One of the best parts of travel is experiencing the unique cuisine that is common to that specific area. Peru is one of the best countries to visit in all of South America and is known for its colorful culture and its vibrant delicacies. Once a year, people from all over the world flock to the Mistura Food Festival to taste Peruvian delicacies that they would never otherwise get to dine on.
Many of the dishes are common to the area, think beans, rice, and local fruits and veggies, but some are really unique and wild. If you are the adventurous type and you love food with all of your heart, the Mistura Food Festival is an event that you can not afford to miss.
From Pet To Peruvian Delicacy: Cuy a la Palo
Just about every pocket of the world has a strange dish that they are known for. Native people find nothing odd about dining on recipes that the rest of the world would consider to be abnormal. Peruvian people have a real thing for a meal called Cuy a la Palo, or pig on a stick. This isn't pig as in pork, however. This is pig as in guinea pig...like the ones that you would find crawling around a cage in a local pet store.
You can try it out at the ten-day Peruvian festival. It's a big hit there. In fact, many festival-goers claimed that the stand with the spit-roasted guinea pig was by the most popular stop.
Cabrito al Horno Is Delish, Just Don't Ask What It Is
Peru is known for some bright and vibrant dishes that often leave travelers in awe. Should you ever have the change to visit Peru, tasting their delicacies is an absolute must. One dish that those with adventurous palates flock to while in the South American country is Cuy a la Palo. While many areas of the world feast on roasted pig, this is no pork dish. This dish consists of roasted guinea pigs, cooked on a spit over an open flame. It's hard for many of us northerners to think of guinea pigs as anything other than an animal we see in pet stores, but in Peru, they often hit the plate.
The Mistura Food Festival serves this unique dish up, and last year the Cuy a la Palo stand was by far and away the most visited one at the ten-day event.
Beef Eaters With Bravery Might Try Anticuchos
Beef is a pretty typical dish found throughout the world, beef hearts, cooked over an open fire, well that's different! The dish originated in the Andes Mountains and is a pretty simple combination of cow heart and spices, all put on a skewer and cooked over the grill. They are popular street food in the country, as people can quickly purchase one and walk about- no plates or forks necessary. While some might balk at the idea of eating the meat of any living thing, this is one unique delicacy that is a must for anyone making a trip to the Mistura Food Festival.
The Uniqueness Of Normita Comes From How It's Prepared
The uniqueness of a dish called Normita doesn't come from the main ingredients used; it lies in the preparation. Normita originated some seven thousand feet up a mountainside where large gravelike holes were dug, and hot stones were placed inside of it. Marinated meat cuts, sweet and Andean potatoes, corn, chilies, and beans are then laid inside and covered up with earth and left to slowly cook.
This is about the most authentically Peruvian dish that you can get at the famous food festival.
Mistura Is Ceviche Central
Ceviche is a must while visiting the Mistura Food Festival. There will be no shortage of the fish-based soup, and you'll undoubtedly have your pick of the spins. Make sure that you try several of them out as no ceviche is quite like the next. Cebiche, leche de tiger, is a famous stew not only for its fish but for its broth base. Zesty lime, chilies, and red onion are so spicy and delicious that not a drop will be left int he bowl.