Monthly Archives: October 2013

Experiences

Halloween: The Day of the Creole Song in Peru

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Do you not do Halloween? Are all of those silly costumes, sickly sweets and chocolates too much? Well, the Peruvians have a an alternative solution: Creole Music Day. Sounds good doesn’t it? You don’t know the half of it.

So what is it?

To sum up, The Ministry of Culture hosts a meet-up and performance of Peruvian Creole music to celebrate the Día de la Canción Criolla on 31st October.

Creole Music Day was created in 1944 to celebrate the rich tradition of Peruvian Creole music. The word Creole (pronounced criollo) generally refers to Spanish-influenced culture of the Americas. Creole music was born from a mixture of musical traditions from a variety of groups, including African peoples brought to Peru as slaves. Typical instruments include the Peruvian cajón and the guitar, among others.

For a taste of Peruvian Creole music, interested parties should head down to the III Encuentro de Centros Musicales (3rd Meeting of Musical Centres), where a number of musicians will demonstrate their skills in the Creole musical tradition. The event begins at 7.00pm and it’s free for anyone to attend.

31.10.13

Food and Drink

The Peru effect: the rise of Peruvian restaurants across the globe

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LaCasona - Buffet

Finally, Peruvian food has emerged from the shadows and is receiving the international recognition it deserves. In London, the Peruvian restaurant Lima and its head chef Virgilio Martinez were recently awarded Michelin star status (their first of many, we hope) – the first such accolade for a Peruvian restaurant in London. Another proponent of Peruvian food is Martin Morales who, after the phenomenal success of Ceviche in Soho, is opening a second restaurant in Shoreditch. It seems that Londoners can’t get enough of the taste of Peru. And with good reason too…

You wouldn’t think that nestled away in the corner of South America lays one of the most varied gastronomies. But it is Peru’s location that makes its cuisine so diverse. The seafood rich Pacific Ocean is on Peru’s doorstep, the Amazon gives birth to exotic fruits and herbs, and the Andes provides the perfect climate for potatoes and corn. It is the availability of full, fresh ingredients and the fusion of many different cultures that really sets Peru apart. With common dishes like cerviche, to chifa and nikkei – drawn from Chinese and Japanese migration into Peru, or dishes that can trace their ancestry back thousands of years like pachamanca – succulent meat, traditional, local potatoes and lima beans cooked on hot stones buried underground; Peru really comes alive with its food, and there is a dish to suit even the most discerning of critics.

Host to the largest food festival in Latin America, Mistura, Peru – and the Peruvians – take their food exceptionally seriously, with a passion to rival even that of the Italians. Fresh, spicy and full of variety, Peru offers a culinary experience like no other. But, with the bold Mexican and Caribbean flavours to the north, possibly the world’s best steak producer to the south and vibrant, fruity tastes from the east, it is easy to see why Peru has sat somewhat in the shadows until the efforts of a brave few to export it worldwide; and we should all be thankful they did.

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London best keep its ears – and stomachs – open for the arrival of “the Peruvian Jamie Oliver”, Gaston Acurio, who is rumoured to have his sights set on the city. It’s about time the rest of the world learnt that food in Peru isn’t just limited to a roasted guinea pig, or half a leg of llama, although they still taste delicious too.

29.10.13

Hotels

Chocolate Week at Inkaterra

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This week is Chocolate Week (14th-20th October), the one week where it’s socially acceptable to eat chocolate at all hours of the day. Across the UK, brands, businesses and consumers are joining in the fun; from Chocolate Factory Open Days to open screenings of the film Chocolat’, it will no doubt be a week of indulgence. To celebrate this wondrous occasion, Inkaterra has launched a tree-to-tummy chocolatey experience at their Amazon Rainforest hotel Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion. Chocoholics can be enthralled in all things delicious by learning about the world of cocoa, deep in the rainforest.

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Guides will unveil secrets about the millennium-old cocoa trees and their sought-after pods. Then guests will hike through the plantation’s cocoa groves and learn the magic behind the most decadent of ingredients – used for ceremonial, medicinal as well as culinary purposes in Mayan, Aztec and Inca cultures. Guests also have the opportunity to learn how to make tasty treats including chocolate bars, cookies and freshly baked chocolate bread before tasting the delicious results.

cocoa-pods

José Koechlin, founder of Inkaterra, explains how sustainable practices play a fundamental role in the cocoa harvesting at the property:

‘Cocoa pods grow along the full length of the tree, which grow particularly tall at Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción. In keeping with our conservation ethos, Inkaterra staff only hand-pick pods that grow in the middle of the tree.’

To feel every inch an authentic ‘oompa loompa’, visit Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción from January to March, when the cocoa tree harvest season is at its peak and get involved in a bean-to-bar chocolate-making journey.

Flickr image courtesy of PV KS http://bit.ly/1GJUIvA

Flickr image courtesy of PV KS http://bit.ly/1GJUIvA

14.10.13

Awards & Accolades

José Koechlin von Stein wins SAHIC 2013 award

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Great news for Inkaterra: founder José Koechlin took the award for Developer of the year during the South American Hotel & Investment Conference 2013 (SAHIC 2013), held on September 23rd and 24th at the JW Marriott hotel in Bogota,  Colombia. This prestigious recognition was given for the second time to Mr. Koechlin “in recognition of your tireless and characteristic entrepreneurial spirit, whose devotion to continuously undertake new challenges, either the development of new investments or recovery improvement or upgrade of existing projects, together with the constant contribution for the preservation of the environment, with the marine reserve at Cabo Blanco as your most recent eco-initiatives, is an example of passion, commitment and hard work”, stated SAHIC organiser ‘HVS Global Hospitality Services’.

SAHIC is an annual event of international resonance, which unites South American leaders in Hotel and Tourism business and the Real-Estate industry. Since 2008, it has been celebrated in Buenos Aires (2008), Rio de Janeiro (2009), Cartagena de Indias (2010), Santiago de Chile (2011), and Lima (2012). “SAHIC certainly helps you understand where the industry is today and where it is heading, but above all, it helps you understand where the opportunities lie, how to meet the right partners and build the partnerships that may increase job opportunities”, said its president Arturo García Rosa. In this opportunity, SAHIC gave recognition to the  bold work Inkaterra have been since 1975.

Inkaterra’s most recent project is the recovery of a region of Cabo Blanco in Northern Peru, which during the 1950’s was considered the best zone for game fishing. Inkaterra are working on the protection of the marine reserve Cabo Blanco-Bank of Mancora, and collaborating with local artisanal fishermen guides for the education of sustainable fishing methods, with the purpose of rescuing the area’s biodiversity. Inkaterra wants to transform Cabo Blanco in a model for sustainable tourism, where recreational fishing is a main source of development that encourages economic growth, social inclusion and environmental care.

Stay tuned on our blog and on our social media channels for updates on this exciting project. 

4.10.13