Just returned from Peru and amongst the food finds, had my first taste of guinea pig. Guinea pig or “Cuy” in Spanish, is for Peruvians what suckling pig is for Chinese – a glorious delicacy that is often eaten as a part of family celebrations. The texture is like Peking duck – moist meat and crispy skin but with the smoky, fatty aromatic taste of pork belly. I tried it both styles – fancy and old-school.

The fancy style was a small strip of the oven roasted rodent on a bed of polenta served at a restaurant inside The Hotel Monestario in Cusco.  There was a nicely browned skin capping a fillet of tender meat, but no real sense that there was a guinea pig there.  The polenta was a nice soothing touch, but However, the old-school style can be found at La Chomba – a local hole in the wall that spit roasts these pigs whole with head and everything and serves them on a bed of tomatoes with local Peruvian potatoes. Being Cantonese, I’m partial to the old-school, see your animal and tear it apart with your bare hands way of eating.  The fact that there was nothing but a spit and picnic tables between you and your meat somehow made it a more primal eating experience – no fancy carved garnishes or drizzled sauces to get in the way of the meat that is best cooked perfectly and eaten simply.  Read more...