Carving it up...

I am a man of the world. I know that you knew this already and are right now shaking your heads at my apparent need for self aggrandisement, but hey... so what?

I am a man of the world. Oops, I said it again. But, it´s true, I can swipe and swerve with all kinds. I can count to five in what, almost 4 languages now. I can drink a martini without cringing. I can wear scarfs without looking like a pretencious prat. I am a man of the world.

Ok so I can´t do any of these things but these are details people, details. At the very least I am a man of my own special little world and with a bit of effort and a bit less beanie wearing these two - at times very different- realms may collide.

In the hope of hastening this day, I am enlarging my knowledge of the wide and varied culinary universe. I am taking lessons in the gastronomic stylings of the Peruvian peoples. Yes, indeed once a week I hustle down with 2 Germans, Nina and Ralph and one other Australian, Lauren, to learn of rocetos y sango and all good things. The professora is my host mother, so I of course am the teachers pet. (Who wouldn´t love me after living with me?)

The one thing that I have learnt is that no-one, ever, in any circumstances, should let me near a knife. Check that, don´t even let me near an apple peeler. It is not that I am a danger to those around me. (Although that depends on how attached you are to your fingers). No is more the case that as they say, the first bite is with the eye, and anyone who sights a capsicum that has been garroted by me will most likely engage in a close approximation of optical vomiting.

But despite this, the actual flavour of the dishes has been quite pleasing. Although very rich. Traditional Peruvian cooking seems to follow the philosophy that if something tastes good, it can definitely made better by drowning it in half a pig´s buttock worth of cream and cheese. (From now on the pig´s buttock will be the internatonal measurement of food fat content). Rocotos Rellenos is a bit like a very hot capsicum stuffed with a spicy mix of meat, cheese, and vegies. Sango... is weird, but very nice, a mix of wheat, sugar, cheese, eggs, syrup of some kind. Visually very gluggy.

At the behest and request of the lovely Anais, written recipes of these wonders (and more besides) are forthcoming.

Until then, my lovelies.

Rock and Roll.

Paddy.