Category Archives: Food

Cooking in Cusco

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We had an opportunity to cook a few of the popular and traditional dishes of the Andean region.  Through our hotel, Encantada, we booked a lunchtime cooking class for two for $100 (before tip, but this did include the lessons and the food).  The restaurant is A Mi Manera, and it’s worth a visit even if you don’t take the cooking class.

We started out in the bar and we were provided with two menus.  We thought we would have to choose one, but they had each of us pick the one we wanted to do, so we did it all!  Here’s what the lineup looked like:

Drinks: Chicha Morada (Kristin), Pisco Sour (Ryan)
Starter: Quinoa Atamalada con Arroz (Kristin), Cebiche (Ryan)
Main: Rocoto Relleno (Kristin), Lomo Saltado (Ryan)
(Good news: some of the recipes are on the restuarant’s website!)

I started with my drink, the non-alcoholic chicha morada.  The base was pre-made, and it’s created by boiling purple corn and chilling the resulting mixture.  This made my part very simple: I cut up some pineapple, added juice from one juice, an ounce or so of simply sugar, and blended those with the purple corn juice in a blender.  Ryan’s pisco sour was a bit more complicated, involving an egg white and alcohol, but the result was delicious!

Cooking Class, A Mi Manera, Cusco, Peru, Drinks

Once our drinks were prepared, we moved over to the kitchen to start the real work.  The ingredients were already out and some of the early steps were pre-prepared for us.  I went to work on one side and Ryan on the other.  I started with the rocoto relleno (stuffed pepper) dish and Ryan with the cebiche.

For my dish, I started with a mixture of egg, milk, and cheese, which would eventually by poured into a dish with my pepper and potato.  I wish I knew what I stuffed the pepper with (it was pre-made by the chefs), but it was ground meat with veggies.  The potato was already boiled, so I just had to peel the skin and place it in the dish alongside the stuffed pepper.  Add a little sliced cheese on top, pour the egg/milk/cheese mixture in the dish, and it was done (well, after simmering on the stove and then baking in the oven).

Cooking Class, A Mi Manera, Cusco, Peru

Ryan’s cebiche (the recipe is on the site), was made with the expected fish (he used pejerrey), red onion, hot peppers, limes, and cilantro.  However, there was one surprise ingredient (missing on the recipe online): milk! Since Ryan made this dish first, the fish was able to sit in the acidic sauce and cook for the remainder of our class.

The lomo saltado and quinoa atamalada recipes are also on the website.  We had a lot of fun with this and we were able to mostly prepare it on our own (except for the rice and french fries).  We even shaped the rice into a pyramid and half sphere!  Ok, so we had some help with rice molds (here are a couple I’m thinking about ordering: pyramid and half sphere) – these were used for all dishes we ordered that came with a side of rice.

Cooking Class , A Mi Manera, Cusco, Peru

We ended the class by sitting down to enjoy our food (the finished products are pictured above)!  We dug right into the cebiche, which had already been sitting out for a good 20 minutes.  Neither of us were brave enough to try the “tiger’s milk” (ok, I wasn’t feeling well, otherwise I definitely would have), but we did enjoy the spicy result of the fish.  The quinoa was creamy, cheesy, and thick and perfect for a cool fall or winter day.  The lomo saltado tasted like the ones we had in Ollantaytambo at the restaurant – I think this is definitely something we’ll be able to recreate at home with little difficulty.  I do wish I had the details about the meat mixture that was stuffed inside the pepper.  It was much more flavorful than any stuffed pepper I’ve ever made.  I’m sure the Andean cheese on top helped that!

I would highly recommend this class to anyone who enjoys cooking and learning about a new type of cuisine.  It made the Peruvian dishes seem less intimidating, and I’m excited to try a few of them out at home!  Nati and her team were very sweet and helpful.

