First, I would like to start off with a disclaimer. This post is all about food. Therefore, if you haven’t eaten something in a while, I’d go grab a snack because you might get a little hungry. Second disclaimer, if you have or have ever owned a guinea pig as a pet, I wouldn’t read to the end of this post.
The food in Peru is very high in carbs. Every meal you can expect at least one cup of rice on your plate. If you’re not eating rice, you’re probably eating one of the 4,000 different types of potatoes grown in the country, and if you’re not eating rice or potatoes, you’re probably eating some sort of lentil. Every once in a while, you might find all three on your plate and yourself fighting the urge to not fall into a food coma after. Also, no, I did not eat burritos, tacos, quesadillas, etc. That is Mexican food. Not Peruvian food. Totally different country.
Through the program I went on through the study abroad office at SUU, they arranged for all of my meals to be included in my price. I’m telling you guys, this program is such a great deal! My host family fed me breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This was one of my favorite times of the day. I loved sitting around the table with them and listening to their stories, learning about their culture, and feeling a little bit more a part of the family with each meal. Definitely something I miss incredibly from Peru. It’s funny how food really brings people together? This was also where I practiced my Spanish the most.
Let’s start with breakfast. Breakfast was fairly simple, which was great for me. Breakfast is a kind of a hit and miss meal for me. (Yes, I know “bReAkFaSt iS tHe MoSt iMpOrTaNt MeAl Of ThE dAy’’). But I mean when you wake up between the hours of 11 to noon or 30 minutes before you need to be somewhere, who really has time for that??? Every morning Carmen had something to put on bread and hot tea. Almost always we had the option of jam and butter and something else. My favorite mornings were when I would walk through the door and see a bowl of fresh avocado. I think my host mom caught on that it was my favorite after I would eat at least four pieces of bread with avocado when it was on the table. We also had fried eggs on bread frequently. There were a few times where we ate something outside of the normal for breakfast. On my roommate’s birthday we had chocolate cake and hot chocolate for breakfast! Then another time where we went to the market with all the American items early in the morning and ate at this little teeny pop-up restaurant where we had fish and potatoes.
Lunch in South America is the biggest meal of the day instead of dinner. Therefore, our main dishes were served at lunch. I thank the lord everyday that my host mom and dad were amazing cooks! Every meal was so good. I never didn’t like something that they had made. Like I mentioned above, almost every meal was served with rice. My favorite dishes my host mom made were Lomo Saltado, Ají de gallina, Papa a la Huancaína, and oddly enough my host mom’s spaghetti.
Lomo Saltado is a very popular dish in Peru and very easy to prepare! The base layer is rice and French fries with stir fry on top. Super good! I’ve been meaning to try out making my own Lomo Saltado since I have been back.
The next dish is Ají de gallina which is what my host mom made for me on my last day with them *sniffles and wipes tear from eye*. This dish is boiled yellow potatoes and purple olives (we ate purple olives often!) and shredded chicken covered in a creamy peanut sauce.
Papa a la Huancaina is very similar to Ají de gallina. Except minus the olives and the rice, it is served over lettuce and hard-boiled eggs on top.
Finally, my host mom’s spaghetti was really just spaghetti, but it was soooo good. I don’t know how to explain it, it was just simply amazing. Some other popular dishes that can be found in Peru are Causa, Anticucho, Pollo a la brasa, ceviche, and finally cuy (we’ll save that one for the end).
Causa is basically a potato casserole with avocado and chicken mixed in.
Anticucho is essentially any type of meat (although the most common is cow heart) that is marinated in vinegar and spices and then grilled on food stands set up on several street corners in Cusco from around 5 PM to about 8 PM. My host dad told me the best place to get Anticucho was on Ayacucho. With all the stomach issues I had during my time there, I could never bring myself to purchase anticucho off the street. However, it is served in several restaurants in Cusco.
Pollo a la brasa restaurants can be found on almost every street in Cusco. The best place to try some is at Los Toldos Chicken located on Almargo. Pollo a la brasa is basically rotisserie chicken and always served with French fries.
Peruvian Ceviche was one of my favorite meals I tried there! Ceviche is made with fresh raw fish that has been cured with lemon or lime juice and seasoned with peppers, onions, salt, and cilantro. It is often served with a sweet potato and corn. This should definitely be on your things to try if you plan on visiting Peru! I would recommend trying it in a place along the coast. That way you will be able to try the best and freshest, ceviche. I did have ceviche at a restaurant in the Plaza de Armas called Ceviche Seafood Kitchen. This was the first place I tried it and I loved it; however, I tried it again in Paracas right before we left Peru and it was way better!
Dinner tended to be a fairly small meal. Which is typical of South America. We often had soup and ramen which my host mom often served with little toasted garlic breads. Another common meal we had was something I could best describe as a fried wonton. My host mom and dad would stuff theirs with cheese or plantains. It was amazing!
