Travel offers the opportunity to explore other cultures in so many ways, including through food. Many travelers plan their holidays around destinations with new and interesting cuisine. While we did not go to Peru specifically for the food, great tastes were one of the benefits!

Cuisine is Peru is shaped by many different influences including Amazonian, Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences. Peru is home to 28 climates and three major geographic zones, namely coast, highlands and jungle allowing for a wide variety of local ingredients.

Some of the most famous dishes, most of which I tried, are:

• Ceviche: Fresh fish cured in lime with aji.

• Lomo Saltado: Beef stir‑fry with Chinese influence.

• Pachamanca: Meat and tubers cooked underground.

• Papa a la Huancaína: Potatoes in spicy cheese sauce.

• Cuy Chactado: Fried guinea pig. (pictured at the start of this post)

Food on the Amatista

A week on the Amatista riverboat came with so many gourmet meals I thought I might need a larger pant size! Thank goodness the heat kept my metabolism running.

Here are some of the most memorable dishes we tried.

Appetizers

Arancini

Made with sacha culantro (an Amazonian aromatic herb) rice and chicken, crispy on the outside and served with aji amarillo (a Peruvian chili pepper) aioli.

Toston Acevichado

Crispy green plaintain toston topped with avocado and Nikkei-style ceviche fish.

So yummy!!!

Crocante del Nauta

Paiche (giant fish native to the Amazon) escabeche rolls with a chicha de jora (corn beer) reduction.

They use corn for everything!

Mains

Vuelta por Italia

Slow-cooked duck ragu served with cassava gnocchi in a loche squash cream sauce and dark beer reduction.

Even people who don't like melon and squash loved this one!

Tonkatsu

Panko-crusted port cutlet, served with fresh cabbage salad and Asian-style rice with regional touches.

I mentioned that there is a lot of Japanese influence....

El limeno y la huambra

Beef tenderloin and cecina (ham) stir-fried in the traditional Peruvian style, served over pepian made with tender Ucayali corn.

There's that corn again!

Dessert

We ate dessert at almost every meal, including many different hand made ice creams, but only this was pretty enough for a picture.

El agridulce Samiria

Crumble made with roasted local apple and vanilla ice cream.

Food in Lima and Cusco

Throughout Peru, meals are very carbohydrate heavy. There was rice and potatoes in almost every dish we ate. Some of our favorites sampled throughout the Lima and Cusco areas are pictured below.

Trucha Del Valle

Trout in oriental black butter with trigotto (like Peruvian risotto) and wok sauteed vegetables

Lomo Saltado

Wok sauteed tender loin with onions, tomato, Peruvian yellow pepper, soy sauce served with rice, corn and fried Peruvian potatoes.

Tacu Tacu a lo Pobre con Pollo Crocante

Pan-fried mix of rice and Peruvian canary beans served with crispy chicken.

Seco Norteno con Frijoles

Traditional Northern Peruvian cilantro beef stew, slow cooked to tender perfection and served with stewed beans and white rice.

Butifarra Sandwich

A Peruvian ham sandwich - perfect for lunch

New and Different Beverages

The national drink is the Pisco Sour. We learned how to make it but I didn't snap any pictures unfortunately.

Chicha Morada

Made with purple corn this drink is very sweet and comes in a variety of ways including with a hint of cinnamon.

Inca Kola

This bright yellow carbonated beverage tastes a little like cream soda, but is made primarily with lemon verbena.

Let’s make your next adventure easy. Reach out anytime — I’m here to help you plan with confidence.

talitha@solderastravel.ca