Puca Sundays

We have a fun Sunday tradition around here.  For lunch we walk up the hill to have puca picante. Here is a picture looking down.  We live in the three story orange house that appears in front of the car on the right. Carmen Alto is the name of the place where we live. It is sort of a suburb of the city of Ayacucho.

Many different women set up their puca stands.  GeGe knows which are the best.

  Puca is a typical dish here in Ayacuco made with potatoes, peanuts, garlic, onion, chili pepper, and beets which give the dish its vibrant red color.  It is often served with noodles, rice, and a beet salad.  Fried pork may or may not be served on the side.  I ask for it without the meat although today it arrived on my plate anyway.  I convinced GeGe to eat it.  Keeping it honest though I have tried it before and it is tasty.

Of course with the puca one must drink chicha morada.  Chicha is a sweet drink from the Andes made by boiling  purple corn, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes lemon or apple or pineapple.

After  lunch even though we are always really full it is necessary to eat street ice cream.  The women have explained how they make this but it is too complicated to repeat so just trust me when I say it is really good.

Ususally we walk up to the Mirador (lookout).  There is such a pretty view of Ayacucho below.

  I also usually need to buy popcorn for happy hour later on.

As you can see Sunday's are pretty rough around here. Today Maya and I also found earrings to buy up there.  That may be a new addition to our Sunday tradition.
Wish you were all here to enjoy it with me!  C