Cuzco Eats

The Lady Moon - Mama Killa

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

They say that in ancient times, when people would work the land in the shadows of the spirits of the mountains and the Lady Earth (Pachamama), a man lived with his seven sons in a small hut. They say that one day the Lady Moon (Mama Killa) came down from the sky (hanaq pacha). She was looking for a man who could marry her. He had to be a good man with a noble heart. Read the rest of this entry

Church of the Lord of Huanca

By Walter Coraza Morveli with the help of Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara (translation by David Knowlton).

With faith and devotion thousand’s of Cuzcos’ Catholics make the pilgrimage to the shrine of the Lord of Huanca to receive his blessing and commemorate his central day. Read the rest of this entry

Which One Do You Prefer?

By Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara (translation by David Knowlton)

Modernity is taking over more and more of our beautiful and traditional city of Cuzco. For example, before I turned thirteen there were no supermarkets in Cuzco. All we had were our original, public markets. Now there are many supermarkets throughout the city. This is a big change and it makes some people happy and other people sad. Read the rest of this entry

Lechón and Tamales in Cuzco

Lima’s Campo de Marte fills with energy, flavor, and sound these days as the great food festival Mistura is in course. Beginning last Friday it goes through this weekend with workshops, restaurants, carts, a market, and lots of music and dance. Though located in Lima, Cuzco has a strong representation in this thrill of life, culture, and food.  Read the rest of this entry

Honey and Tea

By Brayan Coraza Morveli (Translation by David Knowlton)

A stinging in the back of your throat announces an impending cold. What should you do? In Cuzco people will tell you to drink a hot tea with honey. This product of bees is celebrated for its sweetness and health value in the imperial city. Read the rest of this entry

Door to Another World, Cafe Extra

By David Knowlton

Heads bow and lift as people whip thick conversation in Cuzco’s classic Cafe Extra (Espaderos 116.) Cups of local coffee or tea, mugs of rich hot chocolate, glasses of fresh-made juice, and plates of pastries or sandwiches listen in as they beat the themes of Cuzco’s intellectual life and politics. Read the rest of this entry

A Cuzco Favorite, Tarwi with Potatoes and Rice

By the Cuzco Eats Chef (translation by David Knowlton)

Tarwi, also called chocho, is a legume that is native to the Andes. It has been used in gastronomy from well before the Incas. While it can accompany other dishes, it finds use on the center stage, as a main dish, in this characteristic Andean meal. Read the rest of this entry

The Eyes of a Cusqueño Boy

Big eyes, opened widely, look at you intently from off their mother’s back. Children have permission to look and keep looking where older people would avert their gaze. Being in Cuzco is not only about seeing well tailored stone walls, traveling to Machu Picchu, and eating in Cuzco’s many, diverse restaurants, it is also about these silent yet intense interactions as children’s eyes draw us in and move us from our normal place to one of intrigue and enchantment. Read the rest of this entry

Inside "La Casa Embrujada", the Haunted House

By David Knowlton

Cuzco in an ancient city and so has its share of ghosts and unusual goings on that make for wonderful stories. As a result it has many buildings that are haunted, but there is one house in particular that is simply called “the haunted house” (la casa embrujada.) Read the rest of this entry

A Shoeshine Boy Going into Peru Bus

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

“Shoe shine, Mister?” “Hey friend, shine your shoes?” These are questions thrown at tourists daily in the streets of Cuzco. Spoken mostly in English, they are phrases the shoe shine boys who walk through the streets near the Plaza de Armas use to reel in tourists. But it is not only their words that capture, their smiles and insistence win people over. Read the rest of this entry