To start off the day, the group walked to the main open-air market of Cusco where we were explored the variety of foods local Cusqueños eat. Roaming past all the stalls varying from cow mouth, to pig head, to different coffee beans... A great contrast to the American perception of a market. As a result of the Guillain-Barre alert, the group was recommended to not consume or buy anything besides the coffee and the incredible local chocolate.
After visiting the market full of impulse buys many of the group members fell victim to, the group walked to the Choco-Museo, a chocolate museum where the group briefly learned the history of chocolate, the different types throughout South America, and then went on to the not-so-easy task making our own chocolate. After around a half hour of crushing cocoa beans and mixing in other ingredients such as sugar and milk, the group hand crafted our own chocolates with molds and toppings to fuel our climb to Machu Picchu.
We finished the day at the hotel where we had the pleasure of meeting with Amaru Estrada, an esteemed master craftsman. He explained to us the history of his family then proceeded to give us the reasoning behind the composition of his work. He graciously offered us each a cup that we had the opportunity to polish up.
Thibeaux Hirsh/ Henry Slan
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| Stopped to say hi to the llamas on our way to the mercado. |
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| At the market, trying to take it all in. |
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| En el mercado San Pedro |
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| Great view from the balcony of the Choco-museo |
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| Grinding cacao beans after roasting, to turn into a paste in a mortar with pestle- it took a lot of muscle power- the smell in the chocolate workshop was a reminder that the hard work would pay off. |
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| Madelena and Molly, grand prize winners. Chocolatiers in the making. |
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The cuy (guinea pig) has been considered a delicacy in Andean cuisine for over 5,000 years. Formerly enjoyed only by the Incan Nobility, is now saved for special occasions.
Lunch was delicious. No wonder why Peru has been recognized as one of the world's best culinary destinations. The biodiverstiy of the country and the cultural heritage of Peru make for a rich and diverse cuisine.
Cool boys in Peru