Pio Pio: A Preview of Peru

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After searching for a late-night option for our post-theater dinner, we decided that we couldn’t resist a sneak preview of Peruvian food.   Enter Pio Pio, a trendy Peruvian eatery in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood.  (What a difference a few blocks makes!  We walked through Times Square, which was packed with people.  About a 5-10 minute walk to the west brought us to Hell’s Kitchen with empty streets.)

Pio Pio, New York

I was in love when we first sat down and I tried the green dipping sauce (yes, before any of the food came out).  The sauce was addicting and perfect on every dish.  I single-handedly emptied our bowl of the sauce before the main course came out.  Luckily the waiter brought more over, which was demolished before the end of the meal.  I asked him what this special green sauce was, and all I got was that it’s a mayo-based sauce with jalapeños.  It wasn’t particularly spicy, but it was creamy and delicious!

I was thrilled to try a few dishes that I had already heard about (some are written about here):

  • papa rellena: deep fried mashed potato stuffed with meat sauce, served with salsa criolla.  The ground beef was juicy and tender, and tasted similar to Tex-Mex seasoning I’ve tasted in the past.  The dish was delicious, and it’s something that might be a safer option for someone who is nervous about trying new foods.  None of the flavors were too different than foods we are accostomed to in the US (at least in the west!).

Papa Rellena, Pio Pio, New York

  • causa de cangrejo: cold mashed potato cake filled with avocado and crab meat (there was also an option for chicken).  It’s like a Peruvian California (sushi) roll – with potato wrapped around inside of rice.  Oh, and the green sauce instead of soy sauce for dipping. 

Causa de Cangrejo, Pio Pio, New York

  • cebiche mixto: fresh corvina, shrimp octopus and calamari marinated in lime juice and mixed with red onions, cilantro, and rocato hot pepper, served with sweet potato and choclo corn.  For me, this wasn’t as good as I expected it to be – the cilantro definitely overpowered the dish and I was hoping for larger chunks of fish (perhaps I was wanting tiradito).  However, I was very excited to try the choclo corn, which was toasted and similar to large corn nuts.

Ceviche, Pio Pio, New York

  • lomo saltado: tender beef saute with tomatoes and onions in a soy sauce, served with rice and french fries.  To my surprise, the french fries came mixed in with the meat and veggies, while the rice was served off to the side.  I was surprised by the Asian flavors in the dish.  I have read that there is a lot of Asian influence in Peruvian cuisine, especially Chinese, so it will be interesting to see if this hold true when we try the dish in Peru!

Lomo Saltado, Pio Pio, New York

Pisco Sour, Pio Pio, New York

I couldn’t resist a taste (or two) of the pisco sour – a cocktail made from pisco (a grape brandy), citrus, sugar, egg whites, and Angostura bitters. I haven’t ever had anything quite like it, but I keep wanting to compare it to a margarita (probably because of the citrus flavors).  It was strong, but drinkable, and definitely more acidic than sweet.  I plan to order my fair share while in Peru, just to make sure I taste the different variations of the popular drink.  

So, the dinner was a success – the food was delicious and now we can’t wait for Peru.  But was it authentic?  I guess we’re about to find out – tonight we are off to Peru for 9 nights!  We are packed up (for the most part) and we just have to get through one more day of work before driving down to LAX to catch our red-eye flight.  For now, we will have to daydream about Peruvian cuisine, but in just over 24 hours we will be there to experience it first-hand!

Napa Valley, New York?

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One of our favorite activities during our trip to New York was visiting the High Line and the Cheslea Market.  Both were overcrowded, but very enjoyable, especially after a satisfying brunch.  The Chelsea Market reminded me a bit of what an expanded Ferry Building (in San Francisco) might look like – the same sort of feel and idea, but a lot more people and more shops and restaurants.

Chelsea Market, New York

To avoid the hordes of people and satisfy our wine addiction, we stopped into a wine shop, Chelsea Wine Vault, to explore.  Once there, we learned about a weekend “wine school class” they offer: each weekend features four wine from a specific region (it changes each weekend), and the class is taught by a sommelier.  It just so happens that our wines were all from Napa Valley – somewhere all four of us had been.  Since none of us had ever done anything quite like this, and because a little wine in the afternoon sounded delightful, we paid the $20/person and waited for the class to start. 

