The republic of Peru is situated on the continent of South America. The influence of the Incas civilization and the Spanish colonial rule is witnessed both in the culture and cuisine of Peru. Geographically, Peru is divided into three parts – the coastline along the Pacific Ocean, the mountainous region in the inlands, and the low lying regions of the Amazon basin. The geographical diversity of this country also has an impact on its varied cuisine.
The oldest dishes that are still cooked in Peru date back to around 1500 years ago. These dishes were known as pachamanca, which means food that is cooked underground. This recipe consists of meat, roots, and herbs that are covered with leaves and roasted in a pit for almost 12 hours. The herbs used to flavor these dishes are cinnamon and cloves.
The differences in climatic conditions in the three geographical regions resulted in a variety of livestock and food crops. Corn and potatoes are the staple foods of the Peruvians. The people in the coastal region were on a diet that consisted of mostly seafood, as it was available in abundance, especially those lovely Salmon recipes would do good here. Protein-rich cereals, such as kiwicha and quinoa, were included in their staple diet.
When the Spanish entered Peru, they brought along herbs and food items that were typical to their country. Foods stuffs such as onion, parsley, wheat, and pork became fairly popular with the people of Peru. In the Amazonian region, river trout served with tropical vegetables and fruits was common.