When I think back on all my experiences in Perú, I’m amazed by all the new foods I’ve tried. In the U.S., we enjoy a very diverse diet with foods from cultures around the world. But in Peru, the cuisine is unique, and people are extremely proud of it. One of the first questions Peruvians ask me is, “What do you think of the food here?” They’re usually hoping for one answer: “¡Rico!" (which means “delicious!”) Most of the time, I have to agree. The food is great, but I’ve definitely eaten some things I wasn’t prepared for.
Like I said, I have eaten lots of new things here. But I think one food I eat regularly, that you might find surprising, is cuy (pronounced “koo-ee”), which is guinea pig! In the U.S., guinea pigs are usually pets, but in Peru, they are considered livestock and are raised to be eaten. In fact, there are whole farms of Guinea pigs here!
I was nervous the first time I tried cuy. It felt strange because I had only ever seen guinea pigs as pets. But I was also honored. Where I live in Peru, cuy is a special dish served at big events. The first time I ate it was at a graduation party at a local elementary school!
