Señor Cuy In San Isidro: Yes, Peruvians Eat Guinea Pigs |
| Published: September 4, 2007, 6:07 am |
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For many visitors to Peru, there is something fascinating about the fact (some) Peruvians eat cuy.In English, these are known as guinea pigs, those cuddly little animals favored by children as pets in much of North America and Europe.Well, in Peru, people do eat guinea pigs (although, not all Peruvians will eat it; it is considered a dish of the Andean region, and those who live outside the Andes, or who don't have ties to the Andes, often balk at the thought of eating them).Yes, they are rodents, of the cavia porcellus species.But, they are also herbivores, which means that in Peru, where they are raised as a source of protein, they are fed grass and alfalfa.In the Andes, guinea pigs have been raised as a food for the last seven thousand years. In fact, prior to the Conquest, cuy strains were much larger than we know them today; over time, their size diminished as cuy was displaced as a meat by the introduction of non-native animals such as beef, pork, and lamb.As a child, I grew up [ Full article ] |
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