When work is scarce for the average English teacher/father to be, there tends to be few options with which to occupy your vast free-time and when boredom verges on insanity thats when most men turn to baking....well probably not most men at least. Ah yes baking the age-old male practice of merging wet and dry ingredients along with the aid of a hot oven in the hopes that the process will render an edible and delicious treat, yup nothing screams masculinity and testosterone better than baking. An act that much the military´s position on gays in uniform, is don´t ask, don´t tell. Now in the past I would have definitely shaken my head in disapproval at the sight of such a reality but as I have grown older I like to think that I have matured if not just a bit. To be quite honest I was rather surprised that until recently with the aid of my lovely wife, I found the unorthodox male act of baking to be, well not that bad, really.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Over the years I have discovered my growing interest in cooking and yet it shouldn´t have come as a surprise to me that I would find baking to be enjoyable as well, yet not nearly as much as cooking. The feminine stigma that has plagued the minds of many men in the western hemisphere is probably to blame for the countless years of persecution against those deviant and confused lads who put on the apron and oven mitts. Initially for me what started out as an uncomfortable and gender-conflicting scenario later became an open and acceptable one free of my paranoias. Though my first attempts at concocting a delicious treat were less than satisfying I soon figured it out well enough to not burn the orange pound cake I had baking in the oven. In no way would I ever consider baking to rival in complexity when compared to cooking, though that is not to say that baking isn´t without it´s own difficulties. There are a lot of factors one should consider if they decide to take up the task though, like the importance of exact proportions and volumes as well as oven temperatures and baking time. Many of these factors if left ignored or disregarded through gross negligence could have unsavory results in the end.
Returning to my opening sentence, yesterday presented itself to be among all things rather uneventful and dull. Now I´m not sure if Rosemary´s expected arrival or Zdenka´s more than lathargic state has played any role in our overall lack of activity but it was more than enough to encourage a baking session at home. It should also be noted that today is Zdenka´s birthday and yesterday it seemed like the perfect reason to make cakes. Initially what started out as one indecisive cake idea quickly became a safe bet cake idea. Having consumed more passion fruit (aka. Maracuya) in one summer than in my entire life I was perversely obsessed with making a birthday cake using maracuya juice. An unheard of procedure, I was told it could not be done, yet not willing to take shot in the dark on my wife´s birthday cake we decided to make two instead, one maracuya, and the other orange. In preparation of the maracuya flavored cake I gathered the strained juice of 1 kilo of maracuya´s which rendered about a cup of potently acidic juice. The rest of the ingredients were standard of your basic cake mix, though I never was prepared to deal with how long the cake would take to bake. At 250 degrees the cake started off smoothly baking for 45 minutes, when it came time to check the cake however, I realized that I had made a mistake somewhere in the process. The center of the cake had not fully baked yet which left me with no other choice but to foolishly raise the temperature in a desperate attempt to salvage what little hope I had left for the cake. At 350 degrees that cake baked for nearly another 45 minutes, yet surprisingly did not burn.
The final result was a cake that had both the bold tropical flavor and punch of maracuya with the soft texture (at least the inside that is) of any cake. I can´t say that my efforts were a success and I am pretty sure that the tart nature of the maracuya might overpower some lesser individuals but all in all I was quite pleased with how it turned out and as I stood there cleaning up the aftermath of our madness I am greeted by my father who in his smug nature contemplated verbally with me as to when I made the transformation from husband into housewife. I leave him without response standing there in the kitchen all the while realizing that certain mentalities don´t die easily,
Yesterday in order to kill the boredom of being under house arrest (not literally) I decided to cook lunch for the two of us. Work is totally awful this month and I have been stuck in perpetual vacation status until further notice and while that might not sound so bad you should probably take into consideration the fact that Zdenka and I are practically counting down the days now until Rosemary is born. Zdenka's condition has made it hard for her to walk which means she gets tired easily, and I mean EASILY, after one or two blocks she is so winded that she has to rest and often it's hard for her to push forward. This has led us to spend quite a lot of time indoors. Anyways with limited options for entertainment in my home I decided to cook as it is one of the few things that I enjoy doing while at home. For yesterday's lunch the unanimous vote was made for the family favorite of pasta in red sauce, not very original but a dish that is well on it's way to perfection.
