What Do They Eat In . . .Peru?

Any poor soul who knows me in-person or blog-wise is well aware of my recent jaunt to The Amazon. No, not the .com book store, the real deal - river, jungle, bliss. Although the majority of this locale is tucked into the grand and magnificent country of Brazil, I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Peruvian side. I flew into Lima and then hopped a small flight to Iquitos - considered the gateway to the Amazon on the western side. I had so few expectations for this journey, which turned out to be life-changing in SO many ways, but I gotta say - the food? Fresh, naturally-organic, and just absolutely to-die for.



The main staples in Peru are seafood, chicken, potatoes and rice - the usual. But these folks certainly do interesting preparations - like the ceviche, often with a citrus and spice kick, which is outstanding. They have a special pepper in those parts called an Aji - hard to duplicate and describe, but smoky and tasty and really lovely. And the local fruits - I can't even begin to tell you have amazing they are. A lot of the locals drink cane sugar water straight for the source - so refreshing on a scorching and humid day.

I remember one fruit in particular - a banana by anyone's definition, but unlike any such fruit I've ever had before. The consistency was as-expected, but the flavor was more like a granny smith apple - an amazing hybrid, and I'm drooling just pondering this taste-punch.

Maybe it was the scenery influencing my taste buds, but I remember the fish, plantains, potatoes, and especially the fruit - everything tasted garden-fresh, and had a special zing. The Amazon is the womb of the Earth, so it only makes sense that the food she brings forth is on another level entirely.

I can't wait to return. And eat - like crazy.