Local Fare

A Peruvian favorite dish is called "Cuy" (pronounced "coo-ee").  As an adventurous traveller, I figured that when in Peru....  Upon a recommendation, my two traveling companions and I went to a local restaurant.  First we each ordered this huge bowl of soup that contained all kinds of things including potatoes, corn, lima beans, and various kinds of meat.  Things got a little scary since the kitchen seemed to throw in everything from the kitchen including tripe, internal organs, and other seemingly-discarded items.  I managed to get through much of the broth and vegetables, but left much of the protein matter behind.

We then went on to the main course.  The three of us split a pork dish, trout, and cuy (shown above).  If you haven't identified the creature yet, I will let you know that this is fried guinea pig.  Again, this is a local favorite.  I would like to say that it tasted like chicken, but it really didn't.  It was pretty chewy and there was little meat.  I was thankful that it was split three ways so I didn't have to eat the whole thing by myself.