I’m so glad we took the class.  Not only did we try fantastic wines (my favorite was the 2010 Pine Ridge “Forefront” Cabernet Sauvignon – I left with a bottle and plan to visit the winery next time we’re in Napa), but we learned a lot about what to look for when tasting wines and evaluating wines.  We even had an official “Wine Evaluation Form” in our packet, which helps explain what “90+ points” means for a wine.  One fun fact we learned is that when wines are evaluated, they are only compared to wines of the same varietal, from the same region, and within the same price range.  

Wine Evaluation Form

Our sommelier was David Hunter, who personally tastes and buys all of the wine sold at the Chelsea Wine Vault.  He was funny and full of information – the hour-long class flew by and we were wishing it was longer.  We went through each section of the evaluation form, and I’d love to pass along some of the information we learned (a brief overview). 

1. Appearance (15 points) – color and clarity: hold your wine glass at a 45° angle against a white piece of paper to judge the color and clarity.  Is the color consistent all the way through?  Is it cloudy, chunky, hazy, or clear?

2. Nose (20 points) – cleanliness, complexity and bouquet: is the aroma appealing?  Or does it “hurt” you (think of smelling vodka)?  Does it smell like cheap perfume, is it too fruity, or does it have no smell? The complexity – how many aromas can you identify?  Are there multiple layers?  And finally, the bouquet is how the aromas come together – the overall smell.

3. Palate Impression (50 points) – body, texture, flavor, balance, and finish & aftertaste – how heavy does the wine feel on your tongue?  Is the texture smooth, does it “hurt” you (again, think about taking a shot of vodka), is it acidic (does it make your mouth water)?  Is each element balanced without one taking over (for example, not too sweet or too acidic)?  How long does the aftertaste stay in your mouth? If it’s under 30 seconds, it’s simple, if it’s between 30 seconds and one minute it’s medium, and if it’s over a minute, it’s complex.

4. Overall Assessment (15 points) – overall quality, value for your money, food compatibility, aging potential, and general appeal of the wine – is the wine good for the money?  What is the aging potential (he let us know that this would be a hard one for us to judge)?

Wine Tasting, Chelsea Market

And finally, David left us with the most important piece of information: in order to store wine properly, the bottles should be left on their side at 55° F (this we have been following since we started using a wine cooler) and kept in a humid area.  The humidity part is where we failed, but luckily it’s easy enough to fix: just place a damp sponge in the cooler and change it out every month.  While we are likely okay without the added humidity for most of our wines, this tip may save the bottles of Brunello di Montalcino that we brought back from Italy and plan to store for over 10-15 years.  Thank you, David!  The class was enjoyable and informative, and a great way to escape the afternoon heat!

Peruvian Cuisine: Thrillingly Different

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After researching which cities to visit on our short, one-week stay in Peru, Ryan and I started dreaming about the food.  We started by watching Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and his newly released Parts Unknown for a quirky chef’s take on the country’s delicacies.  The episodes opened our eyes to the new foods we will be able to try and got me researching what we can eat and where we can find it.

Peruvian corn (picture taken from wikipedia)

After even more research in our two travel books (Frommer’s and Fodor’s) and looking at travel sites online, I became more eager to travel to Peru to try all of the food it has to offer.  The popular and traditional dishes in Peru are numerous, but there are a few that caught my eye:

1. Ceviche (or cebiche) – chunks of raw seafood marinated in citrus, often including onions and aji peppers.  There’s a variation called tiradito where the fish is kept in strips and no onions are included.  I plan on trying both during our time in Lima, Peru’s coastal capital (see picture below, from wikipedia).