For the onion, bell pepper, and tomatoes I like to cut them in halves and then grab a skillet or frying pan placed on med-high. I add a little bit of vegetable oil or olive oil and fry the vegetables on one-side until they are a little charred. I am not 100% sure but I believe that by doing this the vegetables sugars are caramelized in the process giving them a stronger flavor. For the tomatoes and bell pepper I like to then place them in a plastic zip bag and let them smoke for at least an hour or so. This makes the outer skin peel off very easily when I dice them up later. The next step for me is usually to dice the onion, garlic, and carrots into small pieces. Once this is done I grab a medium sized sauce pan/pot and on medium with a bit of olive oil, I fry the onion and garlic until golden brown. Once the onion and garlic are golden in color I then add the carrots with a bit of powdered cumin and paprika (the powdered ingredients are all measured to taste, but I would recommend using very little cumin and paprika in the sauce as they tend to be very strong flavors). This is all mixed together to make what Peruvians here call Sofrito, which will the base of the sauce. after about 5-10 minutes I turn the heat down to med-low and add the an additional ingredient which may not be available in the US called Aji Panca paste (a paste made from the red Aji pepper), this gives the sauce an additional level of flavor that is subtle but a wonderful addition. After this I push all of the mixture to the inside corners of the sauce pan, leaving the center exposed and pour the tomato paste into the middle where the heat will help to break down the pastes acidity (I also add just a pinch or two of sugar to help in this process). After another 5 minutes I finally add the tomatoes and the bell pepper into the mix and let simmer for another 10 minutes on low.
Photo of my wife Zdenka preparing the pasta
Above you can see the tomatoes being fried on one side
After the ten minutes are up I turn off the heat and let sit for a few minutes before transferring it to the blender where it is then liquefied. This process goes smoothly when you do it in batches rather than all at once, also I add a little bit of water to help it reach a puree like consistency. Once the sauce is in puree for I place it in a separate bowl while I place the original sauce pan on the stove under low heat. They say that when cooking the essence of flavor of a dish often is left stuck to the pan or pot, which is why it's so important to not leave it behind. To do this I grab a red wine (we have wine from Chincha of the Southern coast of Peru) and add a splash or two to the pan and let that alcohol clean the pan and collect all those tiny bits and morsels of flavor goodness. I let the wine simmer for about 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol (it's not a religious sin to cook with alcohol since in most preparations the heat burns off the alcohol only leaving behind the flavor, so relax!), once this is done I transfer the sauce into the pan with the wine. IMPORTANT at this point you need to be prepared and move quick as the sauce will start to bubble and spit hot sauce everywhere. This is where I add black pepper, salt, oregano, bay leaves, and basil leaves, they will help to really bring the sauce together and give it it's final form. Let the sauce sit for another 10 minutes on low and then serve hot. I like to serve this dish with a little fresh grated Parmesan cheese. To make this dish you will need the follow to make the red sauce:
INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOMATO-BELL PEPPER SAUCE
- 4 tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 1 bell pepper
- a handful of fresh basil leaves (Albahaca in Spanish)
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 2 teaspoons of Aji Panca paste (about 20 peruvian cents worth) Optional
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- dried oregano (to taste)
- olive oil
- pasta (I prefer screw pasta or fettuccine, but any thick pasta will do)
- 2 carrots
- 2 tablespoons of garlic
- 3-4 bay leaves (In Peru these are called Laureles and they usually come with a wild black mushroom)
While I definitely miss what I consider to be the classic version of Christmas (snow, lights, Christmas songs, REAL Christmas trees, etc.) it is not my first time celebrating Christmas in Peru. I do what I can to make the most of a favorite holiday and I have been looking forward to Christmas Eve since that is when it's celebrated here. Dinner this year will take place at Zdenka's parents home in Breña, where the Christmas presents will also be opened after midnight. Everything is just about ready for tomorrows upcoming festivities but the turkey was one of the few chores left to tend to.
