I Do But I Don´t

I have been working up to this our whole trip and tonight I finally did it. I tried cuy. Yes, I actually ate guinea pig. (I know--not exactly on my "vegetarian" diet plan, but I couldn´t let this opportunity pass me by). We went to a somewhat touristy restaurant just to ensure we would actually be served guinea pig and not something else that the restuarant found running around the kitchen (We were warned about this earlier this afternoon by a guy from New Zealand who attends Washington and Lee University. I didn´t know W&L had international people..that´s a different story though.)

El Truco in Cuzco was the spot and we arrived for our 7:45 reservations eager, but a little scared too. We wanted the guinea pig whole, with teeth and feet showing and all. And that is exactly what we got! The plan was to share one and order something else just in case we didn´t like it. Also, they don´t have much meat on them. The minute the waiter brought out our plate, we laughed and had second thoughts.

The little guy (I mean cuy) was about a foot long with its little legs stretched out. The head was still on and we could even see its two front teeth. The skin was cooked to a rich dark brown and it came with a side of a stuffed pepper. I kept picturing my cousins´pet guinea pigs, Coco and Peanut. Sorry guys.

After several pictures, the waiter asked us if he would like him to cut it up for us. When he asked, we told him, "No, we don´t want the head still on." Apparently, some people like to eat the brain or head or something. Not us. He took it back to the kitchen and after a few minutes brought it back out cut up looking a little like two chicken thighs. We cut it up (though later found out you are supposed to just pick it up and eat it like you are chowing down on fried chicken on 4th of July), took a few deep breaths and tried it. Actually, not bad. Tastes like chicken. Well, maybe not really but the taste wasn´t what I kept thinking about. I just could not stop thinking about what I was eating. The taste was fine and if it had come shredded on a taco or in some stew, I might have even liked it. But we wanted the whole experience. Thus, after about 2 or 3 bites, I checked eating guinea pig off my list of things to do in my life.

I Do But I Don´t, Tim McGraw