There is something relaxing about driving down the Panamericana Sur highway, a road divided by the mighty Pacific Ocean and the expansive sunbathed deserts of Peru's coast.  The southern coast is a drive that takes you towards some of Peru's most popular beaches where thousands upon thousands of Lima's city dwellers migrate to during the summer months. 

Does there exist a food worth driving an hour and a half for?  The answer is a definite HELL YEAH!  Head south towards the province of Cañete and you will see a medium sized chicken farm on your right hand side at about Km 52.  Here you will see a small straw covered kiosk accompanied by this small businesses prized gems, a trio of earth and clay made ovens.  The Tambo Rural as this unexpected roadside gastronomic landmark is called caters to many hungry travelers and road warriors making their journey's south.   What keeps people coming back is the Tambo Rural's famous and addictive artisan breads.  An intended light snack which ultimately ends up as a meal, these finger long breads (which have an appearance and flavor similar to Mediterranean bread, think Lebanese style flat bread) are filled with either Botija black olives (similar in taste to Greek Kalamata olives) or queso fresco, and are baked until golden.  Both bread fillings are guaranteed to satisfy the appetite of any individual.  






The robust aroma of baking bread that escapes from those dome shaped ovens has forever been impregnated in my mind and just to write about it causes me to drool uncontrollably over my keyboard.  Any road trip down south whether with friends or family now requires a pit stop to the Tambo Rural, a place which has made die hard fans of the skeptical.  The bread is always best eaten as soon as they are pulled from the oven with a little bit of the spicy rocoto sauce for that added kick.  I ate there last weekend and like always it didn't disappoint.  Below are the directions to this must visit ma and pa food site.  A definite 5 out of 5

Tambo Rural
Avicola Don Bruno SRL
Autopista Panamericana Sur
Km. 52 - Santa Maria del Mar