Turkey like in the US has become an integral part of the Christmas Eve dinner and is exclusively consumed during this holiday (how the custom of eating turkey was adopted by Peruvians is a mystery to me) and like many hard-working citizens in Lima whose employers are generous enough to gift turkeys lies the arduous task of collecting a turkey. A voucher for a bird of certain weight is presented to the employee who must then undergo what can only be described as a gastly experience.
Zdenka received a voucher from her job and her father and I decided to go today to claim a turkey, it seemed simple enough but we would later discover how wrong we were. Arriving to one of the many locations available by the poultry company San Fernando we were amazed yet not surprised by the long formed line of people awaiting their turn to get a turkey. As we tried to find our way to the back of the line we were quickly diverted to a waiting bus where we were boarded and transported to an alternate location (first time in my life have I ever had to be ferried to my poultry). The ride was short but the mass amounts of complaints generated during the trip could last a lifetime. We got off at a large mall on Av. Colonial in Callao where we made our way to the underground parking lot near the loading docks. Hundreds and hundreds of people waited in lines seperated by weight, the situation was so serious that the Red Cross had set up a first aid booth! After waiting what felt like an eternity in line we finally received our turkey but not the weight we had wanted since there weren't any left.
In retrospect it probably isn't as bad as I try to make it seem but it sure is something I am glad only has to happen once a year.
Once upon a time there was this guy who came to Peru to visit his father who unknowingly met a girl and got married....what was I talking about again....oh right PIE! Married life is definitely interesting because you discover that things you once never did are now the things you spend time doing, like cooking and baking. Now in the States I cooked every now and then and I enjoyed it but I never saw an interest in baking and therefore never did it, the same is true of Zdenka with the cooking part included. So as a newly married couple we have been cooking and baking like crazy every weekend, trying new recipes and experimenting with cooking/baking techniques that are new to us.
This weekend we decided to bake since we hadn't done it in a while, not since we baked that orange cake (which could have used a little more orange). I naturally came up with the idea of making a lime pie (not a key lime pie but a lime pie), especially since in the past Zdenka has never been really fond of lime pies (which they call lemon pies?). Neither one of us had ever made a pie so we had to do some research (makes me glad there's the internet). We found many different variations and picked the one which was the simplest but we couldn't find a pie crust recipe that we liked so I called my grandmother who is a veteran at baking. She sent me a few photos which she scanned from an old cookbook.
She gladly passed on her recipe and it required the following:
Basic Pie Crust
*to make one(1) pie crust
1 cup of flour
1/2 salt
1/3 cup of lard
1/8 cup of water
Looks simple enough right? Well at first it started off rather simple but as we mixed all the ingredients together the end result was a little bit like cake batter so we added more flour until we got the consistency we figured was right for dough. The dough itself was very sticky something both of us were not prepared for and we had a bit of difficulty forming it into a ball. Through trial-and-error we got the hang of it and we proceeded to roll the dough using an empty wine bottle since we didn't have a rolling pin (very useful alternative). Once the dough was rolled out enough we placed it into the pie tray and poke a few holes in the base to keep it from rising/inflating. The crust went into the oven at 425 F for about 10 minutes and was then removed and left to cool while we prepared the filling.
The filling itself wasn't to complicated but it did require some work to get the end result. the filling recipe is the following:
Lime Pie Filling:
4 large eggs
2 14oz cups of condensed milk (though I would recommend 1 and a half)
1 cup of lime juice (about 25 key limes/other small limes)
a good quantity of lime zest
The most time comsuming task was probably cutting and squeezing all the limes along with removing the zest. Once all the ingredients were in the mixing bowl I whisked for about 10 minutes and then poured it into the pie crust. Then the pie was place back into the oven at 325 F for another 10 minutes where it was then removed and left to cool before being placed in the fridge to set overnight.
It was a lot of fun to prepare a pie and a lot of work but the end result was good and we had pie for breakfast today!
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
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.
