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Peru On A Plate: Win A 9-day Culinary Trip To Peru For Two

Peru On A Plate: Win A 9-day Culinary Trip To Peru For Two

Last Updated on August 23, 2016

Peru has been on my mind lately – a friend of mine asked me to join her on a trip to Peru in September, and had I not already committed to another trip, I would’ve jumped at the chance of joining her. My last trip to Peru ended abruptly, and I have been itching to return ever since I left Cuzco two and a half years ago. After finishing the 5-day Salkantay trek through the Andes to get to Machu Picchu, I’ve been keen on doing some other multi-day treks in Peru: the Cordillera Blanca mountain range around Huarez in the north of the country is supposed to be stunning, and I have no doubt that I’ll love Colca Canyon near Arequipa in the south.machu picchu from wayna picchu peruAnd then there is the mystical oasis town of Huacachina in the midst of mighty sand dunes, the Islas Ballestas which are a wildlife lover’s dream, but I’d also love to return to Cuzco to see more of the Inca ruins around there (Machu Picchu is just one of many more) and to delve more in the city’s amazing food scene, and then there’s Lima, where people also rave about the fantastic restaurant scene and trendy neighborhoods like San Isidro, Barranco or Miraflores.dani in cuscoPeru’s breathtakingly beautiful and diverse landscapes have gotten a lot of praise from travel publications and travelers for a long time now, but it is Peruvian food whose popularity has increased notably over the past few years – which is why I am excited to share the giveaway below, for a culinary trip to Peru (click here to enter if you can’t wait).

It seems like every major city around the globe has at least one Peruvian restaurant these day, and Britain’s Guardian newspaper even ran an article a while back about how Peruvian food has captured food lovers’ hearts in England, quoting gourmet chef Alain Ducasse: ‘Peru will become one of the leading actors on the global culinary scene.’

And he was right: Peruvian food is being gobbled up all over the globe, but of course it never tastes as amazing as it tastes in the country itself, with locally sourced fresh ingredients. I’ve already touched on the fabulous food scene in Cuzco when I told you why Cuzco is worth a trip, and the restaurant scene in Lima is booming even more. New restaurants are opening constantly, and not justpisco sour your ordinary type of restaurants, but sophisticated eateries that pride themselves in serving avant-garde dishes that leave diners impressed and longing for more. Lima’s most popular restaurant, Central, is regularly voted in the World’s Top 50 restaurants and a must-visit for any foodie, Gaston Acurio’s Astrid y Gaston was recently voted the best restaurant in all of South America (!), dessert lovers will be blown away at Malabar while Maras inside Lima’s brand new Westin Hotel will satisfy fine dining aficionados.

La Rosa Nautica is a Lima institution for Pisco Sours right by the ocean, and speaking of Pisco Sours: make sure to have them daily while you’re in Peru! This typical Peruvian cocktail is made of Pisco, a type of Brandy and Peru’s national drink, and sugar, egg whites, key lime juice.

So what makes Peruvian food so special, you ask? Thanks to Peru’s multicultural heritage, it is the perfect example for fusion cuisine: it combines pre-Inca and Inca influences with the cuisine of European, Asian and West-African immigrants who all brought their local dishes to Peru where they tried to recreate them with the ingredients they found in Peru. The country itself has an incredibly diverse range of foods – ranging from seafood heavy dishes on the coast to fruit-loaded plates in the Amazon and the Andes with potatoes, quinoa, corn and other crops. The different cuisines started to melt into each other and enrich one another, creating a unique and unrivaled culinary experience.quinoa salad at quinoaOn a trip to Peru, you’ll discover that each region has its own regional dishes, only few dishes are typical for the entire country. Culinary treasures you shouldn’t miss are alpaca steak, anticuchos (beef heart kebabs), cuy (guinea pig), lomo saltado (beef tips that are stir fried with onion, tomatoes and spices), and aji de gallina (chicken in a yellow pepper sauce with hard-boiled eggs and olives). Vegetarians will love the tasty sauce of Papas a la huancaina (potatoes in a creamy cheese sauce, a dish I could have eaten happily every day while I was in Peru!) and papa rellena – stuffed potatoes with vegetables, hard-boiled egg, spices and olives (also available  with meat).

I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering right now – can you see why I am contemplating a return trip to Peru? And because Peruvian cuisine is so popular right now, I am excited about this LATAM sweepstakes, which will bring two lucky people on a 9-day culinary-focused trip to Peru, allowing them to discover Peru’s foodie scene from Lima, the Culinary Capital of South America to the magical, spiritual town of Cusco.cuzco plaza de armas3

The prize

A 9-day culinary-focused trip to Peru for 2, including:

  • Round-trip economy class flights for 2 people from anywhere in the continental United States, via LATAM Airlines
  • A 9-day trip between Lima, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu. The trip includes visiting historical places and discovering local cuisine
  • Outfits from Toad&Co
  • A specially selected travel gear package from AFAR
  • $500 worth of travel gear from Tour Radar
  • Two 38L capacity carry-ons from Away
  • An intimate cocktail class exploring the history of Pisco in the Museo del Pisco in Cuzco

Click here to enter

peru on a plate

This promotion is brought to you by Promperu in cooperation with LATAM Airlines, Intrepid Travel, Toad&Co, Campo de Encanto Pisco, AFAR, TourRadar and Away Travel. 

Linda

Thursday 28th of July 2016

I would have loved to enter, unfortunately.... Europe. So it's not a contest for me. But still a nice location to visit, even if you don't win a contest. It's in my South American three month trip :)

Arianwen

Wednesday 20th of July 2016

I did the jungle trail and really liked that we didn't have to book far in advance. It was also a lot of fun having the chance to do cycling, rafting and zip lining along the way!

Dani

Wednesday 20th of July 2016

Next time I'm there, that's the trek I want to do :)