Inca Foods: Alpaca
Caution all vegetarians: the alpaca is a smaller and much cuter version of the llama, and yes, Peruvians often eat these fluffy, adorable animals. To all the meat-eaters, this is an interesting meat that is described as tasting like a cross between lamb, pork, and beef. It is typically served as a steak or cut up in squares on a skewer.
The alpaca dates as far back as the Incas, who bred the animal for its fleece and meat. Today the meat is used widely in the new trend of fine Peruvian cuisine. In one of the more fashionable restaurants you're likely to find something like alpaca with quinua tart and alpaca steak with bean tacu tacu on the menu. Tacu tacu is a tasty rice with canary beans, onions, aji peppers, and garlic. Alpaca steak is also quite tasty when cooked in the simple French-style with white wine sauce.
A popular way to season alpaca skewers is by marinating the squares overnight in beer and then adding aji paste, garlic, cumin, pepper, oregano, annatto, rosemary, and sautéed onions. Then the meat is sautéed in oil until golden. Alpaca brochettes are also a tasty option. The tenderloin is fried in oil and mixed in with mushrooms, parsley, aji paste, a splash of red vinegar, red peppers, bay leaves, garlic, bacon, and onions.
Though the alpaca steaks and skewers are plentiful, the locals probably won't mind at all if you want to pet one of the cute and fuzzy animals instead. However, if you're a carnivore, why not have your alpaca and eat it too.
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