As I have mentioned in the past one of the great perks of living in Lima is the vast availability of fresh produce, dairy, and meat products, thanks largely to the numerous markets that exist. Portland may have been an exception when it came to fresh ingredients when compared to other cities in the US but it still can't compete with Latin American markets (similar markets are found in lesser developed countries all over the world).
My growing interest in cooking has definitely increased since I first arrived and having CHEAP fresh ingredients at hand has made it convenient and practical, since I spend at well over half of what I would if I wanted to cook from scratch back home (probably a leading factor in why Americans don't cook as much anymore).
The weather in Lima has been slowly attempting to break free of winter's hold over the city, but each day hope of an early summer continues to fade. I can't help but laugh at the irony of leaving one cold city for another, and the weather in Lima does not reflect the fond memories of basking in the tropical warmth of the southern hemisphere's sun (those days are gone, blame global warming or something). To escape the mundane and dreary dark skies I often enjoy staying at home on a Saturday and preparing a nice home cooked meal (maybe try a new recipe). Luckily I live near two small local markets that are open EVERYDAY and if I can't find what I need there is always the supermarket Plaza Vea just a few blocks (walking distance) from my home, though food items tend to be a bit more pricier there.
Last Sunday I decided to prepare a nice lunch for Zdenka and I, so I went out and bought ingredients to make a simple pasta with Bolognesa sauce (typical red tomato sauce). I wanted to accompany this dish with something fresh and light in flavor and usually I would prepare a Caprese Salad but I recall seeing a recipe on photographer Penny De Los Santos blog, about a Basil, Tomato, & Peach salad. The photos were amazing and mouth watering, which were accompanied by what I consider to be a fairly quick and easy recipe. Fortunately for me peaches and nectarines had just come into season again and were being sold in the local markets. I walked over to the market and picked up the ingredients for the salad, the basil was only 20 cents for a huge handleful. The mozzarella cheese was about the only real expensive ingredient (costing about S./7), which I had to buy at Plaza Vea since it's not typically sold at markets (they tend to sell more regional type cheeses).
The salad turned out great and took literally no time at all to prepare, not to mention it went well with the pasta. I would highly recommend it. Below is the recipe for those who are interested in giving it a try!
Ingredients for Dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine
Chinese food or "Chifa" ( the word is derived from 酒饭 chī fàn, or "eat meal" in Mandarin)as it's known by most Peruvians could be considered a cuisine epidemic, in that the restaurants are widespread throughout many coastal cities (not very common when you go to the sierra or the jungle). Lima by far holds the record for most Chifas in Peru (more than 6,000 restaurants), with each district containing several usually with each restaurant only a few meters from the next. Interestingly, the popularity of Chinese food in Peru could easily rival that of the US, with most Limeños eating Chifa about once or twice a week (sometimes more!). I should probably clarify that Chifa is NOT solely Chinese food but a hybrid fusion of both Chinese and Peruvian cuisine.
When did Chinese food arrive in Peru? The Chinese first arrived to Peru in the late 19th Century as contracted laborers to work in sugar cane plantations, guano mines along the coast, the development of Peru's early railroads, and in the Amazon working in mines and agriculture, in order to replace the slaves in order to facilitate the end of slavery and the beginning of free labor. It wouldn't be until the beginning of the 20th century that non contract laborer Chinese would begin to migrate to Peru. Most Chinese upon completing their contracts would then adopt Spanish surnames and establish small businesses as many chose to settle in Peru rather than return to a communist ruled China. It was likely at this point in history that many Peruvians were first exposed to Chifa cuisine just as they were being exposed to Afro-Peruvian cuisine or Criollo.
If traditional and authentic Chinese food is what you are looking for then the Wa Lok in Calle Capón or El Dragon Rojo in San Borja on Av. Aviación are well worth a visit (note that with Dragon Rojo you will have to ask for the legendary second menu). The Wa Lok in Lima is recognized by many Limeños as the best Chinese restaurant. At the Wa Lok you will find many classic Cantonese dishes as well as a few Peruvian-Chinese dishes. The portions are perfect for families or group gatherings which helps counter the modest price range of most dishes. This is also a great place for those who are aficionados of Dim Sum, which offers a wide variety of popular favorites from siu mai to seong hoi siu lung bau (steamed dumplings). The one downside to eating at the Wa Lok which I always seem to encounter each time that I've been there is the wait staff (the service is definitely lacking in this aspect). The Wa Lok is still worth the trip not just for the food but also the experience of walking through Lima's Chinatown. Make sure you check the large food market located near the large Chinese arch.
