Thailand has it's pad thai and fried insects, Australia has it's kangaroo steaks, but Peru has something even more delicious: roasted guinea pig.
We made a couple of friends in Australia that we've bumped into around the world (they're called Alex and Ruth and they have a website too), so when we met them again in Cusco, we made a pact that we wouldn't leave until we'd eaten guinea pig (or 'cuy' as they call it here).
We've never been confronted by such a terrifying meal. I'm still suspicious whether it actually was a guinea pig - it was HUGE and overhung our plate. Probably a rat. It didn't have much meat on it or taste for that matter, but the tiny scrapings we ate were horrible and pink, like turkey leg dipped in death. Some of the beast's innards were intact, including the kidneys, and any gaps were filled with rancid stuffing.
Amy did a stirling job of getting through our rodent, while I pulled it's dead head into different expressions (depsite it being roasted, it was still possible to make the thing blink and waggle it's tongue). For some reason, me playing with the creature's severed head put Alex and Ruth off their guinea pig, the wimps.
I once told a Bolivian friend we made in La Paz that in the UK, we keep guinea pigs as pets and would never think of eating them. "But why, when they're so tasty?" he replied.
It's unlikely that we'll ever try guinea pig again, though I'd still rather have a second helping of it, than try Peru's other famous dish: ceviche - basically raw fish, with a bit of lemon. Food poisoning, anyone?
"What's for dinner, mum?" "Fluffy, son."We made a couple of friends in Australia that we've bumped into around the world (they're called Alex and Ruth and they have a website too), so when we met them again in Cusco, we made a pact that we wouldn't leave until we'd eaten guinea pig (or 'cuy' as they call it here).
We've never been confronted by such a terrifying meal. I'm still suspicious whether it actually was a guinea pig - it was HUGE and overhung our plate. Probably a rat. It didn't have much meat on it or taste for that matter, but the tiny scrapings we ate were horrible and pink, like turkey leg dipped in death. Some of the beast's innards were intact, including the kidneys, and any gaps were filled with rancid stuffing.
Amy did a stirling job of getting through our rodent, while I pulled it's dead head into different expressions (depsite it being roasted, it was still possible to make the thing blink and waggle it's tongue). For some reason, me playing with the creature's severed head put Alex and Ruth off their guinea pig, the wimps.
I once told a Bolivian friend we made in La Paz that in the UK, we keep guinea pigs as pets and would never think of eating them. "But why, when they're so tasty?" he replied.
It's unlikely that we'll ever try guinea pig again, though I'd still rather have a second helping of it, than try Peru's other famous dish: ceviche - basically raw fish, with a bit of lemon. Food poisoning, anyone?
18 Comments:
Oh my God... I'm totally disgusted. I know I'm a veggie, so I'm bias, but I can't believe you eat the cute little things! I'm keeping my pet dog away from you two! :)
Em
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Anonymous, at 9:57 PM
Jody - ceviche is really yummy you wimp! Amy being a fan of smoked salmon will surely identify with me on this one....ceviche is divine especially if you like sushi.
But even the guinea pig is a bit too much for my palate. Still would try it though!
Poon xx
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Anonymous, at 4:40 PM
Glad you were sensible enough not to try the raw fish, My friend's advice was " don't eat anything raw" and he comes from that part of the world. As for the guinea pig. My favourite pet. But then we eat duck, and their cute!
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Anonymous, at 6:25 AM
Poon - I'm sure that ceviche is divine in your average, posh London restaurant, but I wouldn't trust it in Peru. I spent half a week throwing up in Sucre for god-knows-what-I-ate, so I'm taking no risks now.
I look forward to trying it in that Peruvian restaurant near London Bridge when I get back.
On the topic of food, we met a group of posh English girls who did a jungle trek in Peru. They told me that their guide SHOT A MONKEY out of a tree and then cooked it up for them. They seemed dead chuffed by this. Tasted like gammon, apparently.
Jody
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Anonymous, at 9:14 PM
In my personal opinion, I find this quite sick. Saying that though, if I saw a picture of a dead cow it'd make me feel sick as 'm a veggie. I guess it's your choice whether to eat these animals or not, I'm just keeping my 6 guinea pigs wrapped in cotton wool from now on :P
By
Anonymous, at 12:23 PM
totally and utterly disgusted.i'm not a veggie but to eat a guinea pig?!Ughh, how could you when they are so cute and lovable!
By
Anonymous, at 3:51 AM
I love pork, even though I think pigs are cute & lovable to the point where I have a rainbow-coloured one beside me on my bed.
I've tried cuy too, with eyes shut of course! I think if they chopped it up and gave it a food-name (e.g. guinea pork), it wouldn't be so bad.
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Anonymous, at 4:52 PM
It's not that disgusting considering what else is eaten all around the world. I guess the question is "why?" Surely there's got to be an easier food source to raise and get a better yield from. Who knows, maybe it's really good!
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Anonymous, at 8:39 AM
all peruvian food!!! its delicious!!!!! righ!!! i love it!!!
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Anonymous, at 1:54 AM
Guinea pig? Pffft, that's nothing. I ate a fried scorpion and a bit of a bull's hampton when in China. Get it eaten
By
Anonymous, at 11:55 AM
Maybe I can't stand eating such "exotic foods". Forgive me but I can't.
By
Sydney Hotels, at 2:14 PM
most exotic food I've tasted have been molluscs, I think a rat could never eat it ... still respect everyone's tastes!
By
trimspa diet, at 2:24 AM
I have several friends in asia, I already tried the roasted rat, does not seem so distasteful, it is because I am a man, my woman almost gives you an upset stomach!
By
thyroid treatment, at 4:26 AM
I have never eaten any kind of exotic food, but f does one thing sure is that life never eat rat!
By
transparent laptop, at 5:25 AM
It is really disgusting I can believe that people can eat it and look that appetizing.
By
Viagra Online, at 5:58 PM
Sushi isn't raw fish. Sashimi is raw fish.
By
Anonymous, at 7:20 AM
i want to go to the UK. america's economy is failing at the moment.
i want a guinea pig as a pet not dinner.
By
Anonymous, at 5:46 PM
It looks even more unappetizing than I would have thought. I'm about to go to Peru, we'll see if I have the courage to eat any. I'll definitely be eating ceviche though!
By
Anonymous, at 5:33 PM
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