Any person who makes tourism in Peru, will have the opportunity to savor the cuisine.
There are also many restaurants specializing in Peruvian cuisine in cities across the world.
At the Fourth International Summit of Gastronomy Madrid Fusion 2006, held from 17 to 19 January 2006, the city of Lima was declared gastronomic capital of Latin America.
History of Peru's Cuisine
Today, when a visitor or even Peruvian feel to taste some of the Peruvian dishes might not know that you are experiencing the result of a fascinating evolution of foods and cultures.
With the arrival of the Spanish was introduced to this part of America new species of animals, fruits and plants. This fusion of Incan cuisine with Spanish gave birth to Creole cooking. In this new kitchen, synthesis of the two continents new dishes that have evolved through generations began to appear. For example, Ocopa sauce typical of the city of Arequipa, is a mixture of pre-Columbian chili peanuts and dairy products introduced by the Spaniards.
Another important food in Andean life was quinoa. Considered sacred by the Incas called it the "mother grain" In sowing the breaking of the first flute was made with an implement of gold. Quinoa currently being achieved deserved success occupying a privileged place in homes around the world due to its high protein content.
But the story continues, the arrival of African slaves who cooked in the kitchens of the Viceroyalty, contributed more than one bit to the evolution of our kitchen, contribution not only in taste but also in color. It is they who are given credit for creating the delicious kebab (pieces of beef heart marinated in spicy sauces).
In the nineteenth century, the flame of the Peruvian revolution was strongly fueled by the fascination of the Creoles with the French Revolution. People felt an emotional attachment to the new ideals of "liberty, equality and fraternity 'by which that country had overthrown its monarchy.
The French presence and contribution to Peruvian food (like mousse) is the result of the fascination the Liberators had all things French, and belongs to the early days of the nineteenth century and independence of Spain.
After independence, San Martín declared free entry to foreigners. In 1857 there were an estimated 20,000 European (non-Spanish) living in Lima. These included French, Scottish, English, German and Italian, as well as citizens of most of Scandinavia and the rest of the Mediterranean basin.
Despite all this, no one could have predicted that the greatest impact on Peruvian food during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries would come from the other side of the earth. In 1849, the arrival of the first servants, immigrants from China, brought a new world of flavors and spices.
In 1899, the first Japanese immigrants arrived, leaving his distinctive mark on key trends in the kitchens of Peru. It is a fact that in the hundred years of its presence in our land, the Japanese have been responsible for the Peruvian gastronomic revolution.
Like the Chinese, the first Japanese first came to work on coastal plantations. At the start, but suffered hard work later time many families came together and settled financially. At this time the first Japanese restaurants had their own subtle touch to traditional Peruvian dishes. In the early twentieth century, people (especially the wealthy) had little or no interest in the fish, of course was not as appealing as eating meat, but at the end of the 50s, a small number of Japanese restaurants began to present a range of fish dishes and fresh seafood.
Although the Inca ate ceviche marinated in chicha and several acidic juices, it was with the introduction of lemons and onions by the Spaniards and a new approach to the Japanese fish we have today the internationally famous "ceviche".
As we have seen, the cuisine is a culinary symbiosis of cultures. Not only has deep pre-Inca, Inca and colonial Hispanic roots, but also that throughout its history has included cooking styles mulattoes, European and Oriental.
Today in the XXI century, descendants of the Quechua people, of Spaniards who lived in Peru for almost 500 years, the Chinese for almost 150 years and the Japanese nisei over 100, todoshan you been involved in the evolution of the kitchen Peruvian. Today, bright young chefs once again, they are redefining the cuisine either Novoandinas creations or progressions on the Nikkei food, making again that Peruvian cuisine occupy a deserved among the best in the world.
Influences From Cultures of the Past
Some ancient cultures are rediscovered by other human communities and are carefully studied by scientists. This is the case of Peru.
Because of the particularity of their land and climate and their intrinsic qualities of high nutritional value, some of their food are part of the food of the future. Such is the case of pseudo grains like quinoa and kañiwa because they seem not to be, a true maca tubers or grains such as amaranth.
For others, these foods allow people to live despite their living conditions. Some of these foods are part of the diet of modern day astronauts, such as quinoa, amaranth and maca. Studies are underway to cultivate in other countries such as New Zealand, South Africa and India.
A Vegetable and Seafood Paradise
Peru is considered the world's largest genetic center because it is home to:
- Corn (35 ecotypes)
- Tomato, 15 species
- Papa or potato, four thousand varieties
- Sweet potato, and produces 2,016 varieties in Peru 65 percent of the world total.
- Frutos, 650 species native to the country.
- Banana, large number of species.
- Fish, Two thousand species of fish, marine and rivers (first in the world).
The Spanish brought these items to Europe to serve as the food source for many European countries.