What is a Huarique? A Huarique is a Peruvian slang word for a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, which has a well respected reputation among not just the local populace but from many who have dined within it's walls. The food is fantastic and simple, with very sophisticated flavors that keep you coming back for more. A Huarique is often a small restaurant that is packed full of local patrons who make up the collaborative orchestra of conversation and clanking cutlery and plates.
When it comes to Huariques no other blog covers the topic better than the fine group at Huariques.com, a site which is dedicated to turning over every culinary stone in Lima (and other cities as well) search of authentic Huariques. I check this site out quite regularly and I highly recommend it for those who are looking to break away from the mundane routine of over-frequented restaurants.
For those interested in the site I have provided the link below
http://www.huariques.com/
When it comes to Huariques no other blog covers the topic better than the fine group at Huariques.com, a site which is dedicated to turning over every culinary stone in Lima (and other cities as well) search of authentic Huariques. I check this site out quite regularly and I highly recommend it for those who are looking to break away from the mundane routine of over-frequented restaurants.
For those interested in the site I have provided the link below
http://www.huariques.com/
I realize how random this post must seem since it has very little to do with Peru, but I was teaching one of my English classes today and I promised a student that I would post a video on how to make scrambled eggs. We have all had scrambled eggs before and most of us know how to make them but few of us know how to make those really delicious and creamy eggs that we often find in restaurants or at buffets.
Since I enjoy cooking I often read several blogs about food, this eventually led me to discover a YouTube video which features the famous British chef, Gordon Ramsey preparing a traditional scrambled eggs. It´s very simple to prepare and I have done it several times since I have watched the video. The only downside to preparing scrambled eggs this way is the cleanup afterwards.
Anyways, here is the video.
One example of Peru's culinary success is owed in part to the famous Chef Gastón Acurio, a chef who has managed to take Peruvian cuisine to an international level, with several restaurants in countries like: Mexico, Colombia, Spain, USA, Panama, Chile, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Aside from his several restaurants Chef Acurio also hosts a popular food show on Peruvian TV which airs weekly and runs his very own culinary institute.Saveur, a popular food and wine website and magazine has recently written an article that dissects the urban food cart vendor's of Lima and highlights one of Lima's most famous anticuchera's Grimanesa Vargas Araujo, more famously recognized as La Tia Grima. La Tia Grima's highly demanded anticuchos or marinated beef hearts have won over the stomachs of many Limeños from all walks of life all of whom are content at waiting more than an hour to receive their order.
Below is a video review of Peruvian Chef Gastón Acurio's restaurant "La Mar", located in San Francisco. This video is in Spanish but it has English subtitles. The second video is of Chef Acurio preparing the popular Peruvian dish Cebiche.
Located on the Av. San Martín 1062, just one block down from Av. Sucre and across from Av. Vivanco in the beautiful and tranquil residencial district of Pueblo Libre. This is the bar I managed to stumble on during one of my many photowalks through the city. Tucked away in the vast urban jungle that is Lima, I practically stumbled upon this famous watering hole around mid day one Saturday weekend (looking back it was the same day that my intraocular lenses decided to come loose, but that's another story entirely). The sky was grey and overcast and I had just trekked all the way from Av. Canada near the Via Expresa, which for those who don't know is a fairly long walk, especially since I passed through two districts to get there (about a hour and a half walk). The mere sight of this ancient corner tavern literally packed and overflowing with inebriated patrons.
