Culinary Tour

1 day

Overview

Peruvian cuisine is an important expression of the Peruvian culture; just as much as its ceramics, textiles, music and literature. Thanks to Peru’s three regions and Pacific Ocean influence, one can find many markets that offer a variety of fresh ingredients that satisfy not only the local housewife but also the most sophisticated chef.

The culinary history of Peruvian food dates back to the Incas and pre-Incas. It wasn’t until later that Peruvian maize, potatoes and spices were influenced by the arrival of the Spanish colonies. Throughout the years, Peruvian cuisine has incorporated the demands of the different migrations and “mestizajes”. Such groups included the Chinese, European, African and Japanese immigrants.

Peruvian cuisine is one of the best in South America and is well known not only for its exquisite taste, but also for its variety and ability to incorporate the influence from different times and cultures.

In this tour we will show you the typical food that it is cooked in Cusco, bringing new senses to the table with a particular style.

Description:
In the morning, we will go to the traditional market of Cusco city “San Pedro” located a few blocks southwest from the Plaza de Armas, this Mercado Central (Central Market) is largely dedicated to the selling of fruits, vegetables, meats and bread.

Upon arrival to the market we will be given our “budget to cook lunch”. This budget takes into consideration the budget of local families, so keep in mind that in Cusco the typical family budget for food is between $1.50 and $3.00 per person (higher class families). With this budget, we will cook a full menu:

With the advice of our chef, we will begin to buy the ingredients needed and we may even have to negotiate with the sellers for a small discount or a special price, as the locals from Cusco usually do it.

When we get all of the ingredients that we need, we will go to a local house where we will have the culinary session. There, the chef will give us instructions on how to cook our typical menu.

Approximate time of this activity: 5 hours.