What? An ancient pyramid in the center of town?
Yup, Lima has one right in the Miraflores district. On my first visit to Lima in 2010, I stayed across the street from this marvel; this time we were a few miles away. Constructed in terraces, the adobe and clay structure dates from the fifth century. It now serves as an archeological museum and one of the top restaurants in Lima. Nope, I didn’t eat there, but I did enjoy other culinary delights.
In the 1980s, Wendy’s famous ad campaign asked “Where’s the beef?” In Argentina, they have plenty of beef, lots and lots of beef, as well as pork and lamb. The question to ask instead is “Where’s the veggies?”
When eating out in Buenos Aires, finding a vegetable other than salad (arugula, shredded carrots, avocado, and tomatoes) was a real challenge. A typical menu would have several types of grilled carne (beef): Bife de Chorizo, Ojo de Bife, Bife Angosto, Bife de Costilla. I never did get them straight. If you didn’t specify jugoso (juicy), it was always done medium-well. Most portions are generous, big enough to share. It’s a matter of national pride. You’d often see the big parrillas (grills) with men cooking large amounts of meat showcased on the street or in an open window. Their local rock stars!
On my recent trip to Sicily, I was determined to visit Santa Ninfa and Partanna where my grandparents were born. At the last minute, the agriturismo we had booked in Santa Ninfa cancelled our reservations (they were having serious mechanical problems) so we decided to stay in Sciacca, a small fishing village that was a reasonable driving distance south on the Mediterranean coast. Continue reading
accidental goddess 