LIMA—In Spanish, the word mistura means “mixture,” which makes it the perfect name for Peru’s annual culinary festival. After all, the South American country serves up the world’s first — and arguably finest — truly global fusion food.
Over the five centuries since the Spanish arrived here, the simple grain-based cuisine of the Incas has been flavoured by waves of African, Asian, European and Middle Eastern newcomers. Combine that with the bounty of 85 climatic zones and 12 regional cuisines from coast, sierra and jungle, and you have an astonishing “mistura” indeed.
More than half-a-million people visit the Mistura festival during its 10-day run in early September (this year it runs Sept. 6 to 15), making it the biggest culinary event in Latin America. Chefs from throughout the Spanish-speaking world and as far away as Italy, Belgium and Australia come to prepare dishes before appreciative audiences. Academics and politicians attend forums to debate such topics as “Andean Grains and Nutrition” and “Amazonia, Gastronomy and Biodiversity.”
Mistura is about more than just food, though. It is also a celebration of culture: a festival of vibrant sights, sounds and ideas that transcend the country’s often bitter politics. Music is a big part of it — the festival schedule includes salsa, creole, folk, fusion and rock performances.
Organized by Apega, the Peruvian Gastronomy Association, Mistura has grown quickly since its launch in 2007 by Gastón Acurio, the Peruvian celebrity chef who’s been credited with igniting his nation’s passion for its cuisine and, through that, a profound sense of national self-esteem.
“It was time to do it. We’ve been united the last 15 years building this pride in our food, in our country,” says Acurio.
“For the last 180 years, we were a country that had an independence that was political, and not emotional. With food, finally we got our emotional independence. We started believing in ourselves. And with our food we could seduce everyone in the world.”
The centrepiece of the festival is the Grand Market, where more than 250 small farmers and large producers from across Peru showcase the fruits of the Pachamama (Mother Earth). That includes ancient grains (such as quinoa, kiwicha and cañihua), coffee, cacao and estimated 3,000 varieties of potatoes for which Peru is famous.
Another festival highlight is the Pisco and Coffee Salon, where visitors can discover the subtleties of Peru’s brandy, pisco, and inhale the aromas of coffees from across Peru. At the Chocolate Stand more than 30 exhibitors demonstrate the various uses of Peruvian cacao, from hot chocolate to ice cream. In the Bread Corner, bakers produce more than 50 types of bread, made of everything from potato to cheese.
Whatever it is you’re hungry for, Mistura almost certainly has some, and the appetite for it seems to just keep expanding.
Says Acurio, “We started to show people what food could do for our country. And then one day, magic happened.”
If you go....
The official website for Mistura is www.mistura.pe, which is in Spanish, but has downloadable information in English. Numerous tour companies organize visits around Mistura; among them is Gourmet Tour Peru, gourmettravelperu.com.
For information on travel to Peru, visitperu.travel/en/.
More stories at www.culturelocker.com.
