Category Archives: food trends

Guinea Pig, a Peruvian Delicacy

15 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in food trends, lima, peru, travel

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Cuy - Peruvian Guinea Pig

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that eating a rodent by choice has never been high up on my bucket list. But when in Rome (or Perú)…

Guinea pig, or cuy (pronounced koo-ee), is a delicacy throughout the central Andes that is often the main course for holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions. Of course, a special occasion is not a requirement. In fact, it’s estimated that Peruvians consume about 65 million guinea pigs each year. The cuy is such a central figure in the Peruvian diet and culture that many towns hold an annual festival simply to exalt the furry rodents, complete with cuy costume contests. And during our visit to the San Francisco Monastery and Catacombs in Lima, we saw a gigantic recreation of The Last Supper in which Jesus and his disciples were dining on guinea pig.

Depending on the region, cuy may be served roasted, broiled, in stews, or skinned and fried to a crisp. I’d been eager to give the strange meat a try, til I laid my eyes on the presentation. Restaurants throughout the country advertise the erstwhile family pets splayed out on top of a salad and some fries, with their mouths agape in what I can only imagine is a final scream of terror. (Seriously, do a Google image search for “cuy Perú” or just see below).  I’m not generally squeamish about faces on my food. But something about roasted guinea pig face pushed my limits to the brink.

Cuy - Guinea Pig

We waited until two of our friends joined us in Lima before taking the leap of ordering one. We figured that way, the pressure to finish regardless of the mental anguish could be spread between four of us rather than two. This was a wise strategy. I was able to take a couple bites before that roasted scream got the best of me. And perhaps my opinion is not objective as a result, but I didn’t really care for it. The skin was nice and crispy, which I generally love. But it was greasy, and the meat was gamey and stringy. Though some compare it to rabbit, I have to disagree. But then again, I was under duress.

Cutting into Cuy

Lest you think guinea pig dinners are limited to South America, a recent NPR article “From Pets to Plates: Why More People Are Eating Guinea Pig” details how the humble cuy is gaining popularity in the USA. Thanks to the influence of South American restaurants and concerns about the environment, many activists are pushing guinea pig as “a low-impact meat alternative to carbon-costly beef” that’s high in protein and low in fat. While the article makes some excellent points in that regard, I also know that eating crickets and other insects is highly nutritious and good for the environment. But do I see myself embracing the notion of sitting down to a dinner of bugs? Not so much.

Would you ever give cuy a try? If you have, I’d love to know if my assessment was skewed by my squeamishness.

Cook at Home & Live Forever!

21 Monday May 2012

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Look at how much fun this is!

Good news for those of us who like to make messes in the kitchen on a regular basis: a new study published in a Cambridge University journal found that people who cook up to five times a week are 47 percent more likely to still be alive after 47 years.

According to an article on Huffington Post, the study was based on a group of 1,888 men and women over the age of 65. Each participant was interviewed about a variety of lifestyle factors, including cooking habits. Ten years later, the researchers followed up to see how many of the participants had died, and they matched lifestyle answers to the 1,193 participants who remained alive. Frequent cooking was linked to survival, as was grocery shopping, taking public transportation, not smoking, and being a woman. So basically, I’m all set.

We all know by now that fast food is bad for us, pre-packaged foods are filled with sodium, and dining out on the regular is expensive. So do I believe this news will actually change anyone’s habits if they think cooking at home’s too much of a pain in the ass? Nope. Do I feel some level of obnoxious self-satisfaction upon reading this news? Indeed.

I choose to believe in the results of this study, just as I choose to only believe studies about the health benefits of drinking red wine. The ones that say it’s bad for you? Totally unreliable.

2010 food trends

14 Monday Dec 2009

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the top food trend for 2010, according to the food channel, will be back-to-basics: a focus on buying quality, basic ingredients and building a menu from there. so, as if there was ever any doubt, this confirms that gaspar and i  are total trend-setters, since that’s what we’ve been doing for years. or, it could mean that this study is just a marketing ploy by the food channel to tell people what they already know and make them believe that they are trend-setters. in any case, i’m falling for it.

anyhow, this article in mediapost promises a shift away from convenience foods and towards real, from-scratch cooking, “now that we have more time than money, and more food knowledge and concerns.” well, i don’t know about having more time than money, i tend to lack both, BUT, in a bold move, i have given up my title of “lean cuisine queen” and been packing lunches with fresh foods instead. for me, it was an education issue. the more i learned about the preservatives and sodium content, the less convenient it seemed to have a quick, hot, low-cal lunch that still left me hungry. anyhow, i digress. here are some of the additional trends identified in the article.

* When people do go out to eat, they’ll be experimenting more than ever. Restaurant concepts are in flux as people redefine what going “out” to eat means, they note. New formats/concepts that are likely to do well include gastropubs, fusion dining, “shareables” and communal tables, and those built around “fresh” and do-it-yourself themes.
* Grocery stores will continue to see growth in private label and a revival of emphasis on the in-store butcher, as well as upgraded delis and fresh take-out sections, say the trend-watchers. Bulk buys will continue, but frequent — even daily — purchases of fresh meal ingredients will become more common as a means of making meals special and minimizing waste. Using social media, apps and online sources to get real-time tips on where the best grocery deals are and to score coupons will become more prevalent.
* Redefining “ethnic” (“American, The New Ethnic”). American food is made up of a growing number of ethnic staples and favorites. We’re also adding individual dashes of creativity as we share these favorites and learn to cook them at home.
* Food vetting. Food sourcing issues ranging from Fair Trade to organics to mercury-free fish will continue to grow in importance.
* Mainstreaming sustainability. Growing numbers of Americans will continue to adopt sustainable practices out of a desire to make a difference, including eating locally sourced, seasonal foods and buying products with sustainable/biodegradable packaging. Food manufacturers will continue to expand sustainable operational and packaging practices.
* Food with benefits. “Functional” foods with added nutrients or health/beauty benefits claims will continue to proliferate, as will gluten- and allergy-free foods. Nutritional labeling will get sorted out.
* The “new” foodie. Today’s foodies are less obsessed with snob appeal and more interested in fun experimentation, such as combining exotic or expensive ingredients with everyday items like hamburgers or mac and cheese.
* Bartering for consumables. With community-supported agriculture (CSA’s) as well as farmers’ markets and roadside stands in vogue, the next step is using our new online communication capabilities to make connections (even with strangers) for swaps that include food. These analysts predict more trading of skills/time for food, and vice versa (“think a box of tomatoes in exchange for babysitting”), as well as more homemade food as gifts.
* Personalizing and individual portions to express individuality. The parallel trend to collectives and communal eating is individualism, reflected both in practices like making cheese at home and in the growing number of individual-size foods (cupcakes, pizzas, etc.). Individual portions also enable cooks and restaurants to let people choose their own ingredients and express their personalities. Chains such as Flat Top Grill, where customers can choose their own ingredients for items served at every meal, will grow in popularity.