Cuy Chactado
Today we drove out to the city limits to eat at a very popular traditional restaurant overlooking the farmland outside the city. I wanted to give cuy chactado, or deep-fried guinea pig, another shot, because the first couple of times I just couldn’t get past its rat-like countenance staring back at me while I tried to eat it. This place was famous for their cuy though and it lived up to its reputation. The skin was extremely crisp and flavorful and the meat, although extremely hard to dig out due to its stringy texture, was excellent as well. The only downside of the meal is that there is always a little cuy guilt after eating one of the little guys, because when they’re alive they’re so damn cute. After they’ve been cooked up; however, I can’t say they’re all that attractive:
They actually have a bunch of shirts here poking fun at cuy, one of which I bought the other day in downtown Arequipa:
After seeing a guinea pig Mr. T. I can safely say I have seen it all.
