The American philosopher Henry David Thoreau famously said “beware of all enterprises that require new clothes.” I have somewhat modified this bit of advice to better suit (sorry…) my own life: “beware of all enterprises that do not require new books.” As my trip to Peru this summer with Kolibri Expeditions is unquestionably a new enterprise for me, I immediately went and bought a new book to help me prepare for it.
As National Geographic‘s guide to Panama was so helpful in my preparations for my journey to Panama with Panama la Verde, I sought out and found a copy of National Geographic Traveler: Peru to help me get “up to speed” regarding the history and culture of that nation. Indeed, I was not mistaken in this choice of reading material, for among the many things I have already learned about Peru, including the antiquity of its indigenous cultures, its rapid development into a modern cosmopolitan society, and its highly varied terrain and climates, I have also had brought to my attention two of Peru’s most popular culinary delights: cerviche and cuy.
For those who might not be familiar with either of these delicacies, cerviche is a seafood dish that is included in the national cuisines of many Central and South American countries. The basic premise is simple: marinate raw shrimp or white fish (according to the local culinary custom; in Peru it appears to be different species of white saltwater fish although inland it may also be trout) in a mixture of lime citrus juice and peppers until it is effectively “cooked” by the acids of the marinade. As one who both relishes discovering new foods and eats sushi on a weekly basis, this sounds delightful and I can’t wait to try it. Cuy, on the other hand, might be a bit more of a challenge to my epicurean boundaries – nevertheless it is still something from which I shall not shy away should the opportunity for its consumption present itself.
Cuy is a dish of the Andes whose primary ingredient is the indigenous Cavia porcellus, better known to many English speakers as the guinea pig. Now, I will freely admit that I had to read the sentence that first brought this to my attention twice to be sure I understood it correctly. However once I did, I was able to put aside my North American prejudices about which animals are pets and which are supper, and see the pregmatism behind the origins of this dish.
While the wild ancestor to the domesticated C. porcellus has not been positively identified, it is widely assumed to have been a member of the Genus Cavia and native to Peru. Requiring minimal resources to raise in an area where resources are not easy to obtain, the domestication of C. porcellus as a food animal is quite like the domestication of rabbits as a food animal in Europe. Indeed, both are kept in both capacities within their respective societies. To be honest, I was quite pleased to learn from my reading that this traditional food has not been eliminated from Peruvian society, being replaced by more modern, and quite likely less healthy and more resource-intensive foods.
So as begins the old saying, “When in Rome…,” count me in for both cerviche and cuy. I’m told cerviche is fresh and “bright” in flavor. Cuy? Well, while some articles I have read about it have fallen back on the old saw that it tastes like chicken, I am actually expecting something more akin to rabbit in flavor. I’ll let you know.
Robert Mortensen
January 15, 2010 @ 08:20
During my two years in Argentina, I met lots of transplants and migrant workers from Peru. One Peruana invited us to lunch regularly and served ceviche. I was skeptical at first, but it really was pretty good. She served it “con mariscos”, which means with a variety of sea food like shrimp, lobster, crab, oysters, squid, and even octopus. They have some pretty hot peppers too that knocked my socks off.
My favorite Peruvian dish has to be “Papa a la Huancaína” – potatoes with a nice cream sauce! Mmm!
If you ever need a Spanish translator that has a passion for birding, give me a holler!
Wren
January 15, 2010 @ 14:03
Lovely blog!
Mel
January 15, 2010 @ 15:57
Hi John!
I’m sure that you will love ceviche! There are many kinds, from fish to all sorts of sea food. It is best to eat in the coast, as the freshness of the food is guarranteed.
Cuy can be prepared in many ways, and, at least to me, it tastes a bit more like rabbit than to chicken.
Grant McCreary
January 16, 2010 @ 18:25
“beware of all enterprises that do not require new books”
I can agree with that! 🙂
As for the Peruvian food, that I’m not so sure of. I am no epicurean; on the contrary, I’m really quite picky. But I’m sure I’ll be able to make do. All those wonderful birds will get me through anything.
Gunnar Engblom
January 17, 2010 @ 16:45
John
Peruvian cusine is the best in South America and second to none compared with Mexican cusine in the Americas as a whole. Not a fan of guinea pig…not even when I ate meat…just too little meat on it. But the dishes from the coast are just exquisite. Apart from the Ceviche which I LOVE, my favorite is Pescado a la Chorillana. The fried fish is served with a stirr-fried mix of onions, tomatoes, orange mildly spice peppars (aji amarillo) which are just deliciously tasty without being overly spicy…and a little bit of koriander – just enough not to be dominating.
The Peruvian Friday is a great idea.