Wednesday, April 12, 2006

 

Cuy

Our last day in Cuenca, we wanted to take the Molina family out to eat. We asked them to suggest a restaurant and they all thought we needed a nice Cuy lunch before we left Ecuador.

I have to tell you I had avoided Cuy on my previous four visits to Ecuador, but the time had come to sample the local delicacy. Cuy (pronounced Kwee) is guinea pig. We went to a restaurant renowned for their cuy, but we also ordered a platter of chicken.

This is a roast cuy. You can see the little feet. Chela pointed out to Ray, that these make convenient little handles for eating the cuy with one's fingers. You can't see the head in this picture, but trust me, it was there.

How did it taste? Well—you expected me to say "like chicken," didn't you? Some people think it tastes like rabbit. I've never eaten rabbit, so I can't compare. It tasted a bit like duck to me—a little stringy, very boney, but the crispy skin was quite tasty. Andy just couldn't bring himself to try it, but the rest of us managed to reduce it to a pile of teeny, tiny bones.


Comments:
Ew, ew, ew. Sorry, but I think I would have had to pass on that. My plan when I arrive at the pearly gates is to announce proudly that I never, knowingly, ate a rodent. So, all you cuy, bunnies, hamsters, etc.--you are safe with me!
 
Delicious! I am from Cuenca and like in many other countries of the world, we eat what tradition brings to us. In this case, CUY. I love the tendeness of the meat and the crispiness of the skin. It takes a lot of work to roast this little animal to perfection and when served with llapingachos/potato cakes and encebollado/tomato and onion salad, it makes a wonderful meal. But aside from the food, the company and the joy of intoducing this food to indiduals of other cultures makes of this meal a CELEBRATION. I am glad you enjoyed this dish!
 
Ugh...yuck yuck! I'm sorry, but that is disgusting....I don't eat anything that looks like an animal....Thanks for warning me about cuy being a popular food in Ecuador though! :D
 
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