Tag: lima

The Fusion Food of Lima, Peru

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, South America10 Comments

We had heard a lot about the food of Peru and, more specifically, of Lima. With the praise that has been given by chef’s such as Anthony Bourdain about the vibrant food scene in Lima, we were interested to taste for ourselves what people were talking about. We talked to the concierge at the hotel in order to get the best recommendations and although there are a few places that serve traditional Peruvian food, it is all about fusion. Of the various fusion inspired foods, Asian fusion was the most popular.

Asian Ceviche
Asian Soft Taco

For lunch we had some more traditional Peruvian food, enjoying a chicken with a tangy sauce and pickled slaw on a brioche bun.  We also had a steak and avocado sandwich with a creamy mustard sauce.  Both were served with Peruvian fries, which are a little different than what we’re normally used to, cut thick, breaded and then deep-fried.  It was a lot of food, but truly delicious.

Chicken Sandwich
Steak and Avocado Sandwich

For dinner, we took the hotel’s advise and tried some Asian fusion food.  Basically, it is utilizing all local and fresh ingredients and using them in non-traditional Asian dishes.  We had to have ceviche as we had heard that Peru prepared it better than anyplace else in the world.  It was definitely extremely good, but we haven’t had ceviche in enough places to chime in on whether it is as good as the hype that we’d heard about it before we got there.  Then we had a beef stir-fry served with an Asian interpretation of a tortilla.  Not only did it taste wonderful, with each tortilla having a different combination of ingredients, but it was visually appealing as well.  Unfortunately, we only had one night in Lima before travelling on to Bolivia, so we’ll have to go back to try more of the gastronomy of the city.

Ceviche
Beef Stir-Fry
Combination of Flavors
Dipping Sauces
Asian Tortillas

 

Pisco Sour – Traditional South American Cocktail

On By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, South America12 Comments

When a friend of ours, who is a bartender, heard that we were going to be in Lima, Peru, he immediately told us that we absolutely had to try a Pisco Sour while we were there.  We had never heard of Pisco or a Pisco Sour, but we agreed that we would give it a try.  We weren’t disappointed.  Pisco is an alcohol that is distilled from grapes and is essentially a brandy.  Although we’ve had whiskey sours before, a Pisco Sour is similar in that it utilizes simple syrup and lime juice, but it doesn’t taste at all like a whiskey sour.  It basically tastes like a frothy lemonade, but don’t let its sweet taste fool you, it is a strong drink.  Just because Pisco is distilled from grapes, it isn’t wine, it is forty percent alcohol, or eighty proof.

Pouring a Pisco Sour
Light and Frothy
Our First Pisco Sours

One of the reasons that it is so light and airy is that an egg white is added and then it is shaken vigorously.  Some places use a blender, but the better Pisco Sours are made using a hand-shaker.  The dash of bitters at the end adds to the taste and the presentation.  We tried Pisco Sours while in both Lima, Cochabamba, and La Paz with varied results.  Ultimately the best Pisco Sour that we had was the first one we tried in Lima.  We bought a bottle of Pisco on our way home at the duty-free store in Lima and will be trying our own hands at making Pisco Sours here in the very near future.  If you ever get the chance to try them, you definitely should, they are delicious.

Dash of Bitters
An Elegant Drink