El Queirolo is one of Lima's most famous and older bars and has maintain a large following over the years. Here you will find both men and women of varying ages from both young and old alike all present to enjoy the warmth and inviting comfort of the wonderful antique atmosphere, the outstanding drinks and food, and above all with most popular bars in Lima, a great social environment. Speaking of food El Queirolo offers a variety of food options from typical and traditional meals to the popular and widely sought after sandwiches made up of delicious meats like Jamon de Pais among others. The drinks are amazingly good and a recommended drink would definitely have to be their Chilcano de Pisco. This refreshing drink is made from their very own Queirolo Pisco mixed with ginger ale and a few squeezes of lime juice, making it the perfect refreshing summer drink that's actually great just about anytime of the year. Their Chilcano de Pisco is recognized by many Limeños to be the best in the city!
El Queirolo has won such recognition in the eyes of the citizens of Lima that it is a highly frequented and recommended location. The old tavern is seen as a cultural and social hub where people can gather to pass the time with friends and family where they can have that experience of being in a bar that is literally frozen in time from an era long forgotten. The feeling that you get when you first walk into the tavern is that similar to stepping back into the past, as the decor and old wood floors, furniture and ceiling along with the many antiques that embellish and adorn the place. Some of the antiques that will catch your eye when you first walk into the tavern will be the old cash register and phonograph, but what really stands out is the old telephone near the front entrance of the tavern. This telephone is one of two very first telephone's to ever be installed in Peru! It's even more amazing to see all this antiques still in their preserved state.
El Queirolo's history is an intriguing one which dates back to the year 1880 when the Queirolo family first arrived it what was once called the district of Magdalena Vieja, which is today named the district of Pueblo Libre. The name Pueblo Libre was given by the famous "Liberator" General Don Jose de San Martín in 1821. The Queirolo family was a traditional winemaker family whom upon arrival to Lima set up and founded the "Bodega Santiago Queirolo", this was to be the very first location of the families vineyard. It's important to for the reader to understand that in those times Lima was a much smaller and centralized city that it's much larger and gigantic iteration. Many of the outlying districts that surrounded the central city hub were known for being the location of many vineyards, plantations, and farms all of which are long gone in today's modern version. As the city of Lima began to grow throughout the first have of the 1900's so did the Queirolo families need to relocate their operational facilities and in 1963 they did just that by moving their vineyard operations to the southern coastal city of Cañete (which is one of many wine producing cities along the souther coast). Today the wine-making tradition continues as future generations of the Queirolo family continue to keep the family practice alive and well. Their wines and Pisco's are among the most popular and respected in the country and can be found and purchased in many of Lima's supermarket's, liquor stores, and especially at La Taberna Queirolo.
The Queirolo family business maintains an amazing company website which offers very interesting and useful information about their wines and Piscos for those interesting in learning more about the process of production.
I highly recommend this bar/tavern and give it 5 stars out of 5 for it's over the top service, drinks, food, environment and overall excellence which is hard to find in a city of 9 million inhabitants.
As the sun sets on yet another busy day in the bustling city of Lima, the streets are flooded with employees are rushing out of their offices in an attempt to beat the long (and believe me it's LONG) rush hour traffic. While highways slowly fill up the street vendors of the city have already set up their stands in anticipation of their hungry patrons, from hamburger carts to mazamorra morada and arroz con leche (a popular Peruvian desert combination) stalls, on particular food cart stands alone among the rest and that is none other than the Anticuchero(a). There is nothing quite as appetizing and tantalizing as the thick smokey aroma of grilled meat, I am of course speaking of the popular and famous Peruvian Anticucho.
Since my first visit to Peru back in 1997, anticuchos have been a favorite food of mine, even before I learned what they were made from. The first time my tastebuds had the privilege of trying an anticucho was during a family party in Comas (a district located on the north corner of Lima). I was young and had never tried one before but the smell was almost intoxicating and their visual appeal had me curious. The moment I ate that anticucho I knew I was hooked and in fact I ate many more that night. At the time I thought the meat used in an anticucho was beef and to a certain extent I was correct, however I would soon come to find out the true identity of the mystery meat to be none other than beef HEART! I was shocked one because the meat was so tender that I had easily identified it as regular beef, but due to the anticucho's amazing flavor and texture the initial shock quickly wore off. It's hard to put an exact number on how many anticucho's I have eaten since that day but I would imagine the number to be quite high, which is what I would imagine to be the same for many Peruvians as well.
