Monthly Newsletter - October 2008

Peruvian cuisine is often praised for its incomparable richness and depth, and it is easy to see why. The variety of climates, regions and cultural traditions that compose this country provide the necessary conditions for wonderful ingredients to take the form of dishes in its many kitchens. It thus comes as no surprise to hear Peruvian cuisine often privileged in the ranks as being the ‘South American Paris’, maintaining a distinctive place and prestige amidst the tremendous culinary traditions of Latin America. The quickly developing trends for shared markets and a globalized conception of food have helped introduce novel ideas about cooking, which are of a properly European origin. Concepts such as ‘fusion’ or ‘haute cuisine’ are no longer the esotericisms of a few disparate chefs in France or New York, but resound on a regular basis in every street and corner around Lima.

Recent visits by celebrity chefs, such as Albert Adria, and the celebration of the First International Gastronomic Fair of Lima: Mucho Gusto should convince the skeptic that Peruvian cuisine is no longer just following the adamant orthodoxy of grandmotherly recipes, but that Peru has become a site for culinary reinvention. This has in fact been an increasing trend for the past decade or so, one that is bound to continue given the prosperous economy and improving international relations, maintaining the influx of ideas, products and visitors. Recently inaugurated restaurants exemplarily reflect this new vocation for invention; from the eclectic formal delivery of ‘Fusion’ dealing with ‘molecular cuisine’, to the more casual exploration with products from the jungle in ‘Malabar’. One of the leading chefs and promoters of Peruvian cuisine, Gaston Acurio, has claimed that nonetheless “…the route for exploration is long and we have yet to fulfill our immense potential!”

One might indignantly object that Peruvian food needs no further corroboration to its greatness, but perhaps the polemic should be directed towards the new directions in cuisine which places innovation as its paradigmatic goal. For although Peruvian cuisine has nothing to envy when it comes to popular, traditional foods; it is also true that the scientific rigor and understanding of European ‘haute cuisine’ is new to its kitchens and chefs. This is why it doesn’t surprise anyone that New York or London harbor many of the world’s most revered restaurants, in spite of their rather unpopular local culinary traditions. If the race to place in the ranks of exceptional achievements in the culinary world is tantamount to an exploration of the Western ideals of fusion and creation, then Peru can hardly be considered a potential contender against the big names in Europe, or even the U.S. 

On the other side, it is equally true that no matter how far the quest for novelty lingers in the spirits of a globalized world, the hard kernel of tradition that composes Peru’s extraordinary culinary legacy is delightful and timeless by any standard.

By
Daniel Sacilotto

Source:
Feriadelima.com

PAST NEWSLETTERS:

• Newsletter September 2008
• Newsletter August 2008
• Newsletter July 2008
• Newsletter June 2008
• Newsletter May 2008
• Newsletter April 2008
• Newsletter February 2008
• Newsletter January 2008