Food and drink

OH MY GOSH! The food here is so good and i'm going to get really fat despite all the walking i do..

well hopefully not..

but anyway, thus far i have tried various homecooked meals with my homestay family.. usually includes rice, beans and some sort of meat (chicken, beef), one time they made some beet mayo salad thing,

lots of times theres a 'menu' where you get a soup and main dish.. and a juice.. for s/4 (which comes out to just over $1)

---digression---
i dont know how i would have managed if i was vegetarian (on top of all the other stress of figuring stuff out in a language i dont know)... however there is alot of fish here, and i was more of a pescatarian than vegetarian, so it wouldnt of been that bad i guess)...... for those who dont know i was a pescatarian for about 5-6 years from high school through college
---end of digression----

some of the names of food that i remember (that ive eaten): papas rellenos, sopa de zapallo, yukita, acuna (yummy caramel nut thing), alfajor de castenedas (biscuit with sweet thing inside), ensalada de fruta, chicharrones (fried meat, had the fish one), jamoneda (often served with bread for bfast), cabrito, chupete (homemade popcycle), antichukos, cebiche (various seafood, and a black clam one), shambar (only served on mondays in Trujillo; wasn't really my favorite), pique (rocotto and aji), pepian de chocho, chupa de congrejos (the best soup i've ever had), maracuya (fruit), ajo de gallina (yellow cream chicken dish), olluquito (finely french cut potato with meat pieces), lomo saltado (sliced meat, bell pepper, onion over french fries), arroz con mariscos (fried rice, fish), budin (bread pudding, YUM), crema volteada (like flan), arroz con leche (rice pudding), chicha morada (purple corn sweet drink), papa a la huancaina (boiled potato with cheese sauce),

did i mention that bananas are so much better here!!! lots of the fruits and veggies have so much more flavor ... however i think i like tomatoes in the states better..

distinction: chicharron is pork rinds.. chicharron de pescado is fried fish...

hecho en casa means homemade....

so i was told traditionally there is rice, potato and/or beans with each meal.. ceviche is huge here (originated from here??).. i have yet to try cui (apprently its very delicious.. but i dont like alot of meat as it is, so its not something im dying to try)..

i had a peruvian beer called Cerveza Pilsen Trujillo.. street signs have this brand name on them!
and of course the pisco sour

i have not tried the quail eggs or the cuiy.. i'm not really inclined to have either.. i dont seek out red meat as it is... and i have opportunities in the states to try quail eggs and i wasn't interested then or now...

Oh.. btw.. CHIFA ... apparently means cook rice in chinese...