Crispy Torrejas

By Brayan Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

As June approaches, you will hear many of the people of Cuzco start talking about one of the most famous typical dishes known in our region, chiriuchu. That name belongs to Quechua, the language of the Incas, and it means “cold food”. Read the rest of this entry

An Amazing Headress in San Sebastian

By Walter Coraza Morveli (translated by David Knowlton)

On a bright, sunny Sunday, the San Sebastian district of Cuzco celebrated the feast of its patron saint, St. Sebastian. There was delicious food, lots of tradition, colorful dances and lively culture. Its patronal feast is considered the cultural patrimony of the nation. Read the rest of this entry

Mrs. María Dishing Up Lechón on the Street

By Walter Coraza Morveli and Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara (translated by David Knowlton)

Inheritor of exquisite recipes and the tradition of making and selling the classic food of Cuzco, Mrs. María can regularly be found in Cuzco’s streets and gastronomic fairs serving up her succulent meats. Not only is Cuzco’s food found in homes and restaurants, but in the hands of vendors like María who feed the city from street corners and stands. Read the rest of this entry

Kapero Playing Snares and Dancing while Enjoying the Fiesta

By Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara (translated by David Knowlton)

While walking around Cuzco’s Plaza de Armas (Main Square) on the day of Corpus Christi, my ears were filled with commotion from the thunderous blows on bass drums, the beating of snare drums, the squeals of trumpets and the snapping of cymbals as the groups called kaperos walked behind every saint and every dance troupe. Read the rest of this entry

Mountains and Islands in a Gravy Sea, Albóndigas

By David Knowlton with the help of Walter Coraza Morveli and Hebert Edgardo Huamani Jara

Food is almost never just food. What people put together and how they put it together,  as well as how they eat it, are often guided by ideas or images that are important to people. In Cuzco, food is organized by people’s understandings of the world around them and what they see as important in it, especially the idea of mountains. Read the rest of this entry

Cusco Feria 2012

Bouncing music, dance performers, merchants, and the smell of roasting meat fill the senses today and everyday until September 2 in Cuzco’s Beer Garden at the Cusco Feria 2012.  The Municipal government sponsored the event as a “festival for everyone.”  To that end they are not charging admission and the Beer Garden is filled with circulating families and people sitting at tables with mounded plates of food before them.  The festival includes, besides food, folklore, handicrafts, furniture, and auto show and many other commercial displays.  Cuzco Eats presents here photos of food from todays’s event. Read the rest of this entry

Chiriuchu

Chiriuchu, Cuzco’s festive dish, is like a world on a plate.  It works for festivities because it brings everything together, in the small portions of different ingredients of different types and from different regions. Read the rest of this entry

Saint in the City

By David Knowlton

Two major events will energize Cuzco this month. At the end of the month falls the pageant of Inti Raymi  and, in the first week of the month falls the important feast of Corpus Christi. Today the almost non-stop celebration begins. Read the rest of this entry

Traditional Food to Eat with Hands

By David Knowlton, with the help of Walter Coraza Morveli and Hebert Edgardo Huamani jara.

In East Asia chopsticks are the utensils of choice, while in Euroamerica one must know which fork to use in a good restaurant or at a formal dinner.   Nevertheless, in Cuzco, despite the influence of both China and Spain, for traditional foods eating with ones hands is preferred. Read the rest of this entry

Birthday Cake

For almost everyone, reaching another year is a special occasion.  It is a time for taking stock of what you have done and the goals that open before you.   Though increasingly similar around the world, Birthday celebrations also have different local traditions. Read the rest of this entry