The potato was introduced in Spain and England in the late sixteenth century. Ironically, in the rest of Europe, it served as animal feed until the Inspector General, Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, served delicious potato dishes for prominent guests at a banquet. Parmentier had always been a vocal supported of the potato for human nourishment, but it wasn't until the bugeious learned of its taste that society was convicted of its benefits.
Several other common foods also find their origin in Peru:
- Corn, sharing the home with all Central America.
- Tomato
- Many other food items too numerous to discuss at length
Through trade with Africa, the Andean nation was able to import items such as bananas and sweet potatoes.
The wide variety of Peruvian cuisine is based on three sources:
- The particularity of the geography of Peru.
- The mixture of races and cultures
- Adapting ancient cultures to modern kitchen.
The Coastal Culinary Tradition
The Pacific Ocean is the main source of aquatic resources. Peru is one of the two main producers and exporters of fishmeal for animal feed in the world. Its rich in fish, marine flora and fauna are huge, being types of animals or plants that only exist in its waters. But we must also highlight its wealth of fresh water that are found primarily in the Amazon River and its tributaries as well as lakes, such as Lake Titicaca.
Each different flora and fauna, coastal region fits your kitchen according to the products of its waters.
Ceviche, in different (pure, mixed, with mixed seafood) forms an example. Caramores chowder is one of the most refined dishes of the Peruvian coast. This is a thick soup is based on fish and seafood, potatoes, milk and pepper.
The Lima cuisine
Great point of immigration, the capital has adapted to the culture and cuisine of each region. Creole cuisine is the principal of this cosmopolitan city. The pastry shops abound and are one of the culinary riches of Lima.
The range of restaurants of all types and specialization is huge. One of them, luxury, located oceanfront in Costa Verde offers a free service at noon with more than six hundred different dishes simultaneously, which is quite unusual for a restaurant.
The cuisine of the Sierra
In this high country, the main power still corn, potato tubers and multiplicity. Meat consumed is that of the flame, the guinea pig and other animals. Pachamanca is a kind of regional food, but is consumed across the country. Its cooked is underground. Similarly, a variety of freshwater fish are part of the regional cuisine, the most appreciated, trout.
Currently being introduced ostrich meat from farms Arequipa region. This bird was imported for the first time in the 90s since it was originally used in the 20th century.
The Kitchen of the Jungle
Naturally, this kitchen is developed based on the original products of the area. In the vastness of variety out in the water the paiche, being the largest freshwater consumed fish (can weigh up to 300 kilos and measuring over 2.5 meters long), turtle meat and other multiple wild animals are commonly found.
In the exotic fruit camu camu, there is 40 times more vitamin C than kiwi. However, there are many exotic fruits such as mango, pineapple and many others.
A Bit of Asia: Chifa
The Chinese arrived in Peru, under the name "culie". Chinese coolies began arriving in Peru in 1849 Chinese workers signed a contract in which they promised to work for eight years to the great lords. Generally, these contracts were signed in Macao. This document allowed the immigrant enter Peru without problems. Also assured for the intermediary between the Chinese and the contractors, that he would receive compensation from the state for his efforts. At the contractual end of the eight years, these immigrants retired in nearby areas where they lived and created small businesses, usually restaurants. It is due to this history that the mixture of Chinese food with Peruvian Creole occurred,
With a history since coming to Peru in the mid-nineteenth century, the Chinese-Cantonese culture that developed in these lands revolutionized Peruvian cuisine, earning international recognition for those who have had the opportunity to taste it when visiting this country.
The Peruvian Chifa is obviously influenced by Chinese immigrants. A story that has managed to merge its ancient cuisine adapted to products brought and subsequently grown and merged with another ancient cuisine. Even some Creole dishes like tacu - tacu, lomo saltado and the famous fried rice is believed to have been influenced by the Chinese. Thus, one can speak of a Sino-Peruvian cuisine, with features that distinguish it from other Chinese culinary origin.
In the center of Lima, Calle Capon, better known as Chinatown, began to change the taste of Peruvian for the years 1921 Great variety of savory and sweet dishes with different types of meats, vegetables and soups created a new culinary alternative.
Peruvian cuisine today
The classic kitchen is usually attractive for its colorful and sometimes spicy for chili, this being a basic ingredient. Some peppers are not spicy but serve to give color to the presentation of the dishes or to please them. Rice is a food that accompanies many dishes of the cuisine of this country. Just as each region maintains its culinary wealth, haute cuisine highlights the mixture of colors and foodstuffs.
Because of this rich variety and harmony of taste and food employees, Peruvian cuisine is constantly internationally awarded chefs and often tend to get medals that distinguish them. A notable feature is its openness to innovation and continuous development of new dishes, incorporating the Peruvian gastronomy genius that stands out for the search continues for experimentation and influence. An example of this is the invention of contemporary dishes that are known outside Peru's borders, such as grilled chicken.
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