UJ #8 - Arequipa

AREQUIPA: EATING WELL
Arequipa:
eating well
Gastronomy and culture in the White City
Christian Declercq
AREQUIPA IS ONE OF THE BEST
REGIONS IN PERU FOR GOOD FOOD
AND RELAXATION. ITS GASTRONOMY
IS TRADITIONAL AND BASED ON THE
ABUNDANCE AND QUALITY OF LOCAL
INGREDIENTS, AND GREAT FLAVOURS.
IT IS ALSO A CITY FOR ART LOVERS,
WITH A NUMBER OF GALLERIES,
THEATRES AND BARS. ITS STREETS
ARE FILLED WITH ANTIQUARIES, BOOK
SELLERS, SECOND-HAND DEALERS AND
DESIGNER BOUTIQUES SELLING THE
FINEST ALPACA CLOTHES AND SILVER
JEWELLERY. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE
BORED.
By
Paola Miglio
Gastronomy critic María Elena Cornejo says
that the food of her native , region owes
much to the ‘picanteria’ that Isabel Álvarez
called “the places all Arequipeños go back to”.
“And at home, —adds María Elena—, , except
for cuy chactado, people eat basically the same
food. I’m talking in the past tense because the
young people of today are more practical, if not
impatient and can’t spend all day making sauces.
Where I was born the picanterias are all run by
women. Strong, kind - hearted women, women
with character who didn’t suffer fools lightly.).
They weren’t born in the shadow of a volcano for
nothing”. According to Enrique Ramírez Angulo
(historian), there is written evidence of the existence
of picanterias from the 17th Century. They
arose because itinerant mule drivers needed refreshment
and food during their daily work. That
was the start of Arequipa’s many picanterias, where
people from all walks of life meet to share great
food at reasonable prices. And afterwards: we
continue exploring the treasures of this coquettish
and enchanting city.
Tradition and good taste. La Lucila picanteria
in the district of Tiabaya, has retained the
flavours of traditional Arequipa cooking for
many generations.
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