Page 61 - Bulletin, Vol.83 No.3, December 2024

coca leaves to France and Switzerland, so don't forget any in the pocket of your
motorbike jacket!

SENSUAL PLEASURES IN PERU FOR THE CARPE DIEM MOTO CLUB

PERU has exceptional wealth in terms of local produce and has developed high-quality
traditional culinary recipes.

Staple food include the avocados, the 4,000 or so varieties of potatoes, or the fruit
which are a delight.

We let ourselves be seduced by the famous "PISCO SOUR", the iconic cocktail of the
country, made with Pisco (wine brandy), lime juice, cane sugar, angostura and... egg
white... A must! We started our meals with a mishmash of papaya and avocado,
garnished with a tasty vinaigrette made with local oils. We then moved on to the must-
have CEVICHE, a carpaccio of raw fish in a chilli, lime and aromatic herb sauce.

And let's not forget the tasty trouts, salmonized or not, grilled, baked or seasoned with
mango or pineapple mixtures.

The different LOMOS, or beef, chicken or even llama meat recipes, with carrots, various
herbs and red onions will delight the most demanding palates, especially when served
with quinoa, the iconic cereal of the Andes. These alpaca rib steaks, chops and
paillards, whose textural quality is matched only by the softness and fineness of their
fur, are a pure delight.

As for the unusual dish, loved by the local populations according to our Cusco guide,
the famous CUY, bred guinea pig, we can't say that we were unanimous about it. In
spite of a prolonged cooking time to preserve the "hamster", and a meticulous and
ornate decoration, none of us was charmed by this original dish.

As for the cheese, if you like Goudas, Mimolette or even Leerdamer, you'll be delighted,
otherwise... forget it.

On the other hand, don't hesitate to try all kinds of ice creams and sorbets, especially
those made with fresh cheese and flavoured with cinnamon, quinoa or exotic fruit.

As for the fruit, we were delighted by the quality of the pineapples, bananas, mangoes...
And what can we say about these scrumptious strawberries that can compete with our
gariguettes and Maras des bois?

As far as drinks are concerned, while we were absolutely seduced by the national beer,
"CUSQUENA", the Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon vintages, of a respectable quality,
did not surprise us and are, in my humble opinion, far from their Argentinian or Chilean
counterparts. A matter of terroir, no doubt.

Concerning soft drinks, apart from the usual fruit juice, there is the incredible INKA
COLA, a fizzy drink with the chemical taste of banana confectionery such as the

AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 83 No.3, 2024-12 59

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