Guinea Pig Food Peru

Media caption inside a guinea pig farm.

Guinea pig food peru. In the past few years their. It wasn t until the spanish came and started sending guinea pigs to europe that the furry creatures were treated as pets. Believe it or not guinea pigs originated in the andean region colombia ecuador bolivia and peru and were originally raised specifically for eating. The peruvian guinea pig dish cuy is mostly served on special occasions rather than as a meal eaten regularly but is readily available for adventurous tourists to try in restaurants or at.

History of guinea pigs. As you might have guessed guinea pigs are not beloved pets in peru. Instead they are a traditional and important source of protein in the andes where they are known as cuy pronounced coo ee named after the sound the animal makes guinea pig meat was an important part of the pre colonial diet in peru way before the europeans introduced chicken pigs and cows to south america and it has. What they are is a delicious delicacy best served with potatoes and salsa.

In peru it s estimated that some 65 million guinea pigs are consumed each year. So upon arrival in cusco peru we knew that part of our culinary adventure had to be cuy or guinea pig. Cultivated by the incas in the andes for centuries the guinea pig was cheaper to raise and required less room to farm than pigs and cattle. The number of cuy that a family owned was indicative of their social status.

Eating guinea pigs in peru was once the food of the nobles only enjoyed by the upper echelon of society. In fact guinea pigs were so valuable that they could be used to barter for other items if the family didn t have any spare cash. Guinea pigs are cute and cuddly and eating one is like eating your. While it might seem unconventional to tuck into furry critters better known as domesticated pets in the west.

People have compared its taste to chicken rabbit or. Peruvians don t keep them as pets. Guinea pig cuy is a delicacy that is very typically associated with typical peruvian cuisine but it is also eaten throughout other countries of south america such as ecuador colombia and bolivia. Yes that little hamster like creature you had as a childhood pet is somewhat of a delicacy in the andean highlands and has been a traditional part of the peruvian and bolivian diets since pre colonial times.

They re not pigs and they don t come from guinea. A traditional food guinea pig called cuy in peru has been served whole on special occasions since inca times.