I try this famous Peruvian dish.
August 2016
A sunny lunch in Arequipa
In Arequipa, the white city, we dined at an excellent restaurant overlooking La Plaza de Armas.
The magnificent cathedral was breathtaking against the snow-covered mountains, and the white city stretched out in every direction.
The hustle and bustle down below was perfect for people-watching.
Dogs chased pigeons around the main fountain. Vendors sold their wares to tourists. A big band began setting up their instruments in front of the cathedral steps.
The menu had an array of Peruvian and local cuisine, most of which sounded delicious. There were scores of different options, including plenty of different ways to prepare alpaca meat. I sipped on a mango smoothie while enjoying the panoramic views.
As my main dish, I ordered Trucha Frita, a fried Andean trout on a bed of hash potatoes. The pink fish was simple, delicious, and salty, with a thin outer layer of crunchy fried batter.
My friend and I additionally ordered some Cuy to share.
“Cuy, alternately called Cobayo or conejillo de indias is a guinea pig or cavy. The taste is compared to rabbit, thought delicious, and though difficult to accept for people in other countries who regard guinea pigs as pets, the cuy is a staple of Andean cuisine. They are called “cuy” for the sound they make cuy, cuy.” – from this recipe.
This weird item has been on my bucket list for YEARS, and I was excited to try it in such a representative place.
The dish came to us in a very recognizably cuddly form.
The meat tasted as expected, somewhere between rabbit and chicken. None of the flavors were terribly unfamiliar. I am always a bit timid when picking at bones, so I had a bit of trouble getting much meat off of it, and the fried skin was slightly “fuzzy” so I didn’t attempt to eat any.
And no, I did not eat the face.
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