Lomo Saltado

7.  Cebiche.  Okay, I feel bad even talking about this because I did not have a good experience with Cebiche.  I tried it in Lima, which was the wrong place to try it.  The fish was not fresh and definitely made me quesy.  However, Trujillo and Northern Peru are known for their delicious Cebiche.  Every Peruvian I have spoken with said, "You haven't seen Peru until you try Cebiche!"  Cebiche is fresh, raw fish (or octopus, shrimp, crab, anything that swims, etc) marinated in lime juice and spicy red peppers.  It is served with Camote (sweet potato), red onions, and Choclo. 

Cebiche

8.  Anticuchos.  I am only writing about these unsightly things because Amber loves them.  I could not bring myself to try them.  Anticuchos are brochettes made from beef heart marinated in a various Peruvian spices.  They are grilled, often sided with boiled potatoes and corn. They are usually sold by street vendors and served shish kabob-style. 

Peruvian Street Vendor selling Anticuchos (Beef Heart)

9.  Pollo a la Brasa. This grilled chicken is one of the most consumed foods in this country. It's basically a gutted chicken marinated in a marinade that includes various peruvian ingredients and baked in hot ashes. The dish comes with French fries, salad and various sauces (peruvian mayonnaise, ketchup and ají).  You can either order a 1/4, 1/2, or whole chicken and it is served on a plate with bones and all. 

Pollo a la Brasa

10. Mazamorra Morada.  I did not think I would like this, as it looks like purple goo with fruit chunks floating about.  However, I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is! It is a jelly-like dessert, made from the juice of purple maize (corn), sugar, cinnamon, cloves. When that mixture is cooled, chopped fruit is added. Absolutely delicious!

Mazamorra Morada



If you are not drooling by now, you should be!!  The food is so amazing, and I could literally go on forever describing the delicous food.  MOST IMPORTANTLY, I am so happy to say that in 6 weeks, I did not get Montezuma's revenge.  Well, not anything too vicious anyways :) I consider that, in itself, to make my entire trip a success! 

Semana Santa and Surf Lessons!



Procession during Semana Santa

In many Latin American and European countries, the week before Easter, called Samana Santa (Holy Week) is often more celebrated than Easter day itself.  This was definitely the case in Peru!  Starting with the Sunday before at Palm Sunday Mass, the priest described parade after parade that would occur in the upcoming week.  Thursday and Friday before Easter are considered National Holidays, so most businesses were shut down as the people flocked to the coastal towns to enjoy the beautiful sunny weather and fabulous festivals.  The most interesting part, however, is that on Easter Sunday itself, most businesses opened back up and resumed life as usual! 

The parades were amazing to see, with gorgeous displays of the Crucifix, huge marching bands, incense, and people following the procession as they walked for miles.  One specific procession walked over 15 miles, from one end of Trujillo to the other.  On Easter Sunday, my family and I went to the Cathedral in Trujillo for mass.  40 minutes later, the mass was over (if you have EVER been to a Catholic holiday mass, or any mass for that matter, you will know this is not normal!) and life continued as any other normal day.  It was a change from the celebrations that I am used to! 


Sunset in Huanchaco, Peru

Since Amber was able to get the Thursday and Friday before Easter off of work, we went to Huanchaco, a town 25 minutes by car from Trujillo.  It is well known to be a surfer's paradise.  Amber has recently become an avid surfer, so she convinced myself and her friend Kathleen to take surfing lessons.  One more fabulous thing about Peru:  it's affordable, if not downright cheap.  A two-hour surfboard lesson, wetsuit and surfboard rental coast only s/35, or about $12.  After learning, in Spanish, that I am a "goofy" (a universal word!) and how to balance on the board on land (not as easy as it sounds when the instructor is pushing you back and forth to mimic waves!) we headed out into the ocean!  First wave came... and I caught it!  Second wave came.... success again!  By the third wave, I thought I was a pro!  It was 4th through 35th waves that got a little ugly.  :)  Let's just make this fact known:  Surfing IS NOT as easy as it looks.  However, equally as true:  Surfing IS as fun as it looks!  Although I swallowed gallons of delicious sea water and attracted many stares as a ridiculously horrible Gringa surfer, it was a fabulous first experience surfing!  Next weekend we are going to another well-known surfing destination in Peru, so hopefully I can try it again!



Picarones in Peru

After a fun day of surfing, we were starving.  Peruvian street food deserves an entire blog post of it's own, so I won't go into too much detail.  Amber, Kathleen and I shared some amazing Peruvian delicacies called Picarones.  Picarones are essentially deep fried dough made from squash and sweet potato. It is served in a doughnut form and covered with a syrup made from chancaca (solidified molasses- way yummier than it sounds).  If you aren't drooling, you should be.  They are perfectly brown and crisp on the outside and soft and warm on the inside.  Topped with the sweet sauce, you forget that you are on earth for a few moments and drown in deliciousness.  Mmm... A perfect end to a semi-successful day at the beach!