Comida Fresca

All of the food in Peru is much fresher than what I ever eat in the United States. The juices are made from pure fruit, including mango, papaya, pineapple, and passionfruit. The vegetables too are very fresh and make the most incredible soups. During one of our final group meals, we went to a gourmet burger place called Papacho’s. I had already been there twice. The first time I ordered a seemingly simple fried chicken salad and was surprised when it came with mango slices, apples, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other ingredients along with a generous portion of chicken strips. The second time, I ordered the Cusco burger which came with onions and avocados and some sauces that I can’t pronounce. The last time, I was kinda craving some American junk food, so I decided to go for some hot wings – “covered with the Amazon’s most sinful flavors”. Imagine my surprise when the waiter brought out a bowl of wings covered with onions, tomatoes, and mango salsa among other things. The wings were good, slightly spicy, but I was just really surprised by the incorporation of fresh fruit and vegetables. To me, hot wings are the antithesis of anything that could be considered healthy (except for the celery sticks, which I don’t eat). Even the junk food here has to have a taste of freshness. The incorporation of fresh fruit and vegetables also is surprising to me just because of Cusco’s location in the mountain. Even the Mercado de San Pedro has an enormous selection of fruits and vegetables. I guess we have the Incans and their terraces to thank for that.