With the arrival of the first conquistadors to Inca lands, around the year 1542, a process began which, in the case of gastronomy, meant the union of two completely different cuisines. The case was different regarding culture and beliefs, where the strength of the conquerors served to subjugate and diminish the ancestral customs of the original peoples of America.
Two different cultures, one unique result
Andean cuisine had a strong presence of natural products from those lands. Corn and quinoa—unknown to the Spanish until then—formed the basis of a wide range of dishes and cooking methods which differed greatly from those known by the conquerors. The inhabitants of various pre-Columbian civilizations in the lands of present-day Peru had developed an important cuisine based on marine products.
On their part, when the Spaniards arrived, they brought their own culinary customs and products, most of which were unknown in these lands. Beef and pork were something never seen before by the indigenous peoples of America. The same happened with horses, which in many conquered areas, besides serving as transportation, became part of the meat menu. The Spaniards also introduced products such as onions and radishes, and the use of poultry eggs had been unknown before their arrival.
Gradually, Spanish cuisine combined with products and methods of Andean cooking led to the birth of a new Peruvian culinary identity, as a product of this blending. In Peruvian gastronomy, unlike phenomena where one cuisine overtakes the other, existing dishes of both cuisines not only coexist but are mainly enriched by the new ingredients.
The birth of colonial Peruvian cuisine
One of the most illustrative examples of this culinary fusion is the pachamanca. Far from disappearing as a typical dish, it evolved into a ritual and was enriched by incorporating beef, chicken, and pork.
The huatia, a more traditional and older dish than the pachamanca, was also enriched by this fusion, as it incorporated beans and cheese into its preparation.
The Andean cuisine gladly incorporated an invaluable contribution that crossed the seas with the conquistadors: milk and its derivatives. Butter and cheeses quickly became ingredients in various dishes. Along with dairy products, sugar was introduced, which now allows the enjoyment of sweet humitas in some regions to this day.
The Spaniards brought not only their culinary traditions but also influences they had received elsewhere. For example, ceviche, as we know it today, shows deep Arab influences, which resulted from the Moors' presence in Spain.
Another dish that gained prominence in Peruvian cuisine through Spanish influence—despite not being originally Spanish—is pasta. This is because Italian cuisine had already become deeply rooted in the palates of the old continent and reached Peru early. It is a common misconception that pasta arrived in America with Italian immigrants at the end of the 19th century; by that time, it was already well accepted and prepared in Peru.
When the whole is much more than the sum of its parts
Colonial Peruvian cuisine is much more than the union of two gastronomic cultures; it is a multiplier result that gave rise to new and more delicious dishes, taking the best of each culinary tradition.
To highlight these values, we can point out four main influences: the first comprises the foods, drinks, and preparation methods existing prior to the conquest. The second is the contribution of each region of Peru to the entire culinary spectrum. The third is the influence of Spanish products and cooking techniques. Finally, there is the perseverance of many chefs in blending both cuisines.
This process laid the foundation for new and more exquisite fusion dishes with other world cuisines, shaping the current culinary scene admired today, starting from the 19th century.
