Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

"Years ago we thought that cooking was a way to find of economic opportunities; today we have gone further and we see food as a provider of opportunities for those who have never had them, and for those who have been historically neglected," said the Peruvian cook Gaston Acurio during the gastronomic fair “Mistura 2009.”

Acurio explains that the first aim of the fair is to celebrate our food and to showcase it to the world; but another important goal, the most important, is “to teach the people that Peruvian cuisine can be an inclusive space, a place for integration in every sense of the word: for democratization, seeking to share and to create opportunities for people such as farmers and artisan producers,” Acurio says.

“It's a matter of ethics. If the fisherman can't educate his children, then the ceviche made with the fish he provided will no longer be beautiful,” he remarked.

According to Mariano Valderrama, Executive Vice President of the Chef's Association, the next steps are to strengthen regional cuisines and to work in education, because although there are many cooking schools, all of them are private, and there's not a public one.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's Production Minister, Mercedes Aráoz, said that the per capita consumption of fish will reach 25kg in 2011, boosted by a more forward strategy of marketing led by her sector, as well as by the development of local gastronomy.

“The per capita consumption of fish in 2005 reached 18kg, and from that it grew by 22.5% until this year,” she said, right after her participation in the Second International Gastronomy Fair “Mistura 2009,” taking place in Lima right now.

She said that we must work in a change in mentalities, and that “there are many ways to cook dishes based on fish, which will become an interesting alternative to meat or poultry.”

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

The Second International Gastronomic Fair opened Thursday in the Parque de la Exposición. The Fair is to run over a period of four days, and will display the best of the best food of Peru.

Markets, stands, competitions, movies, master classes and “round table” discussions will characterize the event, as well as the multiple (over 30) representatives from the best restaurants throughout Peru. Visitors to the fair will have the opportunity to try the best dishes from the best restaurants for the price of S/. 6 or S/. 12.

The fair promises to be a promotion of all the great gastronomic wonders that Peru has to offer. Ají is the ingredient of choice at this festival, and Mexico holds the invitation of honor, with various representations of their traditional food.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peruvian cook Gastón Acurio said today, while opening the Peruvian Gastronomy Fair “Mistura 2009,” that not only this event showcases the best of Peruvian food during four days, but also that “this is a chance to get to know the processes involved in our gastronomy, starting from the producers and finishing in restaurants.”

"Mistura 2009" will be held at Lima’s Parque de la Exposicion, where 35 restaurants and 100 “Carretillas” (Food Stands) will participate, under the organization of the Peruvian Gastronomic Association (Apega).

Acurio remarked that “our gastronomy belongs to all Peruvians. Nobody is more important than anyone else, and here there are not social classes. And this fair is a celebration of our food,” he said.

Mistura will offer dishes from 6 to 12 soles, which are very affordable prices considering that a dish in an exclusive restaurant would cost 40 soles.

Entrance to Mistura 2009 costs S/. 20 for adults and S/.15 for children.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Today Limenians will enjoy again one of their most cherished typical dishes, the "Lomo Saltado" during the "Gastronomic Festival: Second Lomo Saltado Contest," organized by the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima.

The contest, which will reportedly bring together more than twenty of the best chefs, will take place at the Alameda Chabuca Granda starting today at noon.

The aim of the contest is promoting local gastronomy and to help position Lima as the Latin American gastronomical capital.

Along with the contest, there will be a great Gastronomical Festival, with the participation of the best restaurants in Lima, that will offer their best dishes at affordable prices.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Gastón Acurio, the Peruvian chef, now has his eyes set on making Peruvian cuisine as familiar around the world as its Mexican, Chinese and Thai counterparts.

After opening his “Cebichería La Mar” restaurant in San Francisco, he is focusing now on New York city, which he sees as the real launching pad for rapid expansion. He is currently looking for an appropriate spot and expects to firm up a deal soon.

According to Time.com, Luis Kiser, head of the Peruvian Franchise Chamber, thinks that “Peruvian cuisine will will put Peru on the map, opening the door for the exportation of other products.”

Gastón Acurio's restaurants, Astrid y Gastón, operate in seven countries outside Peru, while Cebichería La Mar has restaurants in six countries.

"We are living the same kind of moment Japan did decades ago, inventing a market where one does not exist," says Acurio, quoted by Luc Chauvin.

All in all, 12 Peruvian restaurants have franchised their formulas and are operating abroad, while another 20 are in the process of expanding beyond Peru's borders.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peruvian production of Pisco experienced a cumulative growth of 301.8% between 2000 and 2008, informed the president of the National Commission of Pisco (Conapisco), José Tavera.

He explained that this increase started after the authorities decided to promote competition among producers of pisco nationwide.

Remarking that about 450 wineries with appellation of origin are registrated at Conapisco, he said that Lima and Ica are the regions with the greatest number of these wineries, with 77 percent of the total.

Appellation of origin is a technical rule that mantains and guarantees the singularity, tradition, history, climate, soil, roots, soil and grape variety.

More than 400 wineries of pisco with appellation of origin are getting ready for the XVI and XIII “Festival Nacional del Pisco” National Competition which will take place between October 2nd and 4th, at the Museum of the Nation “Vértice.”

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

With the aim of turning Peru into an strategic food provider, as well as in establishing Peru as a business platform with exhibitions of traders and producers, the first Expoalimentaria 2009 opened today in the Army General Headquarters, a place locally known as “Pentagonito.”

According to Corferias del Pacifico trade department, from the 282 business rounds, 54 closed deals worth $4 million in transactions, only in the first day of activity, with the attendance of 1,100 national buyers and entrepreneurs of the food industry.

Expoalimentaria will also exhibit equipments, machinery and packaging for food processing industry, and will also host seminars and conferences.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The Peruvian cook and businessman Gastón Acurio said that “Peru is invading Chile through gastronomy,” because the most expensive and successful restaurants in that country are the ones dedicated to Peruvian food.

Not only this; he said to RPP Noticias that in Chilean supermarkets there's usually a special section for Peruvian ingredients.

“Chilean households eat Causa Limeña on Mondays, Papa a la Huancaína on Wednesdays and Ají de Gallina on Fridays,” said Acurio.

In addition, Acurio reported that the I International Gastronomic Fair “Mixtura” will take place from September 24th to 27th at “Parque de la Reserva” in Lima.

“This year we will have food, workshops and even films,” he added.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

According to the journalist and blogger from Huánuco, Orlando Bravo, a total of 370 native potato varieties grown in seven provinces of this Andean region have been catalogued by the researcher and professor at the Universidad Nacional Agraria (Agrarian National University), Rolando Egúsquiza.

These varieties are the result of a selection of 1470 samples of native potatoes collected in the provinces of Dos de Mayo, Huamalies, Lauricocha, Yarowilca, Ambo, Huanuco and Pachitea.

Local farmers have helped significantly in this study,  reports Bravo in Reporte Al Día.

Through their research, begun in 1995, Egúsquiza has defined the characteristics of each variety, detailing their marks and also establishing their DNA, so allowing their nutritional value to be maximized.

Egusquiza remarked that this work will become "a genetic inventory of this department," and will help better explain its gastronomic and tourist potential.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.