Living in Peru : your everyday companion

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A group of Peruvian companies dedicated to food processing will participate for the first time in the most important food fair in this sector in Korea, the International Food Industry Exhibition (IFIE 2010) next May, reported the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra).

“Kotra will reunite several Peruvian food companies to promote their products in Korea,” says the press release.

Registrations are open for all companies interested in participating, in the framework of the upcoming bilateral FTA with Korea.

The participants will find agricultural products, as well as seafood, all kind of meals, drinks, liquors, coffee and tea, and also equipments and accessories for food services.

International Food Industry Exhibition Seoul is a leading event for industries such as food, beverages, hotel, restaurant, food services, bakery and supermarket.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

The very well-known Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio has posted in his Facebook the news that he is planning to make a documentary called “The Country of Ceviches,” focused on the varieties of this dish and the stories related to it.

The documentary will have six chapters and will feature a tour along the Peruvian coast: from Tumbes to Tacna, visiting several places where this dish is prepared.

“We are to uncover the stories of the people who make possible that Peru can be called 'The Country of Ceviches,'” he said.

Acurio is considered an explorer of streets and hidden spots in Peru in his constant quest for the best cooks throughout the country.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister, Martin Perez, inaugurated today the Boulevard of Peruvian Gastronomy,” located near the Surquillo Market, in Lima.

“We expect this place will become another of the attractions in Lima, especially for gastronomic tourism,” said Minister Perez.

According to Perez, the total investment reaches S/. 2.3 million, 80% of which was financed by central government, via the Program for the Improvement of Towns, and the other 20% was covered by the district municipality.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

It is known that ceviche and pisco sour are the flagships of Peruvian gastronomy; however, Peru has way more to offer.

According to Edgardo Rojas, from the restaurant El Aguajal that especializes in Amazon gastronomy, there are many native fruits and vegetables that have been never tasted in Lima because bring here on time it's almost impossible, despite all the efforts to improve the roads.

He says that nowadays people is eager to try some Amazonian dishes because they are “exotic” and “tasty.”

Elía García, from La Patarashca in Tarapoto, said that some ingredients have yet to be discovered by Peruvian gastronomy, like the fruits known as humari and sinami.

“For example, we use cocona in our cebiche, and camu-camu has many other uses besides naking juices. There is a lot yet to discover,” she stressed.

However, Rojas warned that the Amazonian gastronomy requires also to take care of endangered species, since some restaurants offer dishes prepared with animals obtained from illegal hunting.

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Lead singer of the musical group Franz Ferdinand, Alex Kapranos, is an international cuisine lover, and is eager to try Peruvian food, reports El Comercio.

Kapranos has written a book called ““Sound Bites: Eating On Tour With Franz Ferdinand,” about life during the band's tours and focusing especially on food.

The book was based upon the gastronomic column he used to write for “The Guardian”.

Kapranos, who says he has heard a lot of good things about Peruvian food, has previously studied Catering and Hotel Management, and has shown a remarkable interest in gastronomic curiosities, like the aligator sausages he tasted in New Orleans.

Franz Ferdinand's concert in Lima is scheduled for March 30, and tickets are already on sale at TuEntrada (Plaza Vea and Vivanda supermarkets).

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

A group of eight cooks from Bilbao (Spain) has arrived in Peru to perform a “gastronomic expedition,” that will let them learn new culinary techniques, according to a press release from PromPeru.

The eight cooks are Eneko Atxa, Aitor Basabe, Aitor Elizegi, Guillermo Fernández, Alvaro Garrido, Joxemi Olazabalaga, David García and Ricardo Pérez.

They will stay in Peru until Feb. 19, and will spend their time here visiting markets and producers, and attending training sessions in Lima and Cusco as well, under the coordination of Peruvian cook Gastón Acurio.

Promperu and Apega will launch a press conference tomorrow (Feb. 11) to introduce them officially in Peru, with the collaboration of the Ayuntamiento de Bilbao and Slow Food Bilbao-Bizkaia.

Have news you'd like to see in LivinginPeru.com? Contribute an article, whether it's translated or based on your own reporting. Contact editor@livinginperu.com.

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Jim Meehan, Kate Krader and Yasmin Fahr, editors of the Food & Wine cocktail guide to be published in April, included Lima's Malabar among the top ten bars in the world. Malabar is owned by the famous chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino and located in San Isidro.

“Chef-owner Pedro Miguel Schiaffino opened Malabar with his parents, which may explain the cozy living-room vibe. A Culinary Institute of America alum, he updates South American cocktails and serves dishes like barbecued goat with purple corn. Pisco is the house spirit and Schiaffino's father, Jose Antonio, has extensively researched Pisco Punch; Malabar uses marinated pineapple for its sensational version,” writes Food & Wine.

Along with “Malabar,” other places included in the Top Ten list are; Bar High Five (Tokyo), Connaught Bar (London), Becketts Kopf (Berlín), Door 74 (Amsterdam), Curio Parlor (París), Mayahuel (New York), Rickhouse (San Francisco), Cocktailbar (Stockholm) and Rockpool Bar & Grill (Sydney).

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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Some 100 Peruvian restaurants in Chile will celebrate the “Day of Pisco Sour” on Saturday, Feb. 6, in coordination with the Peruvian Embassy, reports TNews.com

These restaurants will offer tasting sessions, where the bartenders will show their own style applied to this traditional drink.

Franca Deza, an official from the Peruvian Embassy in Chile, said that “the promotion of our flagship cocktail will be diversified and centralized at the same time.”

According to Peru21, Miami (US) will also celebrate the Day of Pisco Sour; the Peruvian Consulate has organized a celebration for Friday, Feb. 5, with restaurant Zachum and Pisco Viejo Tonel company.

The Miami celebration will be held at the Riquezas Peruanas restaurant.

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Andina

The stand featuring some of the most delicious Peruvian dishes enjoyed resounding success in the opening day of the international culinary festival Madrid Fusion 2010.

A selection of the most representative dishes of the world famous Peruvian cuisine has caught the eye of the Spanish media, especially TV shows.

The Peruvian chefs’ delegation has been one of the favorites of local journalists who asked them to share some secrets of their cuisine which is now the star at gastronomic events worldwide.

Television Española (TVE), Tele Madrid, Television de Castilla La Mancha, among others were the television channels visited the “Peru Mucho Gusto” stand.

The Peruvian stand is full of flavors and aromas of ceviche, causa and carapulcra, as well as tiradito de pejerrey in Peruvian lemon juice, rice with mochica duck, among other exquisite dishes, all accompanied by refreshing pisco sours.

Have news you'd like to see in LivinginPeru.com? Contribute an article, whether it's translated or based on your own reporting. Contact editor@livinginperu.com.