I have been surfing the net lately checking up on some of my favorites blog sites that like Inti Aperture, also examine the daily rituals and cultural quirks of life in Peru.  I managed to pick out some of my favorite posts and decided to share them with you.

First up is a surprise post from blogger Barbara Drake who has been on an unofficial sabbatical from the blogosphere over the past few months.  She recently posted about an interesting Italian Trattoria which according to her article is perhaps one of the most authentic in Lima.  To make this discovery even better the prices appear to be fairly comfortable for this little tucked away restaurant in Surquillo.  Here is an excerpt from her blog:

"Nearly every large city in South America has at least one or two very good, if not excellent, Italian restaurants.   What every city does not have is an authentic Italian trattoria — a mid-priced, family-run restaurant that serves delicious, regional  dishes  in a casual, home-like setting.
Lima’s Trattoria Napoli does just that, serving up first-rate southern Italian fare in a sliver of a building tucked in no-frills Surquillo.  The trattoria is truly a family business:  The owner’s from Calabria (the toe of the boot), his wife keeps the tiramisu in the fridge next-door, and the ponytailed son-in-law can often be found munching on gnocchi with the grandkids at a nearby table.  The homey ambience embraces diners, too: Eat here and you feel like part of the family — welcomed and satisfied."

Next up are a few recently uploaded videos from the website La Habitacion de Henry Spencer, which has posted footage from this year's Mistura event.  For those of you who might not be familiar, Mistura is a gastronomic festival that celebrates and highlights the best in Peruvian cuisine while offering it's patrons to sample some of the best dishes prepared by famous chefs, street venders, and so forth.  Mistura may only have a few years running now but it has already managed to gain international acclaim and recognition.  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend this year but I did hear good things about it from friends who did go.  Anyways, the videos on this site are in SPANISH (sorry!) but they are still well worth a watch for anyone interested in seeing footage of this popular event.  Below is a sample video!

The Gringo of Chiclayo as he calls himself has been battling with his stomach's homesickness for good ole' fashion American food (I don't blame him, what I wouldn't give for a nice ribeye steak or a BBQ pulled pork sandwich w/ coleslaw).  What exactly did he do about it?  He decided enough was enough and he made CHILI!  Check out his page to see more details about how he went about recreating this southwestern American favorite.