The Fulfillment of a Months-old Prophecy

I sat down face to face with my future site coordinator during an interview. This was way back in March at Ferncliff Center just outside of Little Rock. At the very end of the interview Jenny looked at me and asked me: "Okay, do you have any questions for me?"

Just one: "Do they actually eat Guinea Pig in Peru?" She gave me one big laugh and smiled.

The answer: Yes.



Thus began the months-long quest to dine on an animal traditionally considered a pet where I'm from.

Flash forward five and a half months to Lima. I'm here. I made it. Not only am I surviving fairly well down here, but I'm thriving it feels like. I'm speaking spanish. I'm paying in Neuvo Soles. I'm learning a lot about the city. Most importantly (to me at least) I'm trying new foods.

Peru is globally recognized to have the most diverse cuisine in the world. Ceviche, Cuy, Chicho Morado, Chanchita, Papas, Pisco Sours, and countless Tropical Fruits/Juices. Already within the first two full days I've tried Limonada, Chanchita, Granilla, Chicho de Morado, Luquma Ice Cream, and (my new personal favorite) Cuy.

This, my friends, is Cuy.

Cuy is a hefty-sized guinea pig fried in a pan and cooked with your basic salt, pepper, and spices. Guinea pigs are farmed at certain houses and grown specifically for consumption. They prepare the Guinea Pigs very simply: they cut it open, remove the organs you can't eat, and flash fry it.

That's right. This pig gets served whole. You can see it's head, feet, and the basic anatomy fried.

Serve it up man! I'm in! Cuy is prepared differently depending on where you consume it. It is prepared differently in the northern mountains compared to the southern mountains compared to the coast compared to the jungle. Largely the preparation is the same the accompanying dishes vary. I had Cuy Frito con Picante Papas de rojas (that's a poor recollection but basically Cuy with spicy red potatoes.) When it comes to food, the potato is the staple crop of Peru.

There are over 3,000 different types of potatoes in Peru. In fact, the potato was introduced to the rest of the world via the Spanish after they conquered South America and shared this wondrous crop with North America and, later, Europe.

Shopping for fruit at a local market.

The meat is tougher and stringier. It came out served to me like fried chicken almost. The skin was much tougher. I actually couldn't cut through the skin easily. I chewed longer and harder to consume the meat. Which is a good sign. Cuy is very high in protein and vey low in cholesterol. The meat tastes like a richer, gamier quail almost. It took more work to consume, but I loved every minute of it.

Cuy is served with the head of the Guinea Pig fried up on top of the actual meat itself. While this may seem grotesque, I actually understand why they do it. How would you know if it's actual guinea pig? If they served you a piece of fried meat on a bone with no legs or arms how would you know it's what you ordered? The (Peruvian) simple answer: serve up it's head. Authenticity is important when it comes to Cuy and most of the food served in Peru is all-natural, home grown.

The yellow sauce is ahi and the corn nuggets are Chanchita.

Most restaurants serve Chanchita alongside two different types of sauces: ahi and the house special. Ahi sauce looks like mustard but it has none of it's qualities. It is a spicy garlic-infused cream-based sauce. It gets put on meat dishes like Cuy or heavier potato qualities. It has a bit of a kick but not enough to make you cry. To my good friend Garrett I told him: "It's a lot like samurai sauce." A sauce we found in Bruges and have since struggled to find something match it's flavor/spice.


I gnawed my Cuy down to the bone. I forked it with some potatoes and dripped ahi sauce over it. Just a half-pig portion, a Guine Pig cut right down the middle. It was a moment I'd been dreaming about and praying for since March since Little Rock. I was beyond excited to consume this new food.

Guinea Pig is my new favorite food to eat.

 - Daniel Pappas -

Bon apetit!

P.S. No, I didn't get to pick which pig I ate, and I've never actually eaten raccoon so I can't tell you. Sorry Kevin! Let me know if you have any more questions about any of the food or drinks I mention in this blog!