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Literature Music Poetry Sculpture Television Theater Visual arts Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the most diverse in the world and is on par with
French,
Chinese and
Indian cuisine. In January 2004,
The Economist said that "
Peru can lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines"
[1], while at the Fourth International Summit of Gastronomy Madrid Fusión 2006, regarded as the world's most important gastronomic forum, held in Spain between January 17th and 19th,
Lima was declared the "
Gastronomic Capital of the Americas"
[2].
Thanks to its pre-Inca and
Inca heritage and to
Spanish,
Basque,
African,
Sino-
Cantonese,
Japanese and finally
Italian,
French and
Britain immigration (mainly throughout the
19th century), Peruvian cuisine combines the flavors of four continents. With the eclectic variety of traditional dishes, the Peruvian culinary arts are in constant evolution, and impossible to list in their entirety. Suffice it to mention that along the Peruvian coast alone there are more than two thousand different types of
soups, and that there are more than 250 traditional
desserts.
There are many restaurants specializing in Peruvian cuisine in many different cities throughout the world.
The great variety in Peruvian cuisine stems from three major influences:
Peru's unique geography, 84 of the 104 possible life zones according to
Holdridge Peru's openness and blending of distinct races and cultures
The incorporation of ancient cuisine into modern Peruvian cuisine
Diverse crops Some plants that were cultivated by the ancient societies of Peru have now been rediscovered by modern Peruvians and are carefully studied by scientists. Due to the characteristics of its land and climate and due to the nutritional quality of its products, some Peruvian plants will play a vital role in the nutrition of the future: this is true for
quinoa, which is an excellent source of
essential amino acids, and
kañiwa which appear to be and are prepared like cereals but are not cereals.
Root vegetables such as
maca and real cereals like
kiwicha are also plants nutritionists are researching today.
For many of Peru's inhabitants, these foodstocks allow for adequate nutrition even though living standards are poor. The abandoning of many of these staples during the Spanish domination and republican eras has brought down nutritional levels in the country.
Some of these foodstocks have been used since 1985 by
NASA for
astronaut food, like quinoa, kiwicha and maca.
Peruvian cuisine is often made spicy by means of
ají pepper, a basic ingredient. Some Peruvian chili peppers are not spicy but serve to give color to dishes.
Rice often accompanies dishes in Peruvian cuisine, and the regional sources of foods and traditions give rise to countless varieties of preparation and dishes.
Fine Peruvian cuisine emphasizes the mix of colors and ingredients, in a dynamically growing restaurateur industry and trends lead by young and talented chefs.
The following are just a few of the many dishes which are generally popular with the Peruvians. Some of these originated in other parts of Peru but most are well known and can be found in some part of
Lima.
Cultivation of ancient plants Peru is a country that holds not just a variety of ethnic mixes since times ranging from the
Inca Empire, the
Viceroyalty and the
Republic, but also a climatic variety that sometimes is not believed by outsiders: 28 of a possible 32 world climates. The mixing of cultures and the variety of climates differ from city to city so geography, climate, culture and ethnic mix determine the variety of local cuisine.
Regional differences The cuisine of the coast can be said to have four strong influences: the
Moorish, the
African, the
Chinese and the local
native.
The
Pacific Ocean is the principal source of aquatic resources for Peru. Peru is one of the world's top two producers and
exporters of unusually high-protein
fishmeal for use in livestock/aquaculture feed. Its richness in fish and other aquatic life is enormous, and many oceanic plant and animal species can only be found in Peru. As important as the Pacific is to Peru's biodiversity, freshwater biomes such as the
Amazon River and
Lake Titicaca also play a large role in the ecological make-up of the country.
Every coastal region, being distinct in
flora and
fauna populations, adapts its cuisine in accordance to the resources available in its waters.
Ceviche, with its many different variations (pure, combination, or mixed with fish and shellfish) is a good example of this regional adaptation. Ceviche is found in almost all Peruvian restaurants specialized in this country's world renowned fish and seafood. Lima alone holds thousands of them, from the simple to very fancy ones. Typically served with camote, or sweet potato.
