Cusco - Technical Difficulties

A quick note to say that the technology here in Cusco has machines from the late 1990s with no USB port in sight. It actually brings back fond memories of my first computer...the Welsh made, 32k, Dragon 32. Yes that was 32k!!

Photos will be uploaded when I get back into the 21st century with a teaser of a before...during..and after Cuy slideshow...!!

Cusco - Swine´s Fine

Now here is the hypothesis. Due to the altitude in Cusco and after 3 days of intensive experimentation under lab conditions I hypothesise that every pint of beer consumed at altitude is worth two at sea level. Four beers have really knocked me sideways at the rarified heights of 3,300 metres here in Cusco. It really feels like I´ve been on a eight pinter pub crawl (a double COLIN for those in the know) the next morning. The good thing, just like elite atheletes, all this altitude training should see a marked improvement next time I´m back in London and the beers are flowing. I would expect to cruise through the four pint mark with relative ease and feel no after effects the morning after.

Tonights speciality was a peruvian claypot. Lovely tender pieces of pork in a spicy sauce which wasn´t too different from a Rogan Josh on the Spice Index. (I´m sure I don´t have to go into great depths on the ´hierarchy of curry´). Port was served with chica de jora, onions and spices according to the menu. I´m sure when I check a jar a Pateks Rojan josh sauce in Tescos next time I will see exactly the same ingredients mentioned.

Cusco - Inca Kola

Cusco here must be twinned with downtown Seoul as 9 out of 10 cars is a Korean Daewoo. Of those 9 out of 10 probably 8 are taxis so the traffic here is on a par with India for craziness. Taxi meters are also non-existent so haggling for each fare is required.

As for the local soft drinks you normally expect a local variation on the standard cola, lemonade, or orange. Here in Peru they are the proud owners of Inca Kola, established 1935, and now owned by the Coca-Cola Company. What is Inca Kola? Well unique that is for sure. A flurescent yellow drink which smells and tastes of bubblegum from my youth. (All that was missing was a pack of football cards stuck to the gum.) Most probably laden with sugar and additives and quite sickly.

PS: I have yet to find the apostrophe here on this Spanish keyboard so this may be a more formal sounding post than usual!!

Cusco - The Real McCuy

Those childhood memories of pet guinea pigs which would be taken home for the weekend by one of the kids. Strange how ´teacher´always took the pet home for the long summer holiday and even stranger how poor ´Pigsy´would have a mystery illness over the summer and sadly pass away.

I can now reveal that there was no mysterious guinea pig swine flu going around London in the 1970s but can reveal from further investigations that the Peruvian population soured during this period necessitating the need for them to seek a ´taste of home´.

So guinea pig, or Cuy as it is known locally is available on many menus. It is a bit of a delicay and costs abour twice the price of steak. The example about was 44 Peruvian Sols whilst a steak would be about 25 sols. Presentation as you can see was excellent. It gave off a duck like aroma and the taste and texture was a mix between both duck and pork. The skin had been roasted similar to pork crackling and it seemed to come complete with the sweetbreads. It was also damn hard work to get any meat out of it. Would I try it again? Yes...but probably not as a roast. Something where the meat had been already extracted then maybe.

Cusco - Altitude Sickness

Waking up with a stonking headache....feeling a bit queasy and sick....trouble keeping down breakfast. It´s either another hangover after a City pub crawl or its altitude sickness in Cusco. Let´s go for altitude sickness. A perfect cure to altitude sickness or a hangover? How about a 5am start and a three hour train journey to Manchu Pichu? Manchu Pichu itself was an amazing site but the 6 hours there and back in a day was something I culd have done without.

As for the food here in the Highlands of Cusco? One of the local meats is alpaca. Looks a bit like a llama but has a fleece more similar to a sheep. A nice loin of alpaca smothered with mushrooms maybe?

The taste and texture was very much like pork. It was a bit hard going and tough. Probably not something to try again but most definitely something to try once.

London - J Sheekys

J Sheeky? Never heard of it; but apparently one of those celebrity haunts where the paparazzi linger awaiting the next shot of David Beckham. The menu even says 'no cameras' (so no photos to share) but from inside there were no celebritys I recognised. Probably all starring in Eastenders

A starter of deep fried whitebait was a good size and pretty filling although could have been crispier. This was followed by a main of pan fried Brill and Scallop with wild garlic. The fish was well cooked and the scallop (yes - just the one) including the roe was juicy and fulfilling. A desert of creme brulee completed the meal as well as a nice drop of Sancerre.

I certainly came out 'gut-busting' as well as wallet busted. Final point to the note was the superbly maintained loo's; complete with flat, clean marble surfaces for those celebrity 'desserts'.

London - Fine Swine

South America in a weeks time. Roast Guinea PIG. Good idea?

A nice Argentinian Malbec should help.

Research at Gaucho Grill completed and all systems go.