And more about food…

Peruvian food is clearly less exotic and different than South-East Asian food but despite de Spanish influence, there are still big differences. Some of the differences are real and others are mainly due to the different terminology, which often causes great confusion. Our daily routine consist of going to one of the local restaurants for a set menu, that for 2-4 soles (more or less one dollar) offers a soup and a main dish, to choose among the many Peruvian specialities, including stuffed “rocoto” (or hot pepper filled with meat), heart “anticuchos” (shish kebab), ceviche (cold salad of raw seafood with lemon), different stews, “chancho” (pork), “mondonguito”, “locro”, “pernil”, “ubre”…. . The main dish is normally served with “chaufa” or rice and included in the set menu they usually offer you a drink, like “chicha mora”, a juice of purple corn, or a “mate” (herbal tea), which can be of coca leaves or other herbal variety, but that will be, almost certainly, too sweet. For dinner, our routine takes us to one of the many “pollerías” (chicken restaurants), where for a similar price you can eat an eight of “pollo broaster” (or roasted chicken), with its “aguadito" (soup), its rice and its “papas” or fried potatoes.
Among the drinks, Inca Kola, an electric yellow drink with a somehow pineapple flavour, appears to be the most popular drink, supplanting the international Coca-Cola. But we seem to favour the local beers, Cusqueña o Cristal.
Ah, and for holidays and weekends, the roasted “cuy” (guinea pig), with its potatoes and vegetables is considered a real treat!