Peruvian Food and Artisan Jewelry

Trips to Peru include adventures in Miraflores, the bustling part of Lima where we reside when we’re in Peru. Much of my “down” time is spent shopping and dining, which I heartily recommend to anyone visiting Peru. I also love to visit art galleries and cafes, which is what I’ll be doing while my sister and family are touring Cusco and The Sacred Valley.  I spent the day yesterday hunting for new and special designs for our website of Peruvian artisan jewelry. I’ve shopped Peruvian artisan markets for decades, walking miles and sorting through the entire spectrum from average to remarkable workmanship. The Tikanchay site features an unmatched collection that was chosen with a discerning eye for design and an understanding of the art of quality handcrafting. Here’s an example of what I mean, artisan necklaces, which feature lots of native materials like red seeds from the Amazon jungle. One memorable evening I had dinner at an Italian restaurant in Miraflores with my friend, Connie who is also one of the silver jewelry artisans that I work with here in Lima.  It was a wonderful dinner and though I resisted dessert, the dessert menu was two pages long and everything looked tempting.  Connie had a creme brulee that arrived at the table with a delicate bird’s nest of caramel colored spun sugar.  She saw the owner on television saying that it takes three days to make from start to finish, which is a little less than it takes to make the Tikanchay Ethereal necklace of silver filigree. That takes over five days!  The restaurant is a happy and clozy place called La Trattoria Di Mambrino.  It’s located on a charming, pedestrian only street called Manuel Bonilla. It is located in the thriving center of Miraflores, just across from Parque Kennedy.  I will definitely take my husband there for a romantic dinner soon!  He arrives to Lima tomorrow and we’re off to Arequipa and the Colca Valley for several days, meeting that itinerant family of mine.  I can’t wait to hear all about their experiences…for now I leave you with a little something to whet your palate for a taste of Peru: a link to a simple recipe for Papa a la Huancaina, one of my favorite Peruvian dishes and one that will be as appealing to those looking for vegetarian recipes as it is to other food lovers.    Have some fun, cook a little and shop a little, while I go pack!