Gastronomía Mar del Sur

High in amino acids, calories, minerals, vitamins and fats, nuts are one of the healthiest foods on the market. They are generally pleasant in flavor when by themselves but are also the perfect complement for such as salads and rice dishes. It is better to buy them raw, fresh and unsalted in their shell when possible. This way, you can be sure to purchase them free from preservatives and low in sodium. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer for longer preservation.

Seeds can also be bought unsalted and raw in most supermarkets and food stores. To keep their freshness, we recommend also storing them in a dark area in your kitchen in airtight containers.

Nuts and seeds can also be found roasted, salted and even with extra flavors (such as BBQ flavor). Even though this is not their most natural form, they are good for certain recipes and can be certainly consumed in moderation. Toasting them intensifies their natural flavors providing a smoky tasty flavor.

Other forms of seeds and nuts used creatively in the kitchen are tahini, peanut and pumpkin butter.

Mushrooms are rich in flavor, juicy and delicious for various types of cuisine but especially for pasta making. Today you can find a broad variety of them in most food stores and supermarkets.

Button mushrooms, are among my favorite for their typical freshness and versatility. When buying them, choose ones in white or light brown color with their caps tightly closed against the stem. Once in your kitchen, store them in the refrigerator so that they retain their texture and flavor for a couple of days.

You can also purchase a mushroom brush which is a great utensil for removing loose dirt particles without damaging the mushrooms. Once clean, they can be used whole, halved, sliced or quartered in your favorite recipes.

Some of the most exquisite types of mushrooms are the shiitake, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, cepes and morels. Each of these varieties embraces distinctive flavors and shapes.

Keep in mind that not all mushrooms are safe to eat. Under no circumstance pick fresh fungus form you yard and add them to your recipe. To avoid using poisonous, deadly fungus, use only the kind sold in local stores and supermarkets.

Mushrooms can also be found in a dry form. They can be softened by soaking them in water and washing them before using.

Tomatoes in all their different forms are important pasta partners. They can be in a canned presentation, stewed, puree or paste form. Even those fresh tomatoes are always better; these will help you prepare fine sauces when they are out of season.

Dried tomatoes have gained significant popularity in this past decade. When dried, they develop a robust flavor and chewy consistency making them a distinctive ingredient for all sorts of recipes. They are also commonly found in most local supermarkets, deli-gourmets and natural food stores.

If you are interested in preparing marinated dry tomatoes at home we can show you how to do it. Briefly immerse the dried tomatoes in boiling water, drain well, cover with extra virgin olive oil and store in a closed, glass container.

Tomatoes in general make a flavorful yet light pasta complement with the addition of few ingredients. We recommend the use of organic tomatoes when cooking in order to maximize the fruit`s flavor and avoid toxins and chemicals substances in your food. If you are going to purchase them in a local store or supermarket, buy them a few days in advance and ripen them in a basket in your kitchen at room temperature.

You may also add a dash of sugar to your sauce if you wish to decrease the acidity of the tomatoes.

Soups are one of the most common of all comfort foods. Due to their wholesome nature, most of them can be considered a complete meal, easy to digest and cook.

Whether you prefer a simple, hearty or complex soup, each can be uniquely satisfying in its own sense. They can also be accompanied with bread or leafy salad making the perfect meal.

The flavor of most soups depends on a combination of two variables: ingredients and a dash of originality usually provided by each individual chef. Different combinations of vegetables will create distinctly different results. Go ahead and experiment your favorite intermingling of flavors for various soups.

Not all soups require broth enhancers. Generally, the soup ingredients break up as they cook, mixing and integrating in the simmering water to form a flavorful and natural broth.

Soups can include other less common ingredients such as pasta and beans. The combination of vegetables and grains can make a protein-rich meal of delightful textures. Small pasta shapes that can be also added to soups are available in most food stores and supermarkets. They cook relatively fast and help give soups a uniform consistency.

