Living in Peru : your everyday companion

Living in Peru
Larry J. Pitman

Peru has changed me, but I didn’t realize how much until I went back to California two years ago to attend a professional conference. I stopped to visit my sons in San Francisco, and then I decided to drive up to Seattle since I love going through northern California and Oregon. All went very well, a very enjoyable visit, except for one thing - the food.

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Hi Larry,

I am impressed by the way you have written this article about Peruvian gastronomy. Your article reminds me of how much I give for granted.

Thank you for this article and I hope this country continues to give you wonderful things to write about.

Take care.

You are right Larry. I am Peruvian, but when I go to the States I feel the same thing. Clean and shine fruit, expensive, but no taste. I´ll tell you something. I have gone to Chili's, Tony Romas and some other restaurantas that are in the States as well as in Lima. I asked for my favorite dishes, and guess what? The same dishes in Peru are much more tasty than in USA. I couldn't believe that!!. That´s what happened to me and my family in cities like Sarasota, Honolulu and Las Vegas.
Regards,
Rosario

Peru has very sweet and tasty fruits, so many kinds that you get lost in the market deciding wich one to get,  I am in love with Lucuma, Lucuma ice is my favorite flavor.                                                      Peru also has delicious fresh sea food , vegetales, etc.  anything you can think of,  I  hope Peru can give more sweets and beautiful things in your life.
God Bless you.

Peru has very sweet and tasty fruits, so many kinds that you get lost in the market deciding wich one to get,  I am in love with Lucuma, Lucuma ice cream is my favorite flavor.                                                      Peru also has delicious fresh sea food , vegetales, etc.  anything you can think of,

Thanks for saying positive things about Peru.
God Bless you.

If you can't find some fantastic food in San Francisco, then you're not trying too hard. San Fran has some of the best restaurants in the world.

I agree with the basic premise of Peruvian vs. American food, but come on Larry, don't paint San Francisco with the same wide, tasteless brush.

Hi Larry!
What a nice surprise to find an article from you! we met at multilingua, remember? well, anyway, I really hope you're doing fine, I enjoyed your article, and you're right, so long in Peru might have Peruvianized you :)We are very proud of our gastronomy and our natural products, I'm happy you like "our" country.
Take care
Lilian

Hi Larry,

You really have it right. I lived in Peru for 10 1/2 years and now being back in the states for 8 months, I miss Peruvian food and especially the variety of flavorful fresh fruits and vegetables. I'm living in the southeast where practically everything is fried - heavy, as you say - and the fruits really don't have much flavor (except California grapes). What you have written was one of the first things I also realized when I returned, and something I never took for granted while living in Peru. I miss you, Peru.

Larry congratulations!!!!! Now that you had try PERUVIAN FOOD you know you have been to heaven. I'm a very proud Peruvian leaving in USA and loving my country and my food every day.

Obviously food is a controversial subject with enthusiasm and distaste running high. The problem is that food (cooked or not) in both countries can be okay to great/terrible. In Peruvian supermarkets (at least in the provinces) peaches, tomatoes, and cantalope are rocks that rot before they ripen (this is similar in the US in some markets). However, if you go outside the supermarket in Peru there is a range from stupendous (mangoes and watermelon in season) to mediocre. If you go to farmers markets in the US the fruit and vegetables are incredible. So much for buying.
Larry said his mom's cooking was awful, but many N. American moms are gourmet cooks. In Peru, home cooking can be tasty but much is boring due to lack of variety. Restaurants in Peru, as in the US, vary in their goodness. My one complaint in Peru is the lack of fresh salmon steaks; otherwise the fresh fish is fine. I don't, however, see lobster in the markets. So, it comes down to mixed reviews for both countries.

Yes, Larry. Peru has food, glorious food.

Peruvian cuisine is one of the best in the world. Two years ago, I visited a friend of mine who lives in Beaverton, Oregon.

Such a nice and beautiful state is Oregon, of course. With lots of beautiful landscapes (Crater Lake, for example) But what I loved it is a true Peruvian restaurant located in Portland. The place is called Andina Restaurant and it`s simply.... outstanding.

The food is second to none. They bring the Pisco (the true and only one from Peru) from my country, Don Cèsar. The Seco De Cabrito, the seafoods, Lomo Saltado, Cebiche and even the desserts were simply spectacular. They import all the ingredients from Peru.
My Oregonian friend was pleased about the place... clean, cozy, good attention.
I`m very proud of my country. And our best ambassadors is, by far, the cuisine !!! Thanks for saying positive things about Peru.

Alfonso

Food in Peru is overrated.  It's all the same mushed up slop, only presented in different ways.  Desserts all have the same bitter, weird taste and either aren't sweet or are too sweet.  I never enjoy the food in Peru, and have been there twice or three times a year for the past 20 years or so. 

Interesting to read the poster above that enjoyed the food at American chain restaurants in Peru.  I went into a Chili's in Lima, and not only did they not offer chili on the menu, they didn't even know what it was!  And the Tony Roma's in Larco Mar is just awful. 

Yes, nothing better than a good plate of peruvian food, of course if you eat in a good place or if your cook knows how to do it good, i don´t want to do propaganda but i have to say that Brujas de Cachiche in miraflores, los cantaros and Don Ignacio in la molina, etc etc etc, to many good places where you can eat simply great!, but as some say, if you go to a bad place where someone don´t know how to prepare good peruvian food (or from anywhere), it just sucks, but peruvian are very exigent about this, so if you want to start a food bussiness, better you try to cook really good or get a good cheff. Perú is wonderfull, the corn, delicious, lúcuma, chirimoya, all the fruits, vegetables, etc. All i want i can find it here and not only in the spring or summer, i am really spoiled body here, and i have so many things for so few money in comparison with other places i have been, i remember in the U.S we had to pay 100 dollars for meat, can you believe that?, and i had not nobody who cook for me =(, like i do here, really spoiled in my country =), but ... who don´t love to be spoiled?. Regards.

Mirella.

David N
Of course in Peru they don't know what 'chilli' is,they are not mexicans or americans.Tony Roma's is not even good in the states...
What do you eat when you go to Peru twice a year?..or do you bring your lunch box with your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches??...
Don't starve yourself, take lots of "Swanson's" diners and frozen pizzas. That will do it , THE BEST AMERICA CAN OFFER !