6 Days in Peru: A Culinary Love Letter
I’ve been in Peru just short of a week, and already it feels like a lifetime of inspiration has landed in my notebook (and in my belly).
Traveling here is more than sightseeing—it’s a pilgrimage back to flavors that feel like home while also discovering new expressions of ingredients I thought I already knew. These first six days have been about slowing down, tasting everything, and letting Peru remind me why food is the most universal language I speak.
Day 1: Arrival in Barranco
We landed in Lima and tucked into Barranco, a neighborhood humming with music, art, and late-night energy. After years of living rural on the Central Coast, the city sounds alone felt like a dish I’d forgotten to savor—chaotic, layered, and alive. Dinner that night my husband’s favorite: Chifa a Chinese Peruvian culinary tradition based on Cantonese elements fused with traditional Peruvian ingredients and traditions. We ordered way too much and of course devoured it all by the end of the night.
Day 2: Street Carts and Superfoods
In Lima, even the street carts serve up “superfoods.” Aloe-based emolientes, coca teas, and juices that glisten like gems under flickering lights of a menu awning. I’m not usually a green juice kind of girl, but here, a slimy cup of emoliente (aloe and herbs) became a revelation: comforting, medicinal, unexpectedly delicious. I think this is something that I will need to integrate into my daily life, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to recreate the deliciousness of what is found in Peru.
Day 3: Peru’s First Gastronomic Market
We spent the afternoon exploring Peru’s self-described First Gastronomic market. Think the farmer’s market at The Grove in Los Angeles meets the food market stalls of New York— We had table service with access to all the vendors, featuring exclusively Peruvian foods like salchipapas, Peruvian fusion like sushi inspired tacos with Nikkei flair, as well as cocktails brightened with jungle fruits. There was also Pizza, Mexican, Italian, and a variety of world class food. It was a little pricier compared to other foods in the area, and seemed catered more to the hotels and businesses near by—-but it was a wonderful experience.
Day 4: Pastelón with a Twist
We are fortunate to be able to stay in my Mother-In-Law’s apartment and since we are staying here for several weeks, that means enjoying food at home too. Cooking in a tiny apartment kitchen has been its own challenge, but that didn’t stop me from getting creative. Inspired by my Puerto Rican roots and the delicious Peruvian produce available at an arm’s reach, I made a pastelón with plátanos de isla (sweeter, starchier cousins to plantains). It wasn’t traditional—but it was inventive, delicious, and a reminder that creativity always finds a way.
Day 5: Family
Since we are going to be here a few weeks and we have our two little ones, not every day has been about packing in as much as we can. It has been about taking moments to rest, take in the sounds of the city, and just simply enjoy being. This day was my mother-in-law’s 76th birthday and the day became a waiting game for the festivities of the night. Family gathered on the rooftop of the building and we ate delicious Peruvian foods, drank Inka Cola, and watched as our girls saw firsthand the unspoken notes that come with being Peruvian. Baby C also crashed the party next door, tearing up the dance floor and becoming the star of the party.
Day 6: Self-Care
Today my husband and I are practicing self-care. He’s getting a proper shave at a local barbershop and I’m getting my nails done! Something that I’ve not done in years! What a blessing to have this time with my family and in Peru.
What This Week Taught Me
Six days in, I’ve learned that Peru doesn’t just feed you—it teaches you. It shows you how to layer acidity like a painter uses light, how to balance sweetness with spice, and how to let food be both humble and extraordinary.
I can’t wait to bring these lessons home, to fold them into SupSup menus, and to weave them into the way I cook for my family and community.
This is just the beginning.
Upcoming:
Septer 24: Club SupSup: Figs, Flames & Andes (tickets here)
October 16th: Just Desserts (and Wine) (Tickets Here)