Making soup does not require talent or experience. As a matter of fact, it is one of the easiest and fastest dishes to prepare. Begin by adding fresh water and a couple of vegetables, add beans or noodles and a couple of your favorite seasonings, and discover how rewarding the process can be.

The Word pesto literally means “paste”. It is a fresh basil pasta complement that originated from Italy but is now a common sauce for pasta in restaurants and supermarkets all over the American continent.

The classic pesto ingredients are fresh herbs, cheese, nuts and garlic. Garlic plays a crucial role in giving it an intense yet delightful taste.

Most pesto is uncooked, easy and quick to prepare. One you have blended the key ingredients, it will only be a matter of few minutes away from serving time. Also, with the help of a blender of a food processor you will be able to make pesto efficiently in less time than expected. High ingredients are a must in order to make delicious pesto. Make sure that the herbs and greens you will use are fresh, crispy and dry before blending. Also, buy shelled nuts and shell them immediately before using in order to obtain a better taste. Use the finest-quality cheeses and extra virgin olive use which will ensure quality and flavorful taste in your recipe.

Curiously, pesto improves over time as the flavors blend. For this reason, we recommend preparing it beforehand and storing it covered in the refrigerator at least a couple of hours before using it.

Most pasta cooks prefer extra virgin olive oil for cooking. It contains the pure essence of the olive, extracted from the it’s initial pressing and its flavor is perfect for complementing mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs and other classic pasta ingredients. Its flavor is robust enough to be used as a sauce itself, with few simple additions such as cheese, garlic and herbs.

For certain purposes, other oils such as low-calorie canola oil can be a good replacement for olive oil. It has a mild flavor, so it will not overpower other ingredients. When preparing Asian-style pasta you may wish to use peanut oil, which resists high heat without burning or smoking. Also excellent for Asian cooking is roasted sesame oil due to its unique, smoky, dark delicious flavor.

Butter can also be the natural choice for certain pasta recipes. Cream sauces most times require a little butter. Curry based dishes also traditionally use it.

If you are counting calories or trying to lower your cholesterol another option is not use oil or butter at all. Simple steam garlic, onion and spices with a few tablespoons of water, and voila! You have a nutritious yet flavorful meal. This option works well particularly with vegetable based sauces.

The Central Plaza of Machu Picchu is surrounded by roofless stone structures and steep terraces, with a lovely view of Huayna Picchu. The plaza is the green island amid the Inca stone buildings that make up Machu Picchu, and travelers will often see llamas roaming through the grass and grazing. The Central Plaza’s grassy field separates the Sacred Plaza and Intiwatana from the residential areas on the far side of the complex.

The Temple of the Three Windows on the Sacred Plaza offers a beautiful panorama of the extension and stretch of ancient stairs which descend to the central square creating an atmosphere of magic and power. At the lower end of the Central Plaza is group of prison cells, dark rooms, passageways, and niches extending both underground and above it.

The central attraction of is the Temple of the Condor which has a carving of the head of a condor above a rock pile. Behind the bird is a door to a tiny underground cell. This temple is a fascinating example of the work created by the Incas. Inside the temple, there is also a small cave containing a mummy.

Many people today consider that Machu Picchu is one of the magnetic focal points of the Earth which leads to a spiritual or metaphysical inherent power. In fact, it is virtually impossible to be on the peaks of the mountains of Machu Picchu and not feel the magic emanating from the ruins.

Malbec grapes have been used in wine-making in Europe for centuries, but were not highly regarded. Although used in famous French red wines such as Bordeaux, it was always mixed with other varieties, and its use significantly in the second half of the twentieth century after frost killed 75% of the crop in 1956. Malbec grapes tend to have an inky dark color and robust tannins and is generally mixed with Merlot and Tannat to make dark, full-bodied wines. Malbec grapes are thin-skinned and need more sun and heat than other varieties.

However, nowadays the Malbec grape is used to make some very highly regarded 100% Malbec wines, and this is almost entirely thanks to the Argentinean wine makers. In the past 20 years there has been a revolution in the Argentine wine industry, driven partly by the success of the rich, velvety Malbec.

