Peruvian cuisine

Peruvian cuisine refers to the culinary and gastronomical traditions of Peru, which originated in the pre-Columbian indigenous populations in its three main geographical regions along the Pacific coast, the Andes and the Amazonian areas. Some of the fare blends traditions that came after the arrival of the Spaniards in the 1530s, with immigrants from Europe (Spanish cuisine, Italian cuisine, and German cuisine), Asia (Chinese cuisine and Japanese cuisine), the Middle East, and Africa (Maghrebi cuisine and West African cuisine). Lacking ingredients often available in their original countries, these immigrants blended their recipes with those locally available in Peru. The four traditional staples of Peruvian cuisine are corn; potatoes and other tubers; Amaranthaceae (quinoa, kañiwa and kiwicha); and legumes (beans and lupins). Staples brought by the Spanish include rice, wheat and meats (beef, pork and chicken). Many traditional foods—such as quinoa, kiwicha, chili peppers, and several roots and tubers—have increased in popularity in recent decades, reflecting a revival of interest in native Peruvian foods and culinary techniques. Chef Gastón Acurio has become well known for raising awareness of local ingredients. The most important ingredient in Peruvian cuisine is the potato, as Peru has the widest variety of potatoes in the world. American food critic Eric Asimov has described it as one of the world's most important cuisines and an exemplar of fusion cuisine, due to its long multicultural history.