Ah food glorious food. All you foodies out there you will surely agree that travelling to new and exotic destinations is not just brilliant to experience different cultures but to test your taste buds too aka stuffing your face without feeling guilty as it is all in the name of *ahem* research.
Trying new foods with names you can’t pronounce and half the time don’t actually know what it is you will be eating is all part of the package of travel. And I bloody love it! If you are ever in Peru then these are the top dishes I urge you to prepare your palate for, you can thank me after.
Lomo Saltado: Tender strips of beef marinated in a tangy sauce with onion, peppers and tomatoes is a staple dish here served with white rice and chips, ah man gotta love those carbs. Many places offer other meat such as chicken or duck prepared in the same way. Real tummy filler food.
Cuy: If any of you are up in the old Spanish lingo then you will know that this means guinea pig. Yep those cute furry pets that many of us will have owned and loved at one point is a real Peruvian delicacy. In fact in one of the cathedrals in Cusco there is a large painting of the last supper and sat on a platter in front of Christ is none other than a cuy! Usually saved for special occasions as it is pricy compared to other meat, you can get a full roasted cuy where you are expected to eat everything, and I mean every part of its anatomy or just slices of cuy meat which isn’t plentiful and tastes like warm rubber. But when in Rome and all that (just maybe close your eyes to avoid the whole teeth/hair still attached).
Alpaca: You cannot only buy jumpers made from soft alpaca wool but also enjoy a juicy steak. Still don’t really know the difference between an alpaca and a llama (something to do with the size of their noses?) anyhoo I can tell you that alpaca steak tastes (in my humble opinion) like ruddy nice pork.
Ceviche - It gets so cold here that spices are added to quite a lot of dishes none more so than ceviche, a popular seafood dish usually made with raw salt water fish. Although it is served cold it packs a punch with chillies and peppers that will have you gulping down water but in a good way.
Avocado - So technically this isn’t just a Peruvian treat but trust me when I say the avocados here are the best I have ever eaten. Pick up a few from the local markets, after haggling of course, and eat that day or the next as they are perfectly ripe and so tasty.
Strange Fruit – I think is called Picante but enlighten me if you know different! - A fruit that’s the size of an orange, the insides of a peach but tastes like melon. Random but really juicy and refreshing.
Arroz con Leche - Translated as rice and milk but this is no boring school dinner style rice pudding but instead is laden with cream or condensed milk making it super sweet with the tangy after-taste of cinnamon cloves dotted throughout.
Empanada - Greggs the Bakers needs to add this to their pastry laden repertoire, pop it right next to the greasy sausage rolls, as empanadas are big news over here. These savoury snacks are usually filled with meat, chicken or ham and cheese and best served warm making them the perfect comfort food when you are so far from home.
Have you got any fave Peruvian/South American dishes that I need to try whilst I am here? I would love to know!
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