Food that bites back in Peru
Warning: Those with squeamish stomachs might wish to skip this post. I’m just saying.
Come on, coward, it taunted me. You say you like to “live like a local.” It’s time to eat like one.
I do like to live like a local on the road. I’ll happily rent an apartment, stumble through an unfamiliar language, wander the back streets of neighbourhoods far off the beaten path. But when it comes to food, I’m as unadventurous as a six-year-old.
And cuy–the Peruvian term for guinea pig–definitely challenged my self-imposed boundaries.
I told myself I was being a hypocrite. After all, I don’t have a problem with eating chicken, lamb, beef or fish. Animals are animals, right?
But no matter how I tried to psych myself up, when it came time to order, I’d usually choose something safe, like lomo saltado (stir-fried beef).
What finally convinced me was the lure of cold, hard cash. An editor back in Canada had offered to pay me to write a story about cuy. So in a bistro in Huacho, I took a deep breath and ordered cuy. I was so flustered, I forgot to ask how the dish would be served. In the back of my mind, I was thinking everything would be chopped up and slathered in a thick sauce, like some sort of Peruvian take on curry or gumbo.
My stomach dropped when my plate arrived. Here’s what I saw.
It had teeth. It had claws. It looked like a meal that could bite me back.
When I finally picked up my fork, I found the meat surprisingly bland, like overcooked pork. That didn’t help, though, as you can see from my expression.
I managed just three bites before gratefully accepting my companion’s offer to trade lunches.
For a less drastic taste of Peru, I’d recommend ceviche (marinated fish) or chicha (a slightly alcoholic beverage made from corn and fruit juice). Save your bravery for the winding, potholed mountain roads, where many drivers think speed limits, signals and lanes are for sissies.
P.S.: My Aeroplan Arrival magazine article about cuy isn’t available online, but you can read my short guide to Peru for the same magazine.
Disclosure: I travelled to Peru courtesy of Peru Tourism.
Ohhhh, that's hilarious and horrible!!! Yipes! Yes, I'd totally go for the ceviche instead. 🙂 Bravo for trying a few bites though!
Oh no! If only it had been sliced or something, somehow made unrecognizable… oh boy… did it taste good at least?
I'm lost for words. I'm quite adventurous when it comes to eating, but not sure I could do this one. 🙂
http://budgettravelerssandbox.com/2010/06/wanderfood-wednesday-an-organic-treat-ubud-bali/#axzz0qTrWYhin
Thanks for the kudos on my guinea pig dining experience, Rambling Tart! 🙂
It didn't taste too bad, Stephanie–a bit like pork, actually. If it hadn't come whole, I probably could have managed to eat most of it.
And I loved your post about the organic restaurant in Bali, LadyE–I just Tweeted it.
Well, that was quite an experience for you though. At least you have something different this time.
Boracay beach resort
You're right, Jay–at least I tried something new! (Well, a few bites, anyway.)
Ha! That’s a pretty weird dish. The toughest one I ever swallowed was chicken feet (claws and all) in a Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. GULP. Funny what we get sqeamish about. Fun read!
Sandra, I ate chicken feet on a food tour in Vancouver once. GULP, indeed! I think my favourite part of the chicken is the nugget. 🙂