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FOOD AND DRINK (refer to photo album) -
I think Peruvian cuisine deserves a separate chapter. Peruvian food recently has been recognised through out the world: Lima is being called a new capital of food, book by Martin Morales "Ceviche" is flying off the shelves and his London'sCeviche restaurant is always full so are the world renown chef's Gaston Acurio restaurants. The food and dishes vary depending on the regions due to different climates: coast, Andes or the Amazon. It also includes some Bolivian dishes.
BREAKFAST:
1. Bread, butter and jam flushed with coffee or coca tea, accomanied by fruit - this is from my own experience, mostly in hostels.
2. Omlett - with ham.
3. Musli with milk - not available in hostels. I had withdrawal symptoms, eventually found it at the end of the trip and had it for dinner :)!
4. Inca trail mainly-super-fried-calorie-packed breakfast - consisting of freshly baked bread, pancakes with toffee sauce, white potatoe cakes, occassionally watery porridge with banana and cinnamon.
DINNERS:
1. First of all almost everything is served with rice AND potatoes, mainly sweet ones. And usually with corn too. It is hard to be suprised by that as Peru has got 200 variates of potatoes and 300 of corn.
2. Soups and chowders - thick vegetable of seafood soups are a meal on their own. Quinoa and Andean ones are probably most popular ones. Don't be gready, you will be full after a bowl of one.
3. Ceviche - lime marinated fish or seafood. The marinate is called Leche de Tigre Tiger's Milk and there are many varietes of the recipes. The tiger's milk is never wasted and can be used many times and also you can find recipes where it is used in drinks.
4. Cuy -this is a delicacy. It simply is a roasted guinea pig and the best place to try it in Peru is to Cusco. There actully is a small place just outside Cusco which is the most recommended. It tastes a bit like rabbit. Almost every family in Peru rears guinea pigs and when a special occassion comes... slash - the whole bird is roasted in a very live pose, all included even eyes and claws :)
5. Chicharrons - fried pork, chicken or sometimes fish. The meat is first boiled and then fried in its own fat.
6. Anticuchos -brochettes made from beef heart marinated in a various Peruvian spices and grilled, often with a side of boiled potato or corn. Mainly sold as street food on a stick topped with a piece of potatoe.
7. Tamales -boiled corn with meat or cheese and wrapped in a banana leaf. Also frequently sold as street food and for breakfast. It is not that uncommon to see people on their way to work having breakfast on the street circling around little moveable stalls serving food.
8. Papa rellena - stuffed potato. Mashed potatoes stuffed with minced meat, eggs, olives and various spices and then deep fried.
9. Caldo de gallina - chicken soup with noodles. If you ever had a Polish chicken soup - this is it pretty much!
10. Pollo a la Brassa -grilled or roaster chicken. This is one of the most popular foods in Peru. It's basically a chicken marinated in a marinade that includes various Peruvian ingredients, baked in hot ashes or on a spit-roast.
11. Empanadas -were introduced by the Spanish during the colonial period, and later modified, possibly due to lack of Spanish ingredients (olive oil, codfish, smoked paprika, etc.). In Peru, they are filled either with chicken, beef, or cheese. Olives, and sometimes hard boiled eggs and raisins gives them a unique taste.
12. La Trucha - trout. It is hard not to try fish in Peru. If you happen to be around Lake Titicaca it is even harder.
13. El Pan - bread. There has been many variates I have tasted. Most common were round or shaped loafs with slightly sweet taste. First I was introduced to it on the way to Amazon in town of Oropesa, the national capital of bread.
14 Meats - chicken pollo, beef la carne de vaca, turkey pavo, pork el puerco, lama llama and alpaca with lowest cholesterol content of all meats.
DESSERTS:
1. Mazamorra morada - is a jelly-like clove-flavored dessert. It takes on the color of one of its main ingredients: purple maize. A variety of purple corn that only grows in Peru adds color to the water it's boiled in, along with cinnamon and cloves. When the water cools, chopped fruit, key lime and sugar are added.
2. Lúcuma ice cream - and corresponding lúcuma juices and shakes are very popular throughout Peru. It is made from fruit that can only be found in Peru.
3. Picarones - a sweet, ring-shaped fritter with a pumpkin dough base, sweetened with raw cane sugar melted into a syrup, often served with a molasses syrup.
4. Quinua con Leche -quinoa milk pudding. Slow cooked quinoa infused with cinnamon, cloves and star anise.
DRINKS:
1. Mate de Coca -Coca tea prepared from dried coca leaves. It is often drunk to ease the effects of high altitude. Peru overtook Columbia as the world largest coca producer, some of it definitely end up as tea... Coca is also added to many other products, for instance chocolate as I had opportunity to observe in Lima's Choco Museum. As for the tea it definitely wakes up in the morning. Other available teas in Peru are: pure/black, camomille, mint and aniseed. No fruity teas. Good coffee.
2. Chicha - fermented pale yellow corn drink. Alkohol content is usually between 2-4 percent, but that obviously depends how long it is left to ferment :). Very popular drink in Peru.
3. Chicha morada - non-alkoholic drink made from black corn. Often sweetened a bit and with a squize of lime. Delicious! Definitely my favourite choice of drink in Peru.
4. Inca Cola - Peruvian Coca-Cola of bubble gum taste. The yellow colour apparently comes from lemon grass and verbena. But looking at its atomic hue I am somehow doubtful...
5. Jugos -fruit juices. I don't remember ever seeing such a wide selection of fruit juices. Some of the fruit is only grown in Peru. You can also buy juices mixed with milk (evaporated) for a sweeter option. You won't be disappointed by the selection.
6. Bottled water - is the only water to drink. Don't risk drinking tap water.
7. Beer - I think most popular is Cusquena, one of the best domestic brews.
8. Pisco - a kind of brandy, national drink of Peru made from grapes. Pisco Sour is a cocktail made ffrom pisco, lime juice, egg white and sugar.
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