The
chupe de camarones (shrimp cioppino) is one of the most popular dishes of Peruvian coastal cuisine. It is made from a thick freshwater shrimp (crayfish) stock soup, potatoes,
milk and
chili pepper. Regarded as typical from Arequipa (a beautiful southern andean city in Peru),
Chupe de Camarones is regularly found in Peruvian restaurants specialized in Arequipan cuisine.
The cuisine of the Coast A center of immigration and centers of the Spanish viceroyalty,
Lima and
Trujillo have incorporated unique dishes brought from the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors and the receiving of many waves of immigrants: African, European, Chinese, and Japanese. Besides international immigration—a large portion of which happened in Lima—there has been, since the second half of the 20th century, a strong internal flow from rural areas to cities, in particular to Lima. This has strongly influenced Lima's cuisine with the incorporation of the immigrant's ingredients and techniques (for example, the Chinese extensive use of rice or the Japanese approach to preparing raw fish).
Creole cuisine is the most widespread in this
cosmopolitan city. Some international cuisines with a large presence include Chinese (known locally as
Chifa) and Italian. The city's ubiquitous bakeries are another culinary treasure, where you may find just out of the oven bread from 6 to 9am and from 4 to 6pm. Few coastal cities bakeries produce "bollos", which are loaves of stone and wood-oven baked bread from the Andes, the great Peruvian mountains.
Anticuchos are brochettes made from a beef heart marinated in a various Peruvian spices and grilled, often sided with boiled potatoes and corn. They are commonly sold by street vendors and served shish kabob-style, but you may find them in creole food restaurants.
Also frequently sold by street vendors are
tamales: boiled corn with meat or cheese and wrapped in a banana leaf. They are similar to
humitas, which consist of corn mixed with spices, sugar, onions, filled with pork and olives and finally wrapped in the leaves of corn husks. Tamales are a common breakfast food, often served with lima and/or "Salsa Criolla."
Another favorite food to be found in many restaurants is
Papas a la huancaína (Huancayo-style potatoes), a dish consisting of sliced boiled potatoes, served on a bed of lettuce with a slightly spicy cheese sauce with olives. Even if the name says that it is from
Huancayo, it is actually from Chosica, in Lima, made by a "Huancaina" (a person from huancayo)
Ceviche, often spelled "cebiche" in Peru, is the flagship dish of coastal cuisine, and one of Peru's favorites. It is the quintessence of fusion: Andean chili peppers, onions and acidic aromatic lime, of a species imported by the Spanish, though with origins in Northern Africa ("limon" in Spanish). A spicy dish, it consists generally of bite-size pieces of white fish (such as
corvina or white sea bass), marinated raw in lime or lemon juice mixed with chilis. Ceviche is served with raw onions, boiled sweet potatoes (
camote), toasted corn (
cancha), and sometimes a local green seaweed
yuyo.
Leche de tigre (tiger's milk), is the Peruvian colloquial name for the juice produced from the ingredients of ceviche. It has a light spicy flavor and serves as a good reconstituent. Local custom recommends ceviche as a breakfast for sleepwalkers, a hangover cure and as an aphrodisiac. Unlike ceviche from Mexico and Ecuador, it does not have tomatoes, and unlike that of Tahiti it does not use coconut milk, though both are abundant in Peru. A variation available in Callao replaces mango for fish.
Tiradito is the younger brother of ceviche, and shows more clearly the influence that Japanese cooks have had in Peru's seafood cuisine (though some suggest that it's closer to Italian
carpaccio, popularized by Genovese immigrants). The fish is sliced in fine strips (about 6 cm by 2 cm) that are similar to
sashimi, and then marinated in a mix of lime juice, ginger and
ají limo. Unlike ceviche, tiradito lacks onions, which translates into a subtler taste.
Papa rellena (stuffed potato): mashed potatoes stuffed with ground (minced) meat, eggs, olives and various spices and then deep fried.
Sancochado: A hearty beef and vegetable stew which includes
yuca (
cassava) and
camotes (sweet potatoes).
A local staple found in many cheaper, as well as more up-market, restaurants is
lomo saltado, sliced beef (if made from the tenderloin it is "lomo fino") sauteed with onion, tomato, soy sauce, vinegar, chili (aji) and served or mixed with French fried potatoes (aka "chips"), and accompanied with rice.
Lima has an abundance of Peruvian-style Chinese restaurants or "chifas" as they are known locally; indeed,
arroz chaufa or Chinese style rice is one of the frequently sampled dishes that has found its way into Peruvian cuisine.
Arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, is enjoyed for its rich-flavored rice combined with chicken.
Chupe de pescado or fish cioppino is popular in Lima and along the coast.
Lima butter bean (pallares) salad: a salad made with (obviously) Peruvian Lima butter beans (called
pallares in Perú), boiled (but still whole) and mixed (when cooled) with a "salsa" of onions, slices of tomatoes, and green
ají (chili), marinated in green Peruvian lime juice, oil, salt, and vinegar. Lima butter beans (
pallares) have been part of the Peruvian cuisine for at least 6,000 years.
Butifarras: a sandwich in a hamburger-type bread roll and consisting of Peruvian ham with a special spicy sauce.
Causa in its basic form is a mashed yellow potato dumpling mixed with lemon, onion, chili and oil. Varieties can have avocado, chicken, tuna (typically canned) or even shellfish added to the mixture. Also Causa is very popular in Lima which distinguishes this dish by saying Causa Limeña Causa is usually served cold with hard boiled eggs and olives.
Carapulcra is an appetizing stewed dish of pork and chicken, dried potatoes, red chilis, peanuts and cumin. The version from the Afro-Peruvian Ica region uses fresh potatoes.
Empanadas peruanas (Peruvian pastries/meat pies. These are not to be confused with the meat pies found in many northern Western countries. They can be filled either with chicken, beef, cheese or be strictly vegetarian. They have a unique taste due to the addition of olives and sometimes hard boiled eggs and raisins).
Ají de gallina (chili chicken) is thin strips of chicken served with a creamy yellow and spicy sauce, made basically with
ají amarillo (yellow chilis), cheese, milk, bread, and
walnuts. Traditionally from non-laying hens, but today almost exclusvely made from more tender chickens.
Escabeche criollo (pickled fish): "Escabeche" when the word is used alone normally refers to escabeche of fish. Other varieties can use duck or chicken. The escabeche dishes rely in the cooking on the heavy use of vinegar and onions together with other spices and chili.
Cau cau is a meal consisting of
mondongo or
tripe stew and accompanied by rice. This to have African and Chinese influence along Italian.
Chicharrones: a dish consisting of deep-fried (in its own fat) and heavily salted pork.
The cuisine of Lima and Central Coast The cuisine of the
northern coast offers a difference in style from the central and southern varieties. This is not only due to the coastal native Indian influence (less Andean), the Moorish and Spanish influence, the African and the Gypsy influence (Hindustani); but also to the warmer coastal seas, hotter climate and immense geographical latitude variety.
The climatical variety that offers regions between Tumbes, Piura, Lambayeque, La Libertad, Cajamarca and San Martin is enormous and it is not uncommom to have variety just 100 km between regions.
Northern Style Dishes:
Chambar Chinguirito Pez Guitarra Seco de Cabrito (goat stew, but goat is often substituted by lamb, chicken, or beef) is ed in a pot after marinating with
chicha de jora or beer and other spices including fresh coriander leaves (
cilantro) and garlic. This is most popular in the northern coast especially in
Cajamarca and
Lambayeque.
Seco de Chavelo (typically from
Catacaos -
Piura is a type of seco that is made of cecina stewed and dried meat that has been clotted and dried along with bananas, yuca, aji panca and the addition of Clarito (from Chicha de Jora the Piurano style).
Majao de Yuca Pasao al Agua Cebiche de Conchas Negras (
ceviche with black shells) is a dish of
Piura and
Tumbes is also popular along the southern coast of
Ecuador due to Peruvian influence. In this version of
ceviche, the seafood used in the dish should be black
clams accompanied by popcorn and/or toasted corn.
The cuisine of the Northern Coast The cuisine of the Southern Coast In the valleys and plains of the
Andes, the locals' diet continues to be based on corn (maize), potatoes, and an assortment of tubers as it has been for many hundreds of years. Meat comes from indigenous animals like
alpacas and
guinea pigs, but also from imported livestock like
sheep and
swine.
As with many
rural cultures, most of the more elaborate dishes were reserved for festivities, while daily meals were simple affairs. Nowadays, the festive dishes are consumed every day, although they tend to be on the heavy side and demand a large appetite.