2. Cuy (Guinea Pig) and alpaca – I’m not sure if I’ll try the cuy, but I am looking forward to a dish with alpaca.  Both are popular in Peru and many visitors seek out restaurants that serve these local delicacies.

3. Lomo saltado (“jumping beef”) – beef mixed with tomatoes, peppers, and onions, and seasoned with soy sauce.  It is often served over rice.

4. Anticuchos – meat skewers often served as street food, but can also be found in restaurants.  Traditionally, the skewers are made of beef heart.

5. Papa rellena – mashed potatoes rolled into balls, stuffed with meat, and deep fried (see picture below, from wikipedia).

6. Rocoto relleno – spicy pepper stuffed with ground beed, onions, olives, and a hardboiled egg, topped with cheese.

7. Chifa (Chinese food) – the Asian influence in Peru is strong, and the Chinese food is said to be delicious.  Lima even has its own Chinatown, which will be worth a visit for the best Chinese food in the country.

8. Pisco Sours – no trip to Peru can be complete without trying the country’s cocktail – a mixture of Pisco (grape brandy), citrus, sugar, egg whites, and Angostura bitters.  I hear it goes down smoothly!

We are definitely looking forward to the culinary experiences in Peru.  I don’t normally gravitate toward meat dishes, but reading about the flavors in these traditional foods is making my mouth water.  I’ve also read about so many other dishes including Peruvian staples such as corn, potatoes, rice, quinoa, beans, and peppers.  These dishes make up the food that Bourdain describes as “thrillingly different.”  I’m ready to step outside my comfort zone and try the Peruvian cuisine!

Food Run-Down: Cinque Terre, Italy 2009

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Cinque Terre is a hidden gem on Italy’s Ligurian coast that is a must-see.  It’s becoming more and more popular, but the pedestrian-only towns with colorful buildings is still worth a trip.  If you try one dish in Cinque Terre, try the trofie al pesto – Cinque Terre is the birthplace of pesto and this dish highlights the flavors.  The homemade trofie pasta is mixed with pesto, green beans, and potatoes and goes great with a (cheap) glass of local wine.  If your visit is longer, take advantage of the fresh seafood, caught earlier that day.

Meal: Lunch at Taverno Del Capitano (Sept. 7, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) white wine (looks like a half liter)
    (2) mixed bruschetta (they all had tomatoes, and in addition we tried: capers, mozzarella, anchovies, and pesto)
    (3) pesto pizza
    (4) pesto lasagna

Taverna Del Capitano, Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: $$-$$$ – I don’t remember the exact prices, but somewhere in the neighborhood of €10 for the main dishes. 
  • Overall thoughts: this restaurant is situated at the edge of the harbor, so it was a perfect spot to take in Vernazza on our first afternoon.  Our waiter was very friendly and was encouraging me to practice my Italian (or my Spanish, if I felt more comfortable), which was a great was to be welcomed to the city.  It was here that I really fell in love with bruschetta – the tomatoes were fresh, juicy, and full of flavor, and I loved their creative pairings with other local foods. 

Meal: Happy Hour at Ananasso Bar in Vernazza (Sept. 7-9, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) bellini
    (2) prosecco
    (3) white wine
    (4) snacks (various – they were free)

Ananasso Bar, Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: $ – reasonably-priced drinks with a 5-star view.
  • Overall thoughts: one of my favorite spots from Cinque Terre – I still dream about this place!  We reflected on our day while enjoying a drink and watching the sun set into the water.  An added bonus was the snacks, which kept us from satisfied between lunch and dinner. 

