The Guinea Pig is the Cuy or Quwi
BackYou should know what a Guinea Pig looks like: you know, those little cute and chubby animals that sort of remind us of the hamsters and tailless rats at the same time. But if you were to ask anyone in the Andean region of South America --where these small animals come from- not a single person would know what is a "puerco de Guinea" as it translates into Spanish. That is because the real name of a Guinea Pig is Quwi --in Runasimi language- or Cuy in Spanish. The wrong name was made up when European invaders confused this Andean rodent with a little pig from Guinea. You know, Europeans think they are entitled to name everything according to their way of thinking, therefore the rodent Cuy is considered a pig for most English-speakers in the world, and also it's considered a pet and not a source of food as most Andean people see it. Because I grew up in the Andes of Peru, I have tasted the Cuy several times. This rodent are not considered pets in Peru, and once cooked it becomes a tasty but small delicacy of similar taste of chicken or maybe rabbit. Of course the Cuy flavor may depend on how it has been richly seasoned, roasted on the grill, deep fried or boiled in stoned-ovens. It also depends on what region it's been cooked, served with regional sauces and vegetables from specific parts of Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador, and northern Argentina and Chile, and other countries where Native Quechua people have migrated, including the US hey, eaten Cuy in Virginia and Maryland, close to Washington, DC where Andean immigrants raised them to cook them. Few days ago, the Cuyes from Peru made the news around the Anglo-speaking world, as people of the coastal town of Huacho celebrated a food festival where the Cuy was the main and central dish. For people who think that Cuys are pigs and pets, this news seemed particularly curious and even disgusting. Personally I think a well cooked Cuy is delicious, depending on how is being made, and presented. I prefer to eat it without the feet and head, but for many Andean people, those are some of the most exquisite parts to enjoy. My Cuyes Over a year ago, a friend of mine here in Washington, DC gave me a couple of Cuyes to raise them as pets. Although they were born and raised in the US (no need to report them to ICE), but I decided to name them with Peruvian names: Rumi (stone in Runasimi language) and Chibolo (little boy in Peruvian Spanish). They never got along, so I had to get rid of one. So far I've been able to keep only Chibolo, even though he is the most mischievous and loud Cuy I've ever seeing. And Rumi ended up in the kitchen of a Bolivian America family, friends of mine who appreciated the gift of course. Now, here is a video I made of both Cuyes few months ago.
Category: Animals
Uploaded: July 23rd, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
Author: Peruanista
Length: 02:21
Rating:
Views: 1,255
Tags: andes cuy cuyes guinea peru pets pigs
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