A dish of Peruvian origin similar in style and appearance to that of a kabob or brochette, consists of a marinaded beef (most commonly cow heart) skewered on sticks of sugar cane. They are cooked on grills and can be found on virtually every highly trafficked street corner in Peru. The marinade is made from a mixture of vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, cumin, lime juice, aji panca and garlic. The anticucho's are usually served with other popular Peruvian alimentary staples: the potato and white corn. It's also not uncommon to see the sweet Picarones and Chicha Morada being sold along side anticuchos in Peru.
The anticucho's origin dates back to Pre-Columbian times and the Incan Empire with scientific evidence and documentation from the Peruvian National Library Archive which shows that the Incas prepared the dish using llama meat as well as other local meats. The name Anticucho recieves it's name from the Quechua language and the word "Antikucho" (anti = Andes & kucho = mix &/or cut). When the Spanish Conquistadors arrive to Peru in the 16th century they were quite possibly the first outsiders to ever try the Peruvian anticucho, and like all cultures they took the dish and made it their own through adaptations to the original receipe by introducing beef in place of llama. With the gradual fall of the Great Incan Empire at the hands of a few hundred Conquistadors, Peru entered into a re-structing of the country or what has also been recognized as the colonization period. New cities were established and erected, new cultures were presented, foreign foods and animals were brought, religion was forced on the natives like current modern policy, and in the next hundred years Peru entered into a new era. One of the many changes that occurred as a result of the countries re-structing was the introduction of African slaves by the Spanish. It was at this time that the anticucho would see it's second iteration at the hands of the slaves. In their food preparations the Spanish would frequently throw out the internal animal organs by passing them off on their slaves as a form of ailment. The slaves would then take the organs (tripe, liver, and heart) and skewer them on sticks made from sugar cane followed by a heavy seasoning before marinading them. The anticuchos would then be cooked over fire. In the many years to follow this Afro-Peruvian adaptation would continue to proliferate poorer and middle-class parts of the city, where today it is favored by many Peruvians and is considered the official form.For Peruvians anticuchos have become an iconic symbol of Peru's diverse culture and heritage that will no doubt continue to live on for many years to come. In Lima alone there are many places where a person on a hunger quest can find some of best anticuchos in the city...but that's for another article!
For those that are interest in preparing this wonderful dish I have included a receipe as well as some other websites which also have the receipe.
Here is also a very interesting video of Peru's very own famous chef Gastón Acurio as he hits the streets of Lima on his very own tv show. This video documents the cities best anticucho stands. Unfortunately it's in Spanish and there doesn't seem to be a translation. I would still recommend watching it though to get an idea of what anticucho stalls in Peru look like.
http://www.spiceworlds.com/anticucho.html - This website has the recipe but also sells the anticucho marinade already pre-packaged for those who would rather skip all the busy work.
Another website that sells the marinade already jarred called La Bodega Peruana.com has it for sell HERE
THE FOLLOWING RECIPE WAS TAKE FROM THE WEBSITE: RECIPE ZAAR - LINK HERE
SERVES 10 -12 , 30 -40 skewers
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs of fresh beef heart, thinly sliced and cut into squares of about 2 inches long
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 5 big fresh garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of finely minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons of finely minced fresh cilantro
- 4 dried chilies
- 1 1/2 cups oil
- 10-12 ears corn on the cob, cooked (save some of the husk)
- 10-12 boiled potatoes, peeled
Directions
- Place the pieces of heart in a glass or ceramic tray.
- Previously, soak the chiles in hot water until they are soft, devein and take the seeds off. If you want you can keep some of the seeds to make it spicier. In Peru we use aji panca, but this works well too.
- Blend the vinegar, garlic, aji panca (or dried chile), and all other ingredients with 1/2 cup of the oil until you have a soft paste.
- Pour it on the pieces of heart and distribute evenly so all pieces are well covered and can absorb the marinade. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Do not let them marinade for too long or they will dry out because of the vinegar.
- In the meantime, place thick bamboo skewers to soak in water so they don't burn when they go on the grill.
