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Authentic Peruvian Food used in traditions
As with all cultures, Peruvian food is used to help mark special celebrations and traditions. Just as the cuisine itself is multicultural, so too are Peruvian holidays which often combine pre-Colombian practices with Catholicism which was introduced by the Spanish and still the country’s primary religion today.
Peruvian food shapes how locals celebrate Christmas for example. Panetone with hot chocolate is a typical holiday treat that combines traditions from two continents. Panetone is a sweet Italian dessert bread made of sugary dough loaded with nuts and dried fruit. It originated in Italy but became a Peruvian food tradition thanks to the influence of Italian culture in the Catholic church. Hot chocolate, meanwhile, had been drank unsweetened by native people for millennia. As with nearly all Peruvian food, hot chocolate fused the native tradition with a European sensibility to result in the sweet drink consumed today.
The country’s independence day celebration also makes historically multicultural Peruvian food dishes a focal point. Desserts which evolved during the Spanish colonial period are especially popular such as sweet rice or corn puddings, fried doughs and apple pastries.
Peruvian Food for Everyone
A common misconception about Peruvian food is that it’s extremely spicy and therefore too strong for many people. Nothing could be further from the truth! While peppers are widely used in so many dishes, there are over 300 varieties of peppers to choose from! As a result, even a dish made of mostly peppers could be made sweet, smokey or yes, even spicy depending on the chef’s choice or specific local preferences.
Furthermore, because Peruvian food is so diverse in terms of both ingredients and cultural influences, there is truly at least one dish to please everyone. Peruvian food lovers often are introduced to the cuisine through another, more familiar tradition whether Spanish, African, Japanese or Chinese.
Another consideration many Americans today have involves dietary restrictions. Thankfully, because Peruvian food has so many diverse ingredients, it can be customized to suit all dietary restrictions. Those who are gluten free in particular can enjoy filling and delicious carbs based on corn, quinoa and potatoes. How to tell if Peruvian Food is authentic One way to tell if Peruvian food is authentic is to research the cook or dining establishment in question. Does their website or menu descriptions mention ways in which the food is a multicultural fusion? Do they include mention of traditional dishes or ingredients listed above? Beware of establishments that present Peruvian food as a one dimensional experience or emphasize spicy heat above all other flavors.
Another common misconception is that authentic Peruvian food is only made at home or in high end establishments. There are many popular chains in Peru that make excellent Peruvian food for the masses. The most popular chains usually center on pollo a la brasa since this is such a family friendly meal.
What to order at a Peruvian Food to Restaurant
Pollo a la brasa is also an excellent choice for those new to Peruvian food who find themselves curious about a Peruvian restaurant. Chicken and potatoes, which comprise most of this meal, are the most widely eaten foods in the entire world and the United States in particular. Since this dish also often comes with a variety of sauces, this meal is also an excellent way to tailor Peruvian food in a group setting. Every diner should simply choose the sauce best suited to his or her taste!
Florida’s greatest Peruvian Food restaurants
Whether new to the cuisine or a longtime gastronic aficionado, La Granja is always an excellent choice for Peruvian food in Florida. The food takes advantage of Peruvian food’s delicious flavors and healthy ingredients but served in a casual atmosphere with fast service. La Granja is ideal for dates, family meals, office outings and even just a workday lunch.
With multiple locations throughout the state, La Granja serves much of the area in Southern Florida. Franchise locations include: Lake Worth, Pembrooke Pines, Wellington, Miami Gardens, Orlando proper, Riviera, Miami, Kissimmi, Oakland Park and West Palm Beach.
La Granja is proud to bring the culinary heritage which developed through the centuries of cultural exchange combined with natural abundance that has shaped Peruvian food. Discover why Peruvian food has earned a global reputation for mouth watering quality at La Granja!
Authentic Pollo a la Brasa at La Granja Restaurants
Pollo a la brasa is available with a variety of sides at La Granja restaurants across Florida. This traditional Peruvian dish is full of flavor and nutrition. Using spices always found in Peruvian food, Pollo a la brasa is a favorite dinner made at home and as a street food. It’s popularity has climbed as more and more traditional dishes are making their way to mainstream cuisine. Pollo a la brasa is a roasted chicken that has been marinated in a mixture of special ingredients. Served with rice and beans, this dish is a Peruvian food classic. Choose from a quarter chicken, a half chicken or a whole chicken a La Granja. Their menu includes options to add other side dishes served in Peruvian cuisine. Restaurant goers can try a wonderful version of bananas to go with their chicken. Providing a texture variety, the bananas are often a favorite as soon as they hit anyone’s taste buds.
Other Peruvian dishes served at La Granja In Florida
La Granja serves many traditional styles of Peruvian food. Their grilled steak and pork platters are filled with delectable spices and a variety of textures. The spice mixture used in their dishes makes La Granja a Florida favorite. Guests enjoy their grilled steak sandwich as well as their pork fajitas. Staying true to their Peruvian roots, they also offer seafood options that delight many of their customers. The flavor profile and authentic cooking techniques used by the team at La Granja makes their restaurant a desirable place to eat.
