Tuesday, July 21, 2015

The Time I Ate Guinea Pig In Peru

By Jonny Blair


On my travels round the globe I have tried many and various food types and will be detailing them regularly. In this report, I take you to Peru where I tried Guinea Pig! Also known as Cui.

I had just finished the epic Inca Trail, which came to a stunning climax in the lost Inca City of Machu Picchu so spirits were high and I was just in awe of the amazing Sacred Valley in Peru. After the Inca Trail came to a close in Machu Picchu, we had been invited for lunch by our tour guide. We had agreed to meet in Chaski Restaurant in Aguas Calientes, PERU at 3 pm. I was hungry and wanted something local. PLUS, it was Christmas Day!!

As a child Christmas Dinner was always a special occassion. It was nice that I could visit the church in Aguas Calientes before heading to Chaski Restaurant for the Peruvian Christmas Dinner, with a difference.

I hadn't eaten Guinea Pig before and was hotly anticipating it. I was in Peru of course, but it is also popular in Ecuador. I'm always up for trying new food, but I don't always finish it if I don't like it!

There were a couple of options with the Guinea Pig Christmas Dinner. The choices were either Cuy Al Horno which is Roasted Guinea Pig. This comes with potatoes, cheese and salad. There is also the option of Pepian de Cuy which is Stewed Guinea Pig and that one is topped with peanut sauce and comes with rice and spuds. The price of them both was 55 Soles. I went for the Roasted option as I like cheese. It was nice to be having potatoes on Christmas Day.

The entire Guinea Pig was on the plate, as you can see head and all! It was a cheers all round for our big group of Inca Trail survivors as we ate and drank to our hearts content!

Right so I had the guinea pig, all roasted and for my Christmas Dinner - was it any good? Yes because I ate most of it. You had to pick at the bones for a lot of it and to be honest there were not large chunks of meat in it. But I try anything once and I loved it. It tasted slightly like chicken. After having my guinea pig for Christmas Dinner it was now time for a few beers to relax and celebrate having done the mega 4 day Inca Trail. Guinea Pig in Peru - yes - go and try it!! Happy eating and don't stop living!




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