Food From Afar – Lima

As the sun fell, so did my plane descend. Through the clouds of the almost ever-present haze of Lima, the orange street light-dotted landscape of the capital city of Peru came into view. Bags acquired, I left the airport and was immediately accosted by a swarm of taxi drivers. In Peru, taxis are bargained for prior to the ride, getting in one anywhere in Lima is taking your life into your own hands. The lane dividers seem more like suggestions than rules, as my cab fought his way through the gaps in traffic. My hostel was in Miraflores, a district of high rise apartments boarding the ocean. On this Saturday evening, the nightlife was in full swing, bars and restaurants pumping both Spanish Salsa music and American Pop.

After checking in and getting a map, I hit the streets. Blocks away, I found John F. Kennedy Park, a greenspace famous for its stray cats. Food carts were scattered around the area, offering snacks and refreshments from ice cream pops, popcorn, to sleeves of nuts and/or fried corn, a ubiquitous snack in Peru. I capped off my night with the famous drink of Peru, Pisco.

When purchasing pisco from the store, the first question you will always be asked “is this for drinking or for mixing?” The spirit is made from a grapes and much like wine, the type of grape used is labeled on the bottle, with the exception of acholado, meaning it is a blend. The latter has a fruitier flavor and is the one you want if pisco sour is your destination. The classic drink is served in every bar, along with the country’s national beer, Cusquena and national soda, Inka Kola (A yellow soda with floral and pineapple flavors). Pisco sours are made easily enough, 2 parts pisco, 1 part fresh lime juice, 1 egg white, ½ simple syrup. Add ice and shake vigorously.

The next day was spent completely on foot. Walking the beaches, seeing the parasailers take off from the steep cliffs that overlooked the ocean. Exhaust and blaring car horns fight for domination of your senses. I found a hideaway from the din wandering to the local market for a tasting lunch. Lima has quite a gastronomic variety, including cooking classes and tours, but I prefer to be a little more self-directed, too bad I don’t speak Spanish. The two edible highlights of Lima have to be the fruit and the ceviche. First, the fruit. In the market, I made friends with the little old lady shop keepers by sampling and purchasing every fruit that I couldn’t put a name to, and then some. Check the Facebook for a video primer of Grecia walking me through the names of some of the oddities (in Spanish).

To the ceviche, as a coastal city, fresh fish (mostly trout) and a plethora of seafood like octopus, shrimp, and scallops come in every day. Just outside the market, locals sit around metal tables ordering the 6 sole (approx. $2) menu del dia. Just down the street, a cart is surrounded by Limans, slurping leche de tigre (tiger milk, the leftover sauce/soup from ceviche). The woman behind the cart was squeezing the small Peruvian limes into a metal mixing bowl, casually tossing in onions, finely chopped peppers and other juices. A quick stir and the citrus “cooked” seafood was scooped into a bowl and garnished with fried corn and seaweed. It was the best ceviche I have ever eaten, and it was $2.50, eaten standing up amidst the lunch rush. Welcome to Lima.