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With a breath-taking array of cuisine reflecting Peru’s multicultural history, there are sure to be dishes you and your guests will love. From robust to delicate, starchy to acidic, heavy and deep to crisp and clean, with big flavors, spices and colors, you’ll soon learn why Peruvian cuisine is spreading throughout the world.
We’re not adventurous enough to sample the amazingly bizarre and colorful food of the Amazon rainforest region, such as fried leafcutter ants, Amazon worms and sabalo fish intestines, and you’ll struggle to find the ingredients at your local supermarket anyway. But we are going to dive into the history of how Peru’s fusion cuisine evolved and include tips on how to make your celebration colorfully Peruvian!
Peruvian food is fusion cuisine, combining different food traditions and cooking styles. The original inhabitants of Peru grew corn, beans, squash and chili peppers 5,000 years ago. The Incas added potatoes, grains, roots, vegetables, fruits, animals, and seafood in the 14th century along with cooking techniques like roasting, stewing and dehydration. European, African and Asian influences caused an explosion in variety shortly after. In recent decades, Peruvian restaurants have started to appear in major cities around the world as the food has gained worldwide acclaim.
In the 16th century, the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire introduced many new commodities into the Peruvian diet. The Spanish brought new animals, dairy products, fruits and grains as well as sugar cane, garlic, onions, lentils, chickpeas, wine, olives and olive oil. Spain had received culinary contributions from around the world, particularly the Moors who were Muslim inhabitants of Northern Africa and parts of the Mediterranean. This Arab influence saw the introduction of irrigation systems as well as bananas, peaches, oranges, pomegranates, apricots, lemons, grapes, figs, coriander, cumin, saffron, eggplant and artichokes.
At the start of the 19th century, many Japanese migrants travelled to Peru in search of nice weather and rich farming soil. Their main influence on Peruvian cuisine included stir-frying and eating raw fish. Many seafood dishes such as ceviche, octopus with olive oil and noodle with seafood were introduced during this period.
Along with the Japanese, Chinese migrant laborers brought many recipes and techniques introducing sautéing, soy sauce and white rice. The result was Chifa cuisine, from the Mandarin “chi-fan”, which means “to eat rice”.
French chefs escaping the French revolution added new cooking styles and techniques to the cultural mix. At the end of the 19th century Italian immigrants arrived, introducing new vegetables but also pasta which became the inspiration from many traditional Peruvian dishes. They also brought ice-cream to Peru.
Peru’s diverse geography and climatic zones played an important role in the development of Peruvian cuisine. The Amazon rainforest is a large contributor to Peru’s 600 original fruits and over 2000 fish species that are eaten daily, as well as nuts, spices, peppers and vegetables that grow naturally in the forest. The rich soil of the Andes helps to produce Peru’s 2,500 native potato varieties, along with other crops, fruits, and animals. The hot desert climate in the northern coast contains rice fields and dry tropical forests that are home to an array of tropical wildlife. The central and southern coastal region have a subtropical desert climate and the most diverse marine fauna in the world making seafood a popular dish in Peru. Lima has become the cooking hub of South America with an array of chefs and restaurants providing outstanding culinary experiences.
A brightly colored, patterned tablecloth is a must as Peru is known for it’s bold and vibrant colors. Add some flowers in red, orange, yellow and dark pink for the centrepiece.
If you want to include some additional detail, a few stuffed camelid (llama, alpaca, etc.) toys could be fun nametag holders or gifts for your guests to take home. With its street markets, beautiful beaches, stunning mountains and mysterious megalithic structures, there are an abundance of themes you could choose from to decorate your surroundings.
For a calm and meditative atmosphere, traditional Peruvian flute music is a wonderfully relaxing option. For something with more percussion, you can look to Peru’s African influence and the Afro-Peruvian music they developed. Música criolla with European, African and Andean influences has multiple subgenres that you can sample from.
The host will usually seat you since seating arrangements may be decided in advance, with men and women often on opposite sides of the table. A typical phrase to begin the meal is “buen provecho” which, like “que aproveche” in Spain, literally translates to “take advantage” but means “enjoy your meal” and toasts usually use the word “salud” meaning “to your health”. Talking with only one person is seen as impolite so be careful to include others in the conversation. If there’s a particular dish you don’t want to eat then be tactful with the explanation.
This article is taken from our free recipe ebook, Our Delicious World, available here.