The Malbec grape was introduced to Argentina in the mid 19^thcentury, but it took almost 100 years before the locals realised what they had. The combination of the sandy soil, low rainfall and sunshine in the western Argentine province of Mendoza produced a wine that was not only extremely good, but that rapidly became much in demand worldwide.

There are other grape varieties grown in Mendoza (including well know ones such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo), but it is Malbec that has made Argentinean wine such a global success. The Mendoza region had been producing wine for generations, but mostly for domestic consumption. However, as the established vineyards realised the potential of the Malbec grape, they brought in experts from France, Italy and Spain to help further improve what was obviously something special. As a result, many large wine producers are now operating in Mendoza, not just Argentines but Americans, Spaniards and Italians. The Mendoza region now produces more than 70% of Argentina’s wine and has helped raise Argentina into the top 10 wines producers in the world. This growth has been spearheaded by the fiery Malbec (perfect with red meats And rich, spicy or hot dishes).

While many countries have guidelines and regulations relating to smoked meats to preserve the reputation of their local products, the rules relating to smoked ham in Spain are among the most stringent in he world. Hams in Spain are not only classified according to how they are prepared, but also the breed, the pre-slaughter diet and region of preparation.

The result of all these requirements is a rich, varied and rather complex range of hams, including Jamón serrano, Jamon Trevélez, Jamon Teruel, Jamón Ibérico, and Jamon Guijuelo. Of these, perhaps the best known is Jamon Serrano, a type of dry-cured ham, which is generally served raw in very thin slices, or occasionally diced. Jamon Serrano is similar to the French jambon de Bayonne and Italian prosciutto crudo.

Most Serrano hams are made from the Landrace breed of white pig and have been regarded as a delicacy since the days of the Roman Empire. Though not particularly expensive in Spain and the European Union, duties imposed on imported meats and exchange rates makes these hams much more costly outside the EU. However, they are well worth paying a little extra for, and can be bought sliced (the most common form), in chunks, or as a complete, bone-in ham.

Serrano ham is prepared by trimming and cleaning the hams which are then stacked and covered in salt to preserve them and draw off any excess moisture. After two weeks or so, the hams are cleaned and then hung to dry for up to 2 years. The drying sheds (known as secaderos) are usually at high elevations, in the mountains, giving this delicacy its name”mountain ham”.

Jamón Ibérico, is a regional variation of Serrrano ham, and considered among the best (Iberico curing houses have twice been elected as “Best ham in the world” in the past 5 years), but is even more expensive.

In Peru, about three thousand different popular holidays are held each year. Most of them are religious in nature and are organized around a patron saint. These traditions were adopted in colonial times, but today have merged and become magical-religious events in a particular region. These religious holidays are added during other celebrations linked to ancient myths that originated purely from indigenous communities habiting the jungle.

Some examples of such traditions or ceremonies are:

· The procession of the Lord of Miracles, Pachamamilla Christ or Moreno Christ where believers through the streets of the capital every year during the month of October since 1687. October is full of Catholic fervor, tradition and hope as the faithful attend the procession with a crucified Christ. Devotees generally wear purple as a symbol of worship.

· Fishermen before heading to the sea before, traditionally entrust themselves daily to Saint Peter, but once a year, on June 29th in Peru a tribute is held above the water in his honor. Fishing boats come to the dock charged with believers who honor the Saint through songs and launching of flower petals to the figure.

· August 30, marks the day of Santa Rosa de Lima, Patroness of the Americas and the Philippines. Santa Rosa de Lima is the name given to a holy, seventeenth century woman from Lima who thanks to a life full of compassion and to the sick became a Saint.

· Day of St. Martin de Porres (now a saint). He was a man who led his life through love and purity for others. He spent his time on earth helping the sick and poor. He died on November 3, 1639 and was canonized by Pope John XXIII on Nov. 3, 1962. He is considered the patron of social justice in Peru and elsewhere.