Cuzco Eats

Zarza de Patita (Beef Feet)

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

Zarza is a word with a lot of meaning in Cuzco, at the same time it is a traditional snack. As a dish it brings people together so they might enjoy it in a group. Today it is mostly found in the few traditional restaurants that continue to maintain alive the flavor and style of traditional Cuzqueño cuisine. Read the rest of this entry

Magic Nettles

By Brayan Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

Nettles grow commonly throughout Cuzco with its temperate climate and a fair amount of warmth. You do not have to touch them and let them sting you to recognize them. You only have to look for their finely serrated leaves. They are generally weedy looking plants and are generally under a meter tall. Read the rest of this entry

People Take Energy from the Inti Huatana at Machu Picchu

By Fidelus Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

The city of Cuzco, ancient capital of the Inca Empire, is a unique city. Its customs, traditions, and a great geographic variety give it a special touch such that today it has become one of the most important tourist destinations of Peru and indeed the world. Read the rest of this entry

Rain Clouds Appear on Cuzco’s Sky

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

These days are sunny in Cuzco, but when the Pachamama, the Earth Mother, wishes everything can change in an eye blink. The weather changes suddenly. You never know how ephemeral a rain storm or burst of sunshine will be. Sometimes they even take place at the same time. You never know which it will be with Cuzco’s weather. There is a very popular phrase in the city of Cuzco. “The climate of Cuzco is like its women’s character.” Read the rest of this entry

A Traditional Cuzco Grandmother

By Arnold Fernandez Coraza with the help of Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

From ancient times when the sun would come out and its rays shine on Cuzco, its light would show a beautiful scene of radiant trees and Andean fields all around the city. Back then agriculture and food was one of its privileges. Read the rest of this entry

A Serving of Causa

By David Knowlton

A mystery, language is clear like a moonlit night and shrouded in dense fog all at the same time. The name of a popular Peruvian dish, causa a la limeña, is an excellent example. A terrine-like dish involving a layer of mashed yellow potatoes, a filling, and at least one more layer of potatoes, it forms part of the canon of Peruvian cuisine and its name suggests an entire world of complexity, one that can be quite intimate. Read the rest of this entry

Inca Queen (http://www.kb.dk/permalink/ 2006/poma/126/en/text/ ?open=id2973071)

By Fidelus Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

In the memory of the traditional town of Pisac, a picturesque place in the Sacred Valley of ancient customs, lives a mysterious legend. It is a mix of romanticism and tragedy and is called the Enchanted Ñusta, or princess. Read the rest of this entry

A Portion of Picarones from Valentinas

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

Picarones are an exquisite dessert enjoyed throughout Peru. In the city of the Incas every afternoon, the desire for the sweetness yet richness of picarones awakens. As the sun says its goodbyes to the mountains kissing them with its last rays of light, picarones begin to shine and enchant the palates of Cusqueños with their delirious flirts of taste and fine perfume. Read the rest of this entry

Night in Cuzco

By Arnold Fernandez Coraza (translated by David Knowlton)

For much time now the condemned appear and frighten people. They are always there. People say that the souls of those who really commit a lot of sins in life and who do not leave this world in a calm state have to pay for their bad actions. They pay for those sins by suffering every night. Read the rest of this entry

Hey Casero! Take Some Bananas

By Brayan Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

Vino Canchón is the largest market in the City of Cuzco and its major wholesale market. Located in the district of San Geronimo, this market supplies the whole city as well as nearby districts such as San Salvador and Urcos. Read the rest of this entry