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Cuy

Friends,

Guinea pig (or cuy as we call it in Ecuador) is a delicacy enjoyed across the northern Andes.  Asking how cuy tastes is akin to asking how chicken tastes. It depends. A well prepared rotisserie cuy has a crunchy skin, meat that falls off the bone and slight hints of savory gaminess mixed with garlic. Like chicken, it’s best enjoyed without silverware. If you can get past the form factor, it’s delicious. Tradition suggests you should wash it down with some canelazo — sweetened hot cinnamon water steeped in naranjilla (solanum quitoense) and mixed with cachaça — so the cuy won’t “kick” (i.e., cause next day discomfort). I highly recommend trying it at Tres Estrellas restaurant in Cuenca --you'll have to reserve a table and tell them how many you're having -- a good rule of thumb is half a cuy per person. If you’re too squeamish, I understand. Perhaps a donut is more your thing.
Happy Friday!



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