- Use a charcoal grill and make sure the coals are very hot before you start.
- Stick three or four pieces of heart in each skewer, so that the meat lays flat.
- Save the rest of the marinade in a cup or small bowl and add the rest of the oil to it, mixing well. This will be used for basting the anticuchos on the grill.
- Tie some pieces of fresh corn husk with a string made out of some more husk and shred them half the way to make a kind of brush and use it for basting. (You can use dry husk too but you need to soak it for a while in warm water to make it flexible and then pat it dry before you use it).
- When the coals are ready and the grill is hot place the anticuchos flat on the grill and baste them generously with the leftover marinade and oil mix.
- This will drip and cause the coals to flame, make sure it flames over because this is what gives the anticuchos their distinctive flavor.
- Let anticuchos cook for about 1 minute and a half on each side. DO NOT OVERCOOK! They will dry out and become tough. Medium or medium well is fine. Turn them over continuously and keep basting and flaming until they are done.
- Hold two or three at a time to turn them over quickly.
- At the same time, place the pieces of corn and potatoes on a corner of the grill, baste them with the same marinade and allow them to be flamed too.
- Serve three skewers in each plate, accompanied by one piece of corn and one potato. You can also cut the potatoes in half (across not length wise) and stick a piece at the end of each skewer.
- Serve hot, right out of the grill, don't let it get cold! ENJOY! :P.
- What takes the longest time is to slice and cut the heart in squares and stick the pieces on the skewers; as you get practice doing this it will be faster, allow yourself some more time of preparation the first couple of times.
- You can also use regular beef, chicken, fish, prawns, or lamb to make anticuchos, but the original and traditional recipe calls for cow heart. Hope you like it! :).
About a month ago I was with Zdenka walking around Pueblo Libre on a Saturday afternoon when we came across this Colombian bakery that had just opened up on Av. Sucre. Outside a brightly colored sign read: "Villa Colombia". The thick aroma of baking bread and pastries was what ultimately guided my nose to this quaint little panaderia (bakery). First off I have never had Colombian food before and was eager to try some of the delicious looking items. When we walked in we were warmly greeted by three eccentric Colombians whose accents were thicker than the smell of bread that had originally brought to their store. Seriously though their accents were so thick I could have passed them off as Brazilians, luckily Zdenka was with me to help in the translations so all turned out well.
As I gazed upon the plethora of delicious and tantalizing bread based bits of heaven, I soon became lost in indecision, thankfully one of the owners kindly recommended one of their specialties. A small golden and flaky bun with the consistency and texture of a croissant was placed on a small plate before my hungry eyes. The man with pride and joy that seemed to resonate from deep with in his soul proudly introduced the pastry as Pan Hawaiana (Hawaiian bread). As described above the bread has the flavour and texture of a croissant and houses a delicious medley of salty and savoury pork, melted white cheese (not sure what kind exactly), and sweet pieces of pineapple. Together the flavours are harmonious and the crisp crunch of the bread helps to add another dimension to the experience. The sign outside of the bakery states: "ricos y deliciosos productos con el auténtico sabor Colombiano", translated it states: "rich and delicious food with the authentic Colombian flavour". Having experienced for the first time Colombian food I would have to agree with their slogan.
The Colombian bakery had many other types of amazing Colombian food from the famous Arepas (a flat bread made from corn and is similar in flavour to the tortilla but much thicker making it ideal for sandwiches and such) to Almojabanas (a Colombian bread made of corn flour) and Buñuelos (a wheat-based fritter with a slight Anise flavour). These were but just a few of the many delicious Colombian food items being offered at the Villa Colombia Bakery.
For those interested in making the trip on over to Pueblo Libre in Lima, I have included the address along with a Google map to help navigate you to this wonderful haven of amazing Colombian food.
Av. Sucre 672 - Pueblo Libre
In front of Edelnor and opposite the Italian restaurant La Romana (which is one of the VERY FEW good Italian food restaurants, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU TRY THEIR PIZZA!)
On the google map the bakery is in-between the Av. Callao and Av. La Mar.
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