Passion for Peru

Peruvian Food and Drinks

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Peru has a wonderful variety of food. It is one of the few countries in the region to have a true cuisine. Here we will present some of the highlights of this cuisine, so you can have some idea what you might like to try, or to avoid, when you visit.

First a little history... lets talk Potatoes. The Potato originated in Peru. The Incas freeze dried them; Columbus and his Spanish friends brought then to the rest of the world. The World Potato Institute is in Lima. There are literally hundreds of varieties to choose from.

Corn, Peru has a big grain variety. Big white grained varieties that are eaten with many dishes, as well as purple grains that are used to make drinks and deserts. Due to its geography, Peru can grow almost every variety of fruit and vegetables. from Mangoes to leeks, Asparagus to olives, Cabbage to passion fruit.. all this makes for a great choice of fresh fruit and vegetables.Fish.. with more than 2500km of coast and both tropical and cold waters, the quality and variety of seafood speaks for itself. Meat.. Beef is common, as is pork and chicken. Lamb is not eaten, but young goat "cabrito" is. Other interesting meats...Ostrich (farmed near Arequipa), Alpaca (good and very healthy) and of course Cuy, or Guinea Pig, that is like bony chicken. In the jungle they eat monkey, snake and frogs...however I suspect this isn't so commen...more often the normal meats! Rice is universally served, so expect plenty of it. Asparagus and olives are popular as they grow here. Colour is important in Peruvian cuisine, with many dishes being a bright yellow colour. Chilli is used a great deal in Peruvian cuisine. However, very few dishes are very spicy, normally it is served as a condiment.

Fish and Seafood.

Ceviche is a wonderful dish of marinated raw fish, " cooked" in lime juice with chilli, served with local corn and sweet potatoes. It can be made with fish, or mixed seafood, or black clams (Conchas Negras) typical in Piura.

Jallea is a plate of mixed seafood battered and fried, served with an onion salad. Camerones are freshwater crayfish (similar to large freshwater shrimp). They are often served in a Chupe de Camerones, a wholesome soup, delicious, but you need to use your fingers to extract the meat from the camerones. They can also be served in a risotto or whole on the grill (a la plancha)

All along the coast you can find great fish and in the mountains Trout.

Typical Dishes Aji de Gallina.. shredded chicken with a mild chilli creamy sauce, served over boiled potatoes. Yellow in colour.

Lomo Saltado steak strips, flash fried with onions, tomato, chili and french fries Cau Cau, made with tripe....very tasty as it's with chilli and mint. Anticuchos, kebabs on the BBQ, made from marinated beef heart. Served with chilli. Pollo a la Brassa.. roasted chicken over charcoal or "a la Lena", over a wood fire. Reliable for the unadventurous. Papa a la Huancaina bright yellow mild chilli cream sauce spread on top of boiled potatoes. Served with an olive and hard boiled egg garnish.

Breakfast Bread.. all over Peru, the bread is fantastic and fresh. Bread rolls are common. The bread from the mountains is delicious, unleavened bread similar to Pitta.

Tamales.. a corn cake comes wrapped in banana leaves. Inside you find either chicken or pork. Eat with bread.Chicharones.. fried pork belly, served as a sandwich with fried sweet potato and an onion salad.. -delicious, but not so good for the cholesterol.

Desserts Arroz con Leche, or rice pudding is popular, often served with massamora, a purple coloured fruit compote. Also Cream Caramel is popular. Piccarones are donuts served with a syrup made from honey. These are often eaten as a snack late afternoon.

Drinks Pisco is the local spirit, made from grapes. You will normally come across this in the form of the Pisco Sour...made with lemon and egg white....strong but delicious.Rum is very popular and very cheap. A bottle of imported Bacardi is about $7, and local stuff sells at about 5 soles ($1.50) a bottle.

Wine..Peru makes plenty of wine. Most of it not up to exportation quality, but still good. Ica is the center of the wine region.

Beer.. a variety of lager type beers are available, Cuscena being the most famous. Cristal is another good brand. There is a new brewer here, so new brands are appearing such as Dorado and locally brewed Polar ( a Venezualan beer). A dark, malt beer is also available. Be aware that the large bottles are returnable, so you won't be able to take them away from a bar for example, without paying the bottle deposit. Small bottles are disposable. Same applies to the supermarket...for big bottles , unless you return empties, you will pay the deposit. A local drink called Chicha de Hora, is a beer type drink, is drunk in the countryside. Houses selling homemade chicha de hora are marked with a yellow flag on a pole outside their house. Mate de Coca... tea made with coca leaves. Coca leaves are illegal in every other country except Peru and Bolivia, as they are the basis for Cocaine. However the tea is very mild, and helps at high altitudes. Fruit Juices.. with all the availability of fruit...there are wonderful fruit juices almost everywhere. Lemonade is very good here, as a refreshing drink, or frozen, to help you cool off. Inca Cola.. the yellow, bubble gum flavoured national drink (not really, but it's very popular). Too sweet for many, but it does grow on you. Chicha Morada.. a dark purple drink made from purple corn and lemon..very refreshing..try it.