I didn’t eat out a whole lot, but when I did I would always go to a place called Pankraucio. This was by far my favorite restaurant in Cusco. There used to be two locations, one of which was conveniently located across the street from Proyecto Peru. The day that location closed down was a very sad day. Still mourning the loss actually. However, there is still another location open located on Calle Recoleta Angosta. Pankraucio serves the best sandwiches I have ever had. The ones I would get all the time were the lomo saltado sandwich or the chicharron sandwhich. Both are incredible. If you are in Cusco, you have to go have a sandwich there!
Before, we jump into the cuy, Peruvians also have a few special drinks! First off, my host mom made fresh fruit juice almost every day for lunch which was amazing. Aside from fruit juice, tea is another very popular drink, especially coca tea. Coca tea is a mate made from coca leaves (the plant that cocaine is extracted from). Coca tea was always offered to us on all of our excursions. Coca tea is said to help with altitude sickness, give you an energy boost, build your immune system, and helps with digestion.
Chicha morada is another famous drink served often in restaurants which is made from a purple corn. I didn’t like it at first, but it grew on me by the end of my four months in Cusco.
Pisco Sour is the most popular drink in Peru. Pisco Sour is a cocktail made with pisco, egg whites, lime juice, and a “sour” flavoring. Bars and restaurants offer different variations of the cocktail, my favorite was a Passion Fruit Sour. If you go to the right place, they will make it with fresh passion fruit which was amazing.
Peruvians also have their own Coke product called "Inca Kola". Most people say that Inca Kola has a bubblegum flavor. You can find Inca Kola everywhere in Peru. It is served in every restaurant and sold in every store. It was a little too sweet for me, but I liked to drink one every now and then.
Peruvians also have a beer called a Cusqueña. Cusqueñas come in different variations: Golden lager, red lager, wheat, and a dark beer. Now I’m not an avid beer drinker, so forgive me if this is rather normal, but many Peruvians drink Coca-Cola and dark beer mixed together equal parts. It took me by surprise the first time I saw my host dad mixing the two together, but he insisted that it was the best drink to pair with cuy. He wasn't wrong! The combination was actually pretty good.
Finally, the grand finale. When most people think of food in Peru, most people jump to the delicacy that is cuy, aka Guinea Pig. This famous dish can be eaten at several restaurants across Peru. It is often one of the most expensive things on the menu. The two most common ways it is served is cuy al horno (baked guinea pig) or cuy chactado (fried guinea pig). You can also order your guinea pig with the head on or off. The day I tried guinea pig was honestly one of my favorite memories in Cusco. My host family took all of us to a local cuyería for lunch for my roommate’s birthday. I opted for the baked guinea pig with the head on (I wanted to experience the whole thing!) As they began bringing them out, our faces were unforgettable. As they placed it down in front of us, it was pretty overwhelming looking at the entire guinea pig and the guinea pig staring right back at you. Ours came with its stuffed intestine filled with potatoes and peppers (I couldn’t bring myself to eat that part. I did try a bite and it wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t get past the fact that it was an intestine) and a stuffed pepper. Jessica and I looked at each other and gave each other the ‘well, here we go!’ look and picked up the guinea pig by its feet and dived in. The meat tasted very gamy. It was very flavorful, and I would have liked to try it again in a different form. I think I would have liked it more if it hadn’t been served whole. I don’t think I could eat it again in that form. However, I’m glad I tried it. Like I said, one of my favorite experiences in Cusco and with my host family!
I hope this post didn’t make you too hungry or the complete opposite make you lose your appetite.
Tengas un buen dia!
Below are some other foods and drinks I had in Peru:
1. Pacay - Probably the strangest fruit I have ever tried. It tastes like a cotton ball soaked in sugar water. (That probably sounds disgusting; however, it's pretty good).
2. Lunch served to us on Taquille Island. Choclo (corn) is super common in Peru.
3. Hot chocolate and a chocolate filled croissant for dinner.
4. Reeds can be eaten on the Uros floating islands.
5. A sublime bar - All of my soles coins went to these. All it is is a chocolate bar with peanuts inside, but wow were they amazing.
6. I think this was taken on our 4th round of smoothies at Fruzion in Paracas.
7. Lunch at the Avocado Festival. Chicharron (pork) and choclo (corn). Fun fact: I had to eat this with my hands.
8. Dried muña tea that my host mom gave me to help with stomach issues.
9. Chilcano - cocktail (and prize for being the winning team at Pub Quiz) made with Pisco, lime juice, ginger ale, ice and Angostura bitters.
10. One of my favorite cafes, Museo del Cafe, in the center. There are great local cafes located everywhere in Cusco.
11. Watching how coffee is made in the jungle of Peru. Although I never tried it, Peru is home to one of the most expensive coffee in the world. What makes it so expensive? Well it has been through the entire digestive system of a coati (native animal). Look up Dung Peruvian Coffee, if you don't believe me.
12. Granadilla - Fruit similar to a passion fruit. You break it open (Ben said the best way to open a granadilla is cracking it open on your head) and then suck the seeds out. Super tasty. My host mom's daughter loved them!