Chris' Corner of Culinary Delights- Episode 1: Cuy

Part of the fun of travel is experiencing the way people live in other parts of the world.  One of the most important aspects of this is, of course, the food!  Peru and Colombia are no exception, and boast some pretty unique feasts for the senses.  So with the first stage of our travels drawing to a close, it's time to look back on some of the more interesting delicacies we've sampled in this part of the world.

#1 Cuy

As a friend of ours recently commented, cuy must be some sort of running joke Peruvians play on tourists.  Why would anyone want to eat guinea pig?  Nonetheless, there are entire Peruvian towns dedicated to the cultivation and expert preparation of these furry critters.  Clearly, this was something that could not go unsampled.

Part of the fun of being an active participant in the cuy industry is looking at the many interesting signs above local cuy joints.  Take this variety for example:

Something about these seems a little wrong, but they still invoke a good chuckle.

Another typical example will advertise the cuy and include a picture like this:

I find this one interesting from a marketing perspective.  For example, it's interesting to think that there's some segment of the population that sees it and gets hungrier.

However, the most common examples feature a photo of the cooked cuy prepared in the traditional fashion - something along these lines:

This type I find sort of intriguing.  I actually find the tomato hat to be a nice touch, adding a bit of playfulness to an already weird meal.  I knew it was only a matter of time before my own dish of cuy arrived, and eagerly awaited this masterful presentation.

Alas, however, when I finally did place my cuy order, it showed up like this:

Midway through my Cuy meal at Inka Grill in Cusco

Unfortunately, we waited until our last night in Peru to sample the cuy, and were running low on Peruvian cash.  Turns out the #1 local cuy joint in Cusco does not take credit cards, so we had to resort to the touristy spot.  To my dismay, this also meant no tomato hat.  Still, I was also a bit relieved, as I had absolutely no idea how to butcher a whole cuy.

This particular cuy happened to be classed up a bit with some rosemary seasoning, and was then charcoal roasted while brushed with sort of a sweet and sour sauce, adding a nice crisp char to the surfaces.  I am told there is only one way to eat cuy, and that is chicken wing style.  No fork or knife required.  Turns out it was good advice, as eating cuy is a pretty time consuming process.

So how does guinea pig taste?  Ironically, a lot like pork.  Actually, it's an incredibly tasty dish.  The flavor sort of reminded me of the Asian style baby back pork ribs authored by my dad and savored by anyone who's attended one of our BC tailgates.  Would I have it again?  Without a doubt.

Up next:  alpaca, chicharones, Inca Kola and a variety of tropical fruits