Pandemic Tales from Peru: Penélope Alzamora Whilst international travel remains largely restricted, Aracari is still bringing you inspiring tales of people and culture from Peru, Bolivia, and the Galapagos. This month Aracari spoke with Peruvian Chef, Penélope Alzamora, our close friend and associate who for many years has looked after Aracari’s VIP guests on culinary experiences and cooking classes in Lima. In recent months she has witnessed first-hand how Lima's world-famous food scene has been affected by the global pandemic, whilst simultaneously observing the values that triumph in adversity. Peru's Food Culture "To understand food is to understand culture", declares Penélope. Undoubtedly, Peruvian food reflects the melting pot of cultures that the country is. Before we delve into the effects of the pandemic, it’s important to understand how the gastronomy of Peru came to be; "First there was the Incas, who harvested quinoa, amaranth, cacao ... then the Spanish, who brought with them ingredients like tomato, onion, peppers ... the African population, who cooked with chilies, pulses, offal ... and the Japanese, who fished the ocean and even introduced our modern way of preparing Ceviche." New Andean Cuisine Contemporary Peruvian cuisine, the dishes served up in some of Lima's best restaurants, is a (re)discovery of the native ingredients and exotic flavors found across Peru - an area that features 28 of the UN's 32 recognized climates in the world. This diversity of environments is reflected in the array of cooking ingredients and produce to be found in markets across Peru. It was whilst touring the food markets in Peru for the TV series, Aventura Culinaria, that Penélope’s former business partner, Chef Gastón Acurio (Astrid y Gastón), saw the opportunity to put Peru on the gastronomic map of the world. Penélope says "No person has been more influential in creating this