I recently traveled to Peru and was in awe of every aspect of the country.  From the ancient ruins around every corner to the artwork, to the incredible flora and fauna, and of course, THE FOOD!

For the Quechuan people, food is not just a staple on which to survive; it is a way of connecting with the earth.  They present offerings of nuts, grains, and even alcohol to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).  When I first saw people dumping their chicha (corn beer) on the floor of a restraunt, I wondered why they were being so rude and wasteful, but my new Peruvian friend explained to me that they were respecting their Pacha Mama by giving the first drink to her. 

Peruvians take great pride in their cuisine.  They boast of more than 2000 varieties of potatoes, promote quinoa, and show great excitement when trying to get tourists to try their native favorites of chicharones, ceviche, local trout, and even guinee pig. 

Before embarking on my journey to Peru, I set one rule for myself, which was to try everything that I had the opportunity to try.  I held myself to that rule and I had an incredible gastronomic adventure!

You can not have Mortadella without Bologna and vice versa.  it is part of Bolognese history and culture.  Andrea from Alcisa tells me it is part of his DNA.  You can catch the aroma as you walk down the porticos in the old city.  In my tour of their production facility I learned all about prosciutto and salame as well.  We followed it up with a tasting of their products and a spumante.   Interestingly, Salame is not aged as much as in the states.  

when you have gelato!  After nine days in Italy, I can truly say eating gelato was one of my favorite experiences.  We learned to look for signs indicating that it was made in house or "Artigiano".  From fior de latte, pistachio, deep dark chocolate, salted caramel, gianduja, grapefruit & mango, each flavor made for a refreshing break in the day.  At cioccolat I taliani in Milano there were white, milk & dark chocolate sauces continuously pouring out of spouts ready to top or fill a cone.  As I sat in the sun drenched piazza enjoying my scoop, I could see how this could become a daily habit.

How much pizza is too much pizza?  1 Eggplant Pizza + 1 Margherita Pizza = 2 Much!  Our neighbors seemed to have no trouble each putting down their own pie at Pizzeria Spacca Napoli in Bologna.  The four of us just managed to finish one!  The crust was chewy and bubbly, a far cry from the pre-made crust in Milano.  Although there were blackened spots, it did not have the burned taste that comes from too hot an oven.  The tomato sauce was light, while the cheese was predominant.  Stuffed to the gills, we strolled back with to go boxes, which were shared with the hotel staff.