Meal: Dinner at Trattoria Gianni Franzi (Sept. 7, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) anchovies cooked in lemon sauce
    (2) trofie al pesto (homemade Ligurian pasta with pesto)
    (3) spaghetti ai muscoli (spaghetti with mussels)
    (4) a bottle of the house white wine
    (5) local cheese (to finish the meal)

Trattoria Gianni Franzi, Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: again, I don’t remember and I didn’t write anything down.  I don’t think anything was too outrageous throughout Cinque Terre.  Probably a $$-$$$ price range.
  • Overall Thoughts: This meal was perfect as our first dinner.  We tried it all – anchovies, trofie al pesto, seafood pasta, wine from the region, and local cheeses.  The pesto was amazing – more Parmesan cheese than I typically taste, which was a huge plus for me.  I also loved the additions of potatoes and green beans, and of course the trofie pasta itself – once mixed up, the trofie is left with a thick coat of pesto.  This is the dish to try while in the Cinque Terre!

Meal: Lunch at Dau Tinola in Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy (Sept. 8, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) Prosciutto e melone – €11
    (2) Spaghetti ai frutti di mare – €11.50
    (3) Trenette al pesto – €11.50
    (4) Cinque Terre “La Polenza” vino (a bottle) – €17.50

Dau Tinola, Corniglia, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: $$-$$$
  • Overall thoughts: probably the worst meal in Cinque Terre, but it could have been because our experience wasn’t that great (as opposed to the food).  I will say that the trofie suits the pesto sauce better than spaghetti/linguini.  The seafood pasta was still fantastic and included a larger variety of seafood than normal.  

Meal: Dinner at Gambero Rosso (Sept. 8, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) insalata caprese – €15
    (2) tegame di Vernazza (anchovies baked with potatoes and tomatoes) – €12
    (3) mussles cooked with wine and parsley – €12
    (4) vino della casa (1 liter) – €12
    (5) dessert (not sure what it was, but there is a picture below!)

Gambero Rosso, Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: $$-$$$ – this is getting boring, but it’s another very reasonably-priced dinner in Vernazza!
  • Overall thoughts: another restaurant underneath the umbrellas.  It seems you can’t go wrong with the restaurants around the harbor in Vernazza!  Ryan tried the fresh anchovies which are another local specialty to try while visiting (much different than the salty canned anchovies, although those are great, too!).  The crowds at the restaurant were lively, and we had fun people-watching while we enjoyed the meal. 

Meal: Lunch at Trattoria La Scogliera in Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy (Sept. 9, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) linguini alle vongole veraci (fresh clams) – €7.80
    (2) ravioli al pesto Genovese – €7.80
    (3) formaggi misti (mixed cheese plate) – €6
    (4) Cinque Terre D.O.C. wine – €15

Trattoria La Scogliera, Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: $$
  • Overall thoughts: Luckily this restaurant stayed open a bit later than others in the area (we didn’t make it to Manarola until a little before 2:00pm).  I stuck with one of my favorites: seafood pasta in a white wine sauce, which was an ideal lunch (light and fresh!).  Ryan wanted another round of pesto pasta, this time in the form of ravioli, which was very tasty (I still like the trofie pasta the best).  The outdoor seating allowed us to watch the busy walkway as people made their way down toward the marina. 

Meal: Dinner at La Torre (Sept. 9, 2009)

  • What we ordered:
    (1) spaghetti scoglio (“reef spaghetti” – served with crustaceans & red sauce) – €11
    (2) pesto lasagna – €10
    (3) two glasses of white wine – €5 each

Dinner Day 3, Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • Price: $$
  • Overall thoughts: this is a great option if you want to sneak away from the main square in Vernazza.  It’s a bit of a climb, but the result is an intimate restaurant with outdoor seating.  I would suggest going for lunch or an earlier dinner to enjoy the views of the town and sea below.  The food was consistent with our other meals in Cinque Terre – fresh, reasonably-priced, and delicious local specialties (pesto and seafood). 

Cinque Terre, and especially Vernazza, is on the top of my recommendation list for Italy. The pedestrian-only towns, the friendly locals, the carefree tourists, the sparkling sea, and the fresh and delicious food are just a few reasons to make a stop here on your trip.  Don’t forget to try many of the local specialties – trofie al pesto, fresh seafood (including anchovies!), and local wine.  I can’t wait to visit again for another taste of the Ligurian cuisine!