Peruvian food

I love Peruvian food. Mostly. There is a pot-roast-type dish called “seco de cordero” or “seco de res” with cilantro, that is divine, and potatoes in cheese sauce called “papas a la huancaina.” Spice is generally mild, potatoes and quinoa are common, soups are delightful and salads are rare.

Unfortunately, guinea pig (cuy) is also a delicacy. So much so that there is a painting in Cusco’s La Catedral (the Main Cathedral) of the Last Supper featuring cuy:

Anyway, I managed to avoid it until I was invited to a 15th birthday celebration for Alejandra, the daughter of the housekeeper/cook who worked for my landlord (during my first 6-month stint in Peru I rented a room from one of the administrators of the school where I worked). The party consisted of the two parents, four kids, and me in their one-room home on the outskirts of town. I should have known when I saw the guinea pigs running around on the dirt kitchen floor, but I was too naïve.

When dinner was served, there was a lovely stuffed green pepper and an entire guinea pig on my plate. Head and everything. Staring up at me, its scrawny little roasted paws sticking up. Oh, dear, I thought, since I immediately knew I was at serious risk of insulting them horribly if I didn’t eat it. As the only guest, I was the only one with a whole animal, too – the kids each only had half a guinea pig. I would be insulting them AND wasting their valuable food. I have to tell you though, I couldn’t. I took a couple of bites and washed them down with Inca Kola (a very unique beverage – kind of a bubblegum-flavored soda), but it was tough and stringy and gamey. I finally figured that not eating it was better than throwing up. When I left for home, there was some talk about “we’ll have to have you over again” but the Señora kindly added “next time, we’ll have chicken.” 🙂 They were SO gracious with my gringaness.

Two of Alejandra’s siblings

The birthday girl and her parents