Peruvian Foods

Gen asked for another foods post.  If you have other requests, let us know.

The local Peruvian foods have surprised, pleased, and have occasionally disappointed, but generally the food's been great.  We've seen very little street food here so far, but we're always looking, especially for boiled quail eggs which are delicious -- so far we've seen quail eggs only in the grocery here.  On our arrival day after the, uh, luxury bus ride (and little sleep), we stumbled into and had Starbucks coffee at 7AM (yum), and BK whoppers for lunch - needed comfort food.  

But here are some of the Peruvian foods we've eaten, and have been aware enough to photograph.

LUNCH 1

This lunch (2PM) was at a resturant serving typical Peruvian foods.  The frequently served gratis bowl of toasted corn came with our beer.  Each town has its own standard brew, here it's Arequipena - surprisingly good. Cusco's local brew, Cusqueno was good, too, unlike Ecuador's national brew, Pilsner, which was pretty tasteless, but refreshing nonetheless.

This meal (2 beers, two entrees) cost us about $34.

The varied toasted corn kernels are hard and dry and very slightly salted.  Not  my favorite, although pretty and interesting.

Local beer, very good.

Famous typical Peruvian dish:  Rocoto Relleno  --  rocoto is very mild pepper, (which they consider picante, hot!), filled with spiced ground beef, cumin, garlic, paprika, and raisins, served with a  potato swimming in a cheese sauce.  Very rich, tasty, barely spicy, eaten with bread.  Bread is always actually fresh rolls -- I've never seen sliced bread served here, although it's available in groceries.

Peruvian Adobo de Chancho, a thick, marinated and slow cooked pork chop, then cooked in a medium-thick onion, garlic, tomato, vinegar sauce.  Very tasty, eaten with bread.

LUNCH 2 

This lunch (again, around 2PM), was served at a little local place, and was their set marine (sea-based) menu, for $4 each.  It consisted of a starter bowl of the usual tough, inedible toasted corn, then soup, a main course, a drink and dessert -- all in moderate quantities.

then a rich, delicious mussel soup

I was really hungry, and forgot to photograph it fresh, so it's here about half eaten:  white rice (standard), a fried fish filet (unknown type, but delicious!), papas (their take on fries - which I think are seriously undercooked, and greasy, but which Steve has learned to like enough to eat), slices of cucumber, red onion and tomatoes, served with a moderately spicy sauce.  Salt and pepper are seldom on the table.

A local specialty, chicha morada, a purple corn-based drink with cinnamon and  other spices.

And a local specialty:  queso helada Arequipena  -- cheese and coconut icecream, delicious! 

LUNCH 3

At a rather fancy restaurant, serving typical pre-Incan food, we each ordered a main dish.  Steve ordered wild smoked duck, cooked on a hot volcanic stone; I ordered potatoes "served under a spicy corn sauce with chili peppers, peanuts, honey, and herbs".  $38 total for two entrees and a big beer to share.

On a balcony overlooking the main square in Arequipa.

This came as a starter, we think.   The yellow thing is a tree tomato (pretty tasty).

Steve's half duck, on a very very hot volcanic stone.  Interesting idea, but it overcooks so easily.

Variety of potatoes (3000 varieties in the Andes), and an ear of their corn.  This corn was very dry, went uneaten, but the potatoes are pretty wonderful.

My potato stew - interesting, but the herbs, honey, peanuts were not to my taste, no me gusto.

                      Some random foods/meals

A delicious main course soup, beef based, cheese, very tasty.  

Another set meal, $4 per person, of beef and potatoes, "salad".

Ditto, above, with pork instead.

  

This was at a fancy place, a Peruvian steak place.  Dinner was a piece of meat (choose alpaca or cow), seared on the outside, and set on a sizzling volcanic stone, for the diner's cooking completion.  Interesting idea.  Served with the four sauces on the side, and a bowl of either pureed potatoes or pureed potatoes with peanuts and chile (shown here on the left).  With a glass of house wine each, $40 total for the two of us, pricey by Peruvian standards.