The Everything Peruvian Cookbook: Includes Conchitas a la Parmesana, Chicken ...

OK, so I'm biased. Although a "gringa", I've lived in Peru and Ecuador and visited many other Latin American countries. Of all these countries, Peru, IMO, has the finest, tastiest cuisine. I learned to cook in Latin America, moving south of the border straight from university, but I can't say I learned all 300 of these recipes living there. This book has an excellent selection of sweet, savory, and spicy dishes and now I can add to my repertoire.Most of the ingredients for these recipes are available here but in some areas of the U.S. it will be more difficult to get hold of Peruvian corn (I can get it frozen in my local Latin American market) and rocoto and yellow hot peppers. My market does have rocoto paste and yellow pepper paste (and I've seen that Amazon has these available for purchase also) but some recipes may need the fresh peppers and they're really not to be found. I've found that Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers can be substituted for the yellow pepper, but there's nothing that compares to a fresh rocoto. (Don't even think of using some Mexican pepper for this.) But almost all the other ingredients for Peruvian cooking are easily accessible.Super food, super recipes. If you're an adventurous cook but are not familiar with Peruvian food, don't pass up this opportunity to prepare some really great meals.Edited on 4/17/2014 to add: I suppose nothing in life is perfect. The recipe for "pastel de choclo" on page 44 is authentic but I suggest adding 1-2 cups of finely shredded cheese such as 6 Cheese Italian to make it even tastier and of a better texture. I've always made it that way and my Peruvian husband is quite happy with my version. Without the cheese, the recipe is too much like pudding.

I had the opportunity to try the Authentic Peruvian food in a visit to Peru like two years ago. I was delighted to buy and cook with Morena's cookbook and find those recipes easy to follow, and with the taste that I remember. They have a variety of dishes for everyone in the family.Those recipes are easy to follow, low cost and with easy to find ingredients, and as an extra bonus, they are absolutely delicious.I will recommended for everyone that likes to try some new dishes and innovate their menus.

I own three other Peruvian cookbooks, including one gotten there, and like this best. There's a history of Peruvian cuisine, a good glossary at the back explaining things like the differences between the several common types of aji (chile peppers), and it covers a wide range of recipes, techniques, ingredients. The recipes are just detailed enough, well organized; just read through all the way before starting. The recipe for yucca fries is better than my other books and made a better version. Of course, in the US the main problem is getting ingredients of good quality, fresh like in Peru, or even finding them at all. There could be more simple recipes for various vegetables, but after eating in Peru it really does reflect their cuisine; there are few two or three ingredient dishes. There aren't as many photos as other books, but that's OK because trying to replicate what idealized (photo-styled) dishes should supposedly look like is less important than getting the taste right. Numerous good quinoa recipes. Try the Lima-style Rice with Pork--yummy.

I so far have made manjar blanco and alfajores and they both came out so amazing. Super easy recipes. I purchased this because as a teacher I am involved with a Spanish camp and this summer we are focusing the culture on Peru and the recipes from this book will come in handy. Plus, I just love Peruvian food so I cannot wait to make more including my favorite Aji de gallina. Great book and can't wait to make more recipes!

Some good recipes recipes but not enough pictures. The sparse pictures are in the middle of the book and not with the recipes. Frankly without the pictures one simply just can't get inspired.

Bought it for who is my husband now, we were dating . He loves cooking and he loved the food from my country and as I don't cook I decided to give this to him as a gift. He learned so many dishes from here, and pisco drinks! Now he knows some even by heart but we still try different recipes from this book all the time. We both love it!

Great easy recipes. Having traveled to Peru 20 times in the past, and having many friends and family members there I have to say I've had enough experience with Peruvian cuisine to know that this a a good basic place to start. The only shortcoming would be lack of photos. I've tried several recipes so far and my partner who is Peruvian loves them.

If you want to make Lomo Saltado at home, look elsewhere. This cookbook is incredibly vague. If you want a temperature guide other than the relative terms like “hot” and “hotter” just go find another book now. This is more of a spiritual guide to reading the ingredient list of your favorite Peruvian foods. You know, something to meditate on, because there aren’t any detailed descriptions. I was going to cook lomo saltado. The recipe calls for French fries. You know what the recipe in this book says? Cook slices of potato hot. Then cook them again hotter. Thanks to Grace Young’s cookbook I know that is 300*F and again at 360*F. And you know that iconic green sauce served at every Peruvian restaurant? Anji Verde according to a quick internet search. Well if it exists in this cookbook I can’t find it. In a day and age when recipes for literally everything can be found free online it is pretty audacious to charge money for vague recipes that are missing the iconic Peruvian green sauce. I give this two stars because I haven’t delved deeply into this book, bet every recipe I go to has been the same vague mess.