The
pachamanca is a very special banquet in and of itself. Cooked all over the Andean region of Peru, is made from a variety of meats (including pork and beef), herbs and a variety of vegetables that are slowly cooked underground on a bed of heated stones. It demands skillful cooks to create and a large number of guests to consume. Because of its tedious preparation it is normally only done for celebrations or festivals in the Andes, though recent years have seen the appearance of many "campestre" restaurants outside Lima where urban families can escape to spend an afternoon in the fresh air eating pachamanca. Such as in Cieneguilla.
Places for Pachamanca in Lima Surroundings Andean cooking's main freshwater fish is the
trout, raised in fisheries in the region.
Currently,
ostrich meat is being raised from farms in
Arequipa, although its consumption is not widespread and limited to urban areas.
Cuy chactado: A dish more popular in the highlands is this meal of fried
guinea pig. Often the indigenous women of the Peruvian Andes will raise the guinea pigs in their huts where they run around loose on the floors of the dwellings. Prior to consumption they can reach a surprisingly large size. Besides the use of guinea pigs as separate meals, they are often cooked in a
Pachamanca with other meats and vegetables.
Olluquito con charqui is another typical Andean dish. Olluco is a yellowish tuber (
Ullucus tuberosus) domesticated by pre-Inca populations, and is visually similar to colorful small Andean potatoes, but with a distinct crunchy texture when cooked. Charqui is the technique employed in the Andean highlands to cure meat by salting, then dehydration. The dish is a stew of finely diced ollucos with charqui pieces (traditionally alpacea, or less frequently llama meat, though today it is also very commonly made from sheep), served with white rice.
Rocoto relleno:
Arequipa dish made from stuffed
rocoto chilis. Rocotos are one of the very hot (spicy) chilis of Peru. In this dish they are stuffed with spiced beef or pork, onions, olives, egg white and then cooked in the oven with potatoes covered with cheese and milk.
The cuisine of the Andes Naturally, jungle cuisine is made using the products local to the area. Although many animal species are hunted for food in the biologically diverse jungle, two standouts are the
paiche (the world's largest freshwater fish) and
turtles. Hunting turtles is prohibited in Peru, therefore turtle-based dishes are scarce and expensive and not sold
à la carte in restaurants.
Among the fruits of Peru's jungle is the
camu camu, which contains 40 times more
vitamin C than the
kiwifruit. Exotic fruits such as
mango and
pineapple are also in abundance.
Cebiche de Dorado Juane Tacacho Other regional dishes Chifa (from the mandarin words 吃飯 "chi1 fan4", meaning "to eat rice") is the Peruvian term for
Chinese food (or for a Chinese restaurant). In the 150 years since its arrival in Peru, the
Chinese Peruvian culture has revolutionized Peruvian cuisine, gaining international recognition from those who have had the opportunity to sample it while visiting Peru.
Chifa reflects a fusion by Chinese Peruvians of the products that the Chinese brought with them to those that they found in Peru, and later cultivated themselves. Even some creole dishes such as
tacu-tacu,
lomo saltado, and
arroz chaufa were influenced by the Chinese.
In downtown
Lima, on
Capón Street, is the
barrio chino (
Chinatown). The great variety of savory and sweet dishes there, with different types of meats, vegetables, and soups, created a new culinary alternative for Peruvians.
El Chifa Alfajores: a common dessert made in several varieties. The basic recipe makes use of a base mix of flour, lemon rind, margarine, and powdered sugar which is then oven-baked. Alfajores consist of two or more layers of this baked pastry, and is usually filled with either
manjar blanco (a caramel-colored, sweet, creamy filling made with milk and sugar) or molasses.
Turrones(or
nougat) (similar to
fudge) are of several varieties. One common variety to be found in Lima is Turrón de Doña Pepa, an anise and honey nougat that is traditionally prepared for the Señor de los Milagros (or Lord of Miracles) procession, during October.
Turrones are most commonly made from almonds, and can be found in Spanish-speaking countries all over the world.
