FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE THE PERUVIAN CUISINE
ECONOMY
Peru has a macroeconomic performance and free trade policy, however it is dependant of the minerals and the metal exports and the imported food.
Peru has signed trade deals with US, Canada, Singapore, China, Korea, Mexico, Japan, the European Free Trade Association, Chile, and Colombia.
However, poverty is part of the Peruvian culture, people of low income can only afford the basic dietary needs such as root vegetables and bread.
RELIGION
Due to the Spanish conquest in Peru, most of the Peruvian population is Catholic. Meaning they celebrate Christmas, Corpus Christi and Holy Week, which includes fasting, or the preparation of of food other than pork and beef.
A little more than 2 percent of the population follows other faiths, such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, and Baha’i, or belong to religious sects such as the Hare Krishnas, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Israelitas del Nuevo Pacto (Israelis of the New Pact), and the Movimiento de la Nueva Era (Movement of the New Era). Self-declared atheists and agnostics make up more than 1 percent of the population.
FOREIGNERS
Over the last five centuries, Peru has become a truly multi-ethnic country, formed by the combination of several different groups. Amerindians, who originally migrated from Asia. Then came the Spanish conquest in the 16th century, as well as Africans brought over as slaves, intermixed with each other and with the indigenous people already living in Peru, creating a large ‘mestizo’, or mixed, race.
After Peru won it’s independence from Spain, Peru began to see more immigration from Europe, there was an influx of Chinese, who came over to work as laborers. The Chinese have had a large influence on Peruvian culture, and especially in the country’s cuisine.
Most Peruvians consider their foods “creole” food, meaning that Peruvian cuisine has fussioned/mixed with other culture’s cuisine, and hence creating a new style. i.e. Peruvian + Chinese = Chifa.
TECHNOLOGY
Peru depends a lot on the imports of food, and their economy in the exports as well, therefore the easier transportation of good through air, water and earth, has influenced the customs surrounding the cuisine of Peru.
Peru/January, 2014 3
"Machu Picchu", ViajeJeta, 2014