My taxi driver in Lima told me that the people of Trujillo and the northern region are “really fat.” My first few days in Peru, Antolino said that “I am too skinny, he needs to get me fat” so he was doing his best to feed me constantly, but all he knows how to cook are eggs, so when we didn’t eat eggs, we had “fast-food” from the street. Street food I’ve tried so far includes fried chicken, french fries and salad. Plus mayonnaise- on EVERYTHING. I mean everything.
Peruana Cosita Importante Numero 3: If you don’t pretend to LOVE mayonnaise and treat it as a special luxury and put it on EVERYTHING you eat, people think you are weird.
In general, Peruvians tend to be a bit overweight, and I have yet to see the stark signs of starvation that I noticed in Africa. But, it’s also not nearly close to the level of obesity in America. The street food is generally unhealthy here but is cheap, so similar to the concept of McDonalds in the US, people seem to make choices based on necessity and financial strains that seem to be affecting their health.
My neighborhood has outdoor mercados everywhere. The mercados are fun to explore- they sell everything from brightly colored fruits and vegetables to bins of rice and spices, freshly squeezed juice, sugar cane and fresh coconut, “quick food” stops – tables set up outside around lunchtime, shoes, toys, and car parts. Many people also have small shops in their homes – bodegas - where you can find soda, crackers, candy, phone cards, etc. I’ve found one place that – to my relief – sells pasta! So, when I need a gastrointestinal break, I know where to go.
I’ve been to one supermarket but it’s about an hours commute one way with the public transit from where I am living. I felt like a little kid in a candy store- amazed at all of the familiarity I found (they have soy milk and cereal.. what?!!) But there were also some of my previous staples missing (yup, no mac ‘n cheese). While I enjoyed the options of the large chain, in general I will stick to supporting my neighborhood options. I definitely want to experience as many local foods as possible, and I’ve already purchased a Peruvian cookbook! Plus I enjoy interacting with my community here in La Esperanza in the markets. People here buy a little at a time and seem to utilize the market daily. One stand for bread, another stop for eggs, another for fruit... it’s so simple!
Some of the Peruvian food I’ve tried with the hermanas (nuns) include ensalata mista (beets/potatoes/carrots), chicken, various soups, maize, salad, and tamales. Rice is a staple of the diet here. Also, chicken legs in soup are a delicacy, as I discovered, much to my dismay on my first day! But I will need to braver, as there’s another delicacy here called cuy – guinea pig!
The postres (desserts) are by far my favorite part so far. I’ve tried picarones, which are donut-like fried dough pieces made of pumpkin and topped with a cinnamon syrup. The pastries sold on the street are also delicious. The most popular gaseosa (soda) here is called Inca Cola – kind of a cross between Mountain Dew and Bubble Gum! Very sickly sweet yet strangely addicting- I finished the bottle despite the instant stomach pains it brought on!
When Sterling and I were in Peru the orphanage we were working at often fed us this HUGE field corn where the kernels were like the size of a nickel and you pull the kernels off one at a time and eat it with a bite of squeaky cheese...not sure if you've had that experience, but it's really good and you should try it. I know Sterling tried alpaca as well and I'm pretty sure my father in law ate cuy and liked it! :) Cheers to Inca Cola! They even have Inca Cola Light in some places!
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