Peruvian Food
by Diana Cercone
Today Peruvian food is touted as one of the world’s greatest cuisines. In part it owes its coveted title to the variety of its vegetables and seafood and to the creative genius of its culinary ancestors. Add into the mix its history of culinary influences from other countries and you can begin to understand its appeal. Still, little sway has been given to this culinary jewel in our area. That is until the Egoavil family, owners of Quinoa restaurant in Doylestown and El Tule in Lambertville, brought the food and customs of their native Peru to our doorsteps.
The family emigrated to the States from Lima in the 1990s. With their now grown children, Jack, Michele and Silvia, Fausto and Carmen Egoavil opened El Tule in 2011. Mother Carmen rules the kitchen as chef and the rest of the family run everyday operations—including making the best Pisco Sours outside of Peru. (But I’ll tell you more on that later.) Last December, they opened Quinoa.
“Our food is so much a part of our culture,” says Jack Egoavil, general manager of Quinoa and part owner of both restaurants. “We stay the most traditional as we can with our menu.” This he tells me as we sit at a table in the warm and inviting restaurant.
Even the restaurant’s name honors one of Peru’s traditional staples and a crucial ingredient in Incan cuisine. The tiny, high-protein grain quinoa has been used in recipes for more than a thousand of years in Peru. “We call it the mother of all grains,” says Jack, “and offer many quinoa dishes.” You’ll find it featured in everything from the delicious and warming champu de quinoa, a traditional drink from the Andes made of quinoa and pineapple (which I’m happily sipping) to salads, entrees and dessert. The quinoa flan has the texture of a bread pudding and the creaminess of a crème brûlée, says Jack. “But it’s lighter and healthier—less cream and eggs—than the brûlée.” And one I recommend not to miss.
To continue reading about Peruvian Food, turn to page 129 in the Summer 2014 issue of Bucks County Magazine.