The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-26

family will ell drop in; some music, on
harp. piano or mandolin, will be beautifully
rendered by the senoritas, who, coquettish
by nature and eager to entertain and be en-
tertained, will make eyes" at the caller if
he has the fantest approach to attractive
ness about him; tea or chocolate with dull
cies will be served, and q most charming
hour or two may be spent.
Peruvian cookery is an incongruOus mix
ture of foreign and native styles, the latter
predominating at private meals, the former
at all ceremOnlous rcpaStS A dinner-table
custom, which was once common and is not
yet entirely done away with, even in proud
Lima, is called the bocadita, and is rather
comical II not always entirely acceptable
demonstration of friendship, or something
warmer 1t consists in selecting a choice
morsel from your own plate and hand
Ing 1t on your fork to some lady present;
who. in her turn, privileged to rot only
pay back the delicate compliment, but to
intensity it by tiking tid-bit from her own
plate, without the aid of a knife or fork, and
presenting it to the gentleman who has made
the challenge, he leaning over the table and
receiving 1t In his mouth from her fingers.
1t used to be customary in Peru. on all occa-
slonS of formallty, for the host and hostess
to eat by themselves, Immediately before the
banquet; and then during the progress of
the ceremoni0us repasU to take nothing
whatever, though sitting at each end Of the
table, being supposed in that way to give
RECIPES FROM PERU.
One article that may be called national
dish OF Peru Is known as puchero. | have
obtained the recipe for you, and here it is
Have kettle according to your puchero
put into it large piece of beef or mutton,
some cabbage, sweet potatoes, salt pork,
sausage, pigs feet, yucas, bar anas, ounces.
Irish potatoes, pears. peas and rice; with
spices, salt and plenty of red peppers. Add
sufficient water and stew the whole gently
four or i've hours; then serve on a deep
platter. Puchero is patterned somewhat
after the ola podrida Of Spain, the chowder
Southern France, but contains more iugre-
dlents aud more 1avors than all of them put
together. | cannot say that | dislike it, but
could get along with it a great deal better II
they would put in less red pepper.
Another stew, simpler than pucherO, is
called chupe, favorite breakfast dish, but
not often served at dinner. The lower
pounded of meat. fish, crabs, meal, potatoes,
bananas and red peppers, mixed with the
juice OF bitter oranges and stewed In water.
We have tasted this wonderful mixture, but
could not get to second spoonful in cOnse-
Quence of the fiery nature of the peppers.
Swallowing a tOrchl ght procession would
be preferable 10 a dinner of picanteS
Around the landing-place at Callao We saw
women with little braziers of charcoal, lad
ling out steaming picantes to the labOrerS
and iders of the port, and were told that it
Is their only article of food. In the poorer
parts of Lima there is a picanteria every
few yards, and each establishment has its
patrons among workmen employed in the
vicinity. There are many varieties OF
picantes, each having distinct name; but
every one OF them is redhOt with peppers.