Almost exclusive to Peru is the fruit known as
lúcuma. Lucuma juice, ice cream, and corresponding lucuma shakes are very popular throughout Peru. Only lucuma ice cream normally can be found in large US cities (typically in Peruvian restaurants). One popular brand of ice cream in Peru is Donofrio, which is owned by
Nestlé. Helados (ice cream): Peru has the usual assortment of common ice cream flavors but also some more exotic flavors such as
camu camu,
guaraná and
tuna, the latter being the local name for the fruit of the
prickly pear cactus, and not to be confused with the fish. Peru is one of few countries in the world where the third most popular ice-cream (after vanilla and chocolate) is not strawberry, it is in fact the "nutty" flavored, orange colored
lúcuma, which is an exotic fruit grown in quantity only in its native Peru, and only in recent years being exported in very limited quantities as a gourmet flavor (for ice cream and savory sauces) to the USA, and available in Europe essentially only in food shows.
Mazamorra morada: a jelly-like dessert which takes on the color of one of its main ingredients—purple maize. Mazamorra morada is a dessert typical of Peru. A variety of purple corn (maiz morado) grows in Peru that colors and adds a particular flavor to the water in which it is boiled. When that water is cooled and chopped fruit, lemon and sugar is added, and the mixture is served as a beverage, its name is "chicha morada".
Picarones: a sweet, ring-shaped fritter with a pumpkin base; often served with a molasses syrup.
Picarones are pumpkin fritters that are also eaten as late-afternoon street food during El Señor de los Milagros celebrations. This is another dish that has its origins in the colonial period. Some believe they are a local adaptation of Spanish buñuelos. Picarones are made of squash or pumpkin dough and sweetened with chancaca, raw cane sugar melted into a syrup.
Tejas: candy filled with
manjar blanco and coated with a fondant-like shell. Some are also made with a chocolate shell (chocoteja).
Suspiro Limeño: a dessert made of milk. This classic criollo dessert is said to have been named by the famous Peruvian poet and author José Gálvez whose wife doña Amparo Ayarez was famous for her cooking. When asked what inspired the name, he reportedly replied 'because it is soft and sweet like the sigh of a woman'. In this case, it would be a woman from Lima, a Limeña.
Sweet dishes and desserts Beverages Well-known soft drinks include:
Less common are:
Chicha Morada: a beverage prepared from a base of boiled purple maize to which are added chunks of
pineapple,
sugar, and
ice as it cools. First-timers compare it to Kool-aid, with a pleasant, almost fruity taste. Not to be confused with the fermented beverage
chicha (chicha de jora)
Inca Kola: the brand of a popular fizzy soda drink (
gaseosa), which is a cultural icon, served literally on the most humble to the most exclusive tables nationwide, alone or with any type of food. Yellow in color, it is sweet and refreshing. Some compare its flavor to bubble gum.
Inca Kola is the only national beverage in the world that beat worldwide Coca-Cola in sales.
Refresco de camu camu: Refrescos are basically non-fizzy type and simple juices of various flavours often served with the set menu of the day at smaller restaurants. Besides camu camu, there are more common flavours such as orange juice.
Té de uña de gato: a tea made from a plant from the Amazon, cat's claw (
Uncaria tomentosa), known for its healing or medicinal properties.
Soft Drinks Pisco, a kind of
brandy, is considered by many to be the national drink of Peru. This
distilled beverage made from
grapes is produced in various regions of the country.
Pisco Sour is a cocktail made from
pisco combined with lemon juice, the white of an egg and sugar.
Wines come from many different regions of the country, most notably from the
Ica Region.
Beer as in many countries, is popular in all levels of society. Local brands include Pilsen and Cristal. A couple of regional beers are Arequipeña and Cuzqueña (
Cusqueña), from
Arequipa and
Cuzco, respectively; though Cuzqueña is popular nationwide and is exported worldwide. A common beer drinking ritual among many Peruvian men involves a group sharing one glass. The party holding the bottle waits for the prior person to drink from the glass before receiving that glass, filling it and passing the bottle on to the next in line. While this custom is more common among men of lower echelons of society, people of higher social status, particularly youth and occasionally women, take part in this custom.
Chicha or Chicha de Jora is another well-known drink, based on different varieties of fermented
maize and different aromatic
herbs, depending on the region of the country. Its consumption is mostly limited to the Andes area.
Chicha Norteña and
Clarito See also This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Spanish-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of 20 June 2005. It was translated by the Spanish Translation of the Week collaboration. Platos Peruanos - A.B.C. S.A. Lima. Peru
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