Inspirations from Peru!

New recipe, new classes in May!

Hello!

You haven’t heard from me in a while because I’ve been doing some traveling. I just returned from an amazing two week tour in Peru. It was a busy trip packed with a lot of sensory stimulation which I’m still processing. Our wonderful guides took us through Lima, Ayacucho, Cusco and the Sacred Valley on a journey to see sites, meet artists, enjoy local cuisine, hear music and learn about the fascinating history and mix of cultures that make up this incredible country.

You may be wondering if such a trip was challenging for a vegan, and the answer is no! Many of the places we visited already had vegan choices in place, and those that did not made special adjustments. In Lima, I really enjoyed the tropical fruit and the creative use of local ingredients in some of the high end restaurants such as Mayta.

Near the Andean town of Ayacucho, we visited the studio of traditional ceramic artist Artemio Poma Gutierrez. His wife Isabel prepared a typical Andean meal for us, including roasted local potatoes, corn on the cob (some varieties of Peruvian corn have giant kernels), and a bright red stew made with potatoes, beets and warm spices called puca picante. For dessert they picked sour cherries know as guindas off the trees growing in their garden.

The ancient city of Cusco is the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu with people from all over the world passing through. There is a lively, international food and nightlife scene. One of my favorite experiences was a cooking class at Nuna Raymi restaurant in Cusco with the owner and chef, Rocio Zuñiga. Rocio works with small farmers to help preserve the huge diversity of crops that are cultivated in the Andes and Peruvian rain forests, many dating back to the Incan empire. She purchases ingredients for the restaurant from small, local farms and supports businesses that produce unique specialty products such as chocolate, hot sauces and teas. I brought home several bars of Pumatiy chocolate which did not last long!

Another highlight was our stay at El Albergue in Ollantaytambo. The property, located right next to the train station is a peaceful oasis with an organic farm, coffee roastery and distillery, surrounded by glacier-capped Andean peaks. Here we enjoyed a “pachamarca farm lunch,” where the food was cooked under hot rocks in a hole in the ground. Much of the produce is grown on the property, and we ate in a gorgeous outdoor setting right next to the fields.

I confess to having more than one pisco sour. This drink is made with a little egg white to create the signature foam on top. In case you’d like to try this delicious drink yourself, I’m happy to report I’ve discovered a vegan recipe that uses aqua faba to replace the egg.

RECIPE

Ceviche is a traditional dish served in many communities along the Pacific coast of Latin America including Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Panama and Mexico. The classic preparation includes one or more types of raw, fresh fish or seafood marinated in lime or other citrus juice. UNESCO recognizes ceviche as the “national dish” of Peru and includes it on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Here is my vegan take.

NEW CLASSES

I continue to partner with The Moonlight Collective to offer raw, vegan food preparation classes in my home. I have two new classes scheduled for May! I’m really excited to share these experiences with anyone interested in learning how to make simple, healthy, plant-based dishes. I hope you’ll join me and spread the word to anyone you think may be interested. Now that spring is here and we’re getting such a nice variety of fresh, local produce at our stores and farmers markets, I am offering Fresh Soups and Salads for Spring on Thursday, May 8, from 5:00pm-7:00pm. For those dessert lovers who want to learn some healthier ways to indulge, you can join me for Easy Healthy Summer Treats on Sunday, May 18, from 3:00pm-4:30pm.

I have a Dehydrator Magic class ready to teach and would love to hear from anyone interested in taking a class to learn how to make dehydrated crackers, granola and other snacks. If you don’t own a dehydrator but have been thinking about getting one, this might be your sign to check it out. Please send me an e-mail at kerrybitner@gmail.com to let me know and I’ll figure out a good date for a class.