Tuesday 19 August 2008

Destination Peru #7: Lost Churros, Please Help

Most Delicious Churro of My Life

Admittedly, I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to Latin American food. Up till now, my churro experiences have been limited to the sugary snacks found at Disneyland for $5 or whatever they're selling for these days. Yes, they are good, but they got nothing on the churro in the above picture. The shape is quite unlike the star-shaped ones available here, though I did see a few of those as well. This one is designed for filling, a brillant idea to invigorate the snack.

My family and I were walking through the Plaza de Armas in downtown Lima taking the obligatory tourist pictures and buying trinkets in the markets when I saw a line gathered outside a small storefront. There were no tourists here, just hungry locals looking for a neighborhood favorite. Whatever it was, I had to have it.


Los Autenticos Churros Espanoles de la Virgen Del Carmen

Nothing more than a counter facing the street and a bench along the wall, the shop served one thing. The name says it all, Los Autenticos Churros Espanoles de la Virgen Del Carmen. Pure, unadulterated pastries of fried dough filled with a creamy custard. I think it may have been manjar blanco, a thickened milk cream similar in consistency to condensed milk. The churros were pulled out of the hopper, dusted in sugar and handed to me wrapped in paper. It may have been fried, but it tasted like it was baked in heaven. Light on the stomach and light on the conscience, I felt good having it as a snack.

Sadly, I don't know the exact location of this churro shack. If anyone has any information, please comment. All I know is that it's within several blocks of the main square of downtown Lima, down a side street.

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