There’s something about chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino that translates well abroad. I’ve seen him written up in Food & Wine, Conde Nast, Outside’s Go, and several other U.S. publications. They always call him some sort of adventurous chef because of the work he did designing the menu of the MV Aqua, a luxury cruise ship in the Amazon. Yet, whenever I talk to someone in Lima they say their restaurant experience at Malabar is bad. My wife’s uncle said his meals were horrible on the four occasions he went, though I’m not sure why he would have went four times if that was the case.

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-My slideshow of Chaiten, Chile appears in World Hum. -A Charles Darwin biopic is in the works, Creation, starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly and set to be released in September. -Brad Pitt was spotted in the Amazon researching locations for the movie based on the book The Lost City of Z, which we just [...]

In El Salvador there are pupusas. In Mexico there are tacos. In Honduras there are Baleadas. The simple version consists of a thick flour – though sometimes corn – tortilla that has been put on a charcoal grill. It’s slathered in refried black beans and a bit of white farmer’s cheese then folded over like an American style soft Taco. It is the any time of the day snack. You can have one for breakfast and add eggs.

The largest city in the world not connected by roads is a hotbed of interesting restaurants and markets. Peru’s Amazonian capital is a good place to sample the oddities and range of the region’s fruits, vegetables, meats, and traditional plates along with several rather bizarre takes on North American restaurants.

Ceviche, as it is taking off in Colombia, combines elements of both Peruvian and general Latin American preparations. In general, it is closer in resemblance to Peruvian ceviche with large chunks of fish flesh as opposed to finely diced pieces of fish. Flavors tend to represent the entire region though and are considerably more varied than in Peru. In Bogota, one of the best outlets is 80 Sillas in Usaquen in the north of the city.

Calypso music arose in Trinidad and Tobago around the time of the abolition of slavery in the region in the early to mid 1800’s. When recording equipment arrived to Trinidad in 1912 the genre exploded around the Caribbean and spread to laces like the Barbados, the Providence Islands, and Panama’s Caribbean coast.

This is a strong, refreshing cocktail that has been going around mixology circles in various forms, not always with Grand Marnier though. The combination of Pisco and elderflower balances really well. I like adding the Grand Marnier because it adds a bit of smoothness. Plus, everything tastes better with Grand Marnier.

The number of hikes available from Cuzco, PEru and elsewhere in the Sacred Valley of the Incas is baffling for anyone new to the scene. The crowds and high prices of the traditional Inca Trail have spurred the growing number of tourists that come tho the Andean city to look elsewhere to an array of alternatives, many of which are superior.

Barranco, Lima’s seaside suburb to the south of Miraflores, was once a weekend retreat for Lima’ s Creole bourgeoisie built homes there in the 19th and 20th Century, as well as wealthy German and British immigrants. In the late 20th century the area became decrepit, a haven for drugs, and fell apart. The last few decades have seen resurgence in investment and in the neighborhood and many of the most prominent families, writers, artists, and celebrities in Lima now live in the restored colonial mansions that line the cliffs.