Serving a variety of options, La Granja offers affordable specials on Peruvian food. Their ¼ chicken platter is a favorite among Florida residents. It comes with flavorful rice and traditionally prepared beans. The roasted chicken is a balanced meal that is healthy and mouthwatering. A far cry from other fast lunch options, Monday- Friday, La Granja offers a special on their bestselling chicken platter. For the same price as a fast food burger meal, Florida residents can enjoy an authentic Peruvian food experience at La Granja. For a complete list of La Granja locations serving authentic Peruvian food, visit them online.
Hmm, Ceviche— ¡que rico! But what exactly is ceviche?
One staple of Latin fare is ceviche, a citrusy seafood dish. Cured in lemon, lime, or other acidic fruit juices, ceviche is a raw seafood dish that must be prepared and enjoyed fresh. The requisite seafood is commonly a white fish, like flounder, mahi mahi, tilapia, sea bass, or sole, and shrimp. One way to think of ceviche is that it’s like a shrimp cocktail with flair and, likely, fish, too. It can be prepared any number of fabulous ways and most interpretations are gluten-free, low carb, and dairy-free (though ask, because you do find ceviche with milk from time to time.)
What’s in ceviche?
Versions of ceviche exist across Latin America, but at La Granja, we prepare ours the Peruvian way—and with pride! Peru is commonly seen as the originator of ceviche. While you may find Peruvian ceviches made with lemon or lime, it’s also commonly made using tumbo, or poro poro, a fruit from the Peruvian Highlands. Ceviche isn’t just seafood with acidic fruit juice, though.
In the Peruvian style, ceviche often has potatoes, corn, onions, cilantro, garlic, peppers, and whatever else the chef or home-cook adds for zest, like mango or avocado. The potatoes may be white or sweet potatoes and the corn may be one of many varieties, such as giant white Cuzco corn. These jumbo kernels are called choclo. If you’re a Goya fan, you might have noticed Goya Los Andes Choclo Desgranado at the supermarket. This is the type of corn you often see in Peruvian ceviche (but not always!); the kernels are chewier and not sweet in the same way sweet corn is. In fact, choclos are kind of a starch fest. That being said, there are plenty of ceviches out there that make use of sweet corn instead. For contrast, Peruvian ceviche may include another type of corn, maiz cancha, a crunchy corn, in addition to choclos. They are super delicioso, as well. And, as is the case with much home-cooking, many homemakers and amateur chefs use whatever is available, either at their local market or already in their kitchen.
What’s the origin of ceviche?
You may be wondering just how such a festive seafood dish came to be. Legend has it that pre-Columbian people cured fish using local acidic fruit juices like passion fruit and tumbo. The Incans cured seafood in chicha, which is basically a corn beer. So the indigenous people of Latin America started making the predecessor to ceviche a millennium ago! With Spanish conquerers arriving in the 1500s, these indigenous dishes started to shift due to trade and European influence. The Spanish brought bitter oranges and limes from their Mediterranean climate to Peru. Some food experts point out that Japanese cuisine has influenced modern-day ceviche, as there are many Japanese immigrants in Peru. Modern-day ceviches sometimes have a texture almost like sushi.
Seafood Fare at La Granja
At La Granja, you can order ceviche de pescado or ceviche mixto. Ceviche de pescado is ceviche with fish. Ceviche mixto is mixed ceviche with fish and shrimp.
Ceviche is not the only seafood option at La Granja. Of course, when you think of La Granja, you might not think of seafood. You probably have our famous Peruvian chicken in mind! That’s pollo a la brasa, Peruvian rotisserie chicken for the unfamiliar. Or perhaps you’re a fan of our irresistible rice and beans, yuca, or tostones. If you’ve tried our delectable chicken and sides, you should try our seafood and fall for it just as hard.
La Granja seafood platters include:
• Criollo fish, served with two side orders • Criollo fish with shrimp, served with two side orders • Fish in spicy sauce, served with two side orders • Fish in spicy sauce with shrimp, served with two side orders • Garlic fish, served with two side orders • Garlic fish with shrimp, served with two side orders
The side orders are just as much culinary fun as the main shebang. Sides include white rice, yuca, tostones, black beans, French fries, yellow rice, fried bananas, garlic potatoes, and house salad.
That’s not all the seafood possibilities we have. There are also our specialties, which do not come with sides but are fabulous all on their own. La Granja seafood specialties include:
• Seafood rice • Macho fish • Seafood fried rice • Fried fish chunks • Fried calamari • Personal fried seafood • Family fried seafood • Seafood gumbo
La Granja also offers quick seafood options that are great when you want a bite to eat for lunch. For lunch specials, try:
• Fish sandwich served with French fries • Fish fillet with rice, beans, bananas, and sodaFind out more about La Granja’s ceviche and other seafood dishes at www.lagranjarestaurants.com.