The
Essence of..... Peru
An exploration of the world through food and drink
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Restaurants/Hotels |
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Recipes |
Essence -ial Information
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UK Tourist Office |
52 Sloane Street, London SW1 |
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Currency |
Nuevo Sol |
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Capital |
Lima |
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Language |
Spanish |
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Main Airlines |
No direct flights |
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Flying Time from UK |
approx 16 hrs |
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Visa |
No |
PROFILE
"Peru can lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines". This was the conclusion of a well known financial magazine in 2004 and since then Peruvian cuisine has been described as 'the new Thai' and continues to fascinate chefs the world over.
Peru is home to some 80 types of the world's 104 different biological
zones, which assures an amazing assortment of fresh ingredients.
Potatoes and hot peppers from the Andes, fish and seafood from the
Pacific Ocean, mangoes and limes from the coastal valleys, bananas
and manioc from the Amazon jungle: a chef's only problem is abundance
of choice
Peru is best known for its Inca heritage and outstanding natural
beauty. However, increasing numbers of visitors are discovering
Peru's hidden gastronomic delights and letting their taste buds
travel through the length and breadth of this delicious country.
Peruvian food is considered one of the most varied of the world and a
new culinary style called 'Novoandina Cuisine' which was created in
Peru by the interest of gourmets to rescue and revalue the native
ingredients and methods from areas such as the Andes, Amazon and
Coast into one technique. The constant evolution of Peruvian food led
to the capital of Lima being declared as the 'The Gastronomic Capital
of America Latina'.
Peruvian people have always loved to experiment with their cooking and their timeless yet simple meals are a historical journey through the legacy of their rich cultural heritage, from the influence of their ancestors such as the Inca's. Added to this, Peru's unique geographical conditions of the Andean highlands, lush Amazon and extensive coastline also ensure that fish and seafood play a starring role on the menu. It is not all about Pisco and Guinea Pig, there is much more to make mouths water!
Amazonian Cuisine
Loreto, Ucayali, San Martín and Madre de Dios Regions
Peru is home to the source of the Amazon, a rich and varied tropical jungle which is full of exotic delicacies. 'Chonta' or palm tree heart salad is a delicious entrée. Meats and plantains are ever present in the main dishes, such as grilled banana plantains (tacacho) with deep-fried beef (cecina) served with chopped onions and dried meat, or stuffed bananas, (a banana dough stuffed with beef and peanuts).
Grilled delicious wild meat called 'Picuro' or pork cooked in a peanut and corn sauce, is also wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over a fire. Soups include 'Inchicapi' chicken soup with peanuts, coriander and manioc and 'Carachama' fish soup cooked also with banana plantain and coriander.
To quensh thirst, 'Aguajina' is a refreshing drink made from the chestnut colour jungle fruit 'aguaje' which grows from the Moriche Palm tree and is rich in vitamin C. A popular alcoholic option is 'Masato' a fermented manioc fruit and sugar beer.
Lima Cuisine
Lima is the traditional City of Kings and the capital of the country and gateway to Peru with excellent restaurants serving national and international cuisine. Its culinary legacy inherited superb pre-Hispanic and colonial cooking traditions and was nurtured by Western and Oriental cooking.
Creole food, the mix of Spanish and local cuisines, includes highly-recommended 'Causa', a cold chicken or shellfish potato pie with tomatoes and avocado; 'Tamal', a hot dry corn mash filled with hot peppers and chicken or pork wrapped in banana tree leaves for slow cooking and renowned 'Sancochado', a beef, chicken, pork, potato, corn, cabbage and vegetables chowder, served with various sauces.
Most people in the UK love Chinese food and Peruvian versions are very popular and include 'Chaufa' Cantonese rice, and beef-sauté with onions and tomatoes and also a red pepper, tomatoes and soy sauce, which are local favourites.
African-Peruvian food includes grilled beef kebabs, 'Cau-Cau' tripe and potato stew in coriander, yellow peppers and herbs, and 'Tacu-Tacu, a hot-fried beans and rice dough stuffed with beef or shellfish.
Andean Cuisine
Cajamarca, Amazonas, Ancash, Junín, Pasco, Huancavelica, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Cusco and Puno regions
The Andes are a breathtaking mountain range and the gastronomy in relatively simple using firewood ovens to combine meats, tubers, grains and herbs into tasty cuisine.
Starters include corn with Andean cheese, Chochos salad, 'mote con chicharrón' or large white boiled corn and deep-fried pork. Sensational main courses include 'Pachamanca' (beef, lamb, pork and guinea pig cooked on hot stones with broad beans, potatoes and humitas, in a hole covered with leaves and soil).
Desserts are a must to restore sugar levels in the altitude and include ricotta and molasses syrup, 'Cocadas' (coconut and molasses) and jellies (made of mulberries and elderberries).
Northern Cuisine
Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque and La Libertad Regions
Peru's north features a coast of superb white sandy beaches and uninterrupted bays, which is an ideal region for sun seekers and watersports enthusiasts. Eat at classic restaurants and local 'chicherías', literally corn beer bars where food is prepared over a wood fire in earthen pots.
Due to the extensive coast it is no wonder then that fish is featured highly in the cuisine. Zesty fresh lime-juice marinated fish and shell fish served with a hot pepper sauce, onions, yams, corn on the cob, or boiled corn is a popular dish as is 'Chinguirito', dried and salted guitarfish. Also the popular and tasty 'Ceviche' which combines freshly caught fish and seafood mixed with Spanish onions, lemon juice, salt, and a touch of chilli pepper.
Meat dishes are particularly mouth watering and kid stew is popular. It is served with squash cooked in corn beer and beans or green corn tamales, also try 'Chabelo' stew prepared with shredded grilled beef and grilled banana plantains with duck and rice, cooked in malt beer. For the sweet tooth the region serves 'King-Kong', a cake made with egg yolks and creamed pineapple and milk custard which is infamous in the region as when the 1920's film was shown in the city people compared the cake mould with the gorilla.