PERU

CAPITAL: Lima

ETHNIC INFLUENCES: Spain, China, Italy, West Africa, and Japan.

POPULAR RESTAURANTS: Most places have cevicher�a restaurants. Restaurant Huaca Pucllana, Lima; Astrid & Gast�n French restaurant, Lima. 

BREAKFAST: Bread, coffee or tea, tamales with salsa, Chicharrones deep-fried pork fat, ribs or seafood, emoliente is boiled barley.

SNACKS: Tamales, emoliente (barley porridge) 

BREAD: Baguettes, white bread, bollos, baked in wood-fired ovens.

CHEESE: Fresh white cheese. 

POPULAR DISHES: Ceviche, with many variations, tamales, anticuchos. 

OTHER DISHES: Papa rellena (stuffed potato), Pollo a la Brasa (grilled or roasted chicken), omo saltado, sliced beef, Arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, Empanadas (meat turnovers). 

LOCAL DRINKS: Chicha Morada (clove flavoured blue maize drink); Inca Kola a lemon verbena flavored soda, cherry-flavoured Kola Inglesa and other kola drinks. Pisco, a kind of brandy, is the national drink of Peru but wines and beers are also popular. Chicha or Chicha de Jora, based on fermented ma�z and aromatic herbs. 

PRODUCE: corn, potatoes, beans rice, wheat and meat (such as beef, pork and chicken) quinoa, chillies, asparagus. 

UNUSUAL FOODS: Amaranth (kiwicha) is an ancient seeds used as a food since Incan times. Anticuchos are marinated beef heart grilled on skewers, guinea pig (cuy).

FESTIVE FOODS: The pachamanca is a very special banquet,and cuy, a species of guinea pig is served as a delicacy on religious holidays. 

PUERTO RICO

CAPITAL: San Juan 

ETHNIC INFLUENCES: Spain, Africa, US and local Amerindians.

POPULAR RESTAURANTS: La Casita Blanca, Platos, others ..

BREAKFAST: Plantains (bananas) with milk, or egg, breakfast custard, rice with milk, avena (porridge), funche (corn porridge). 

SNACKS: empanadas (small fried meat pies), piraguas, a shaved ice cone covered with syrup

BREAD: US-style breads, casabe bread 

CHEESE: US cheeses.

POPULAR DISHES: arroz con gandules (similar to risotto), Albondig�n, Puerto Rican meat loaf, Alcapurrias (similar to kibbeh) and deepfried, Almoj�banas (cheese-flavored rice fritters), Arepas and Domplines, fried rounds of flour-based dough, Arroz con habichuelas "rice and beans".

OTHER DISHES: Empanadas, tortillas, tamales. 

LOCAL DRINKS: Coquito egg-nog, coffee, rum, esp. Bacardi, Medalla. Beer, Mavi is a drink made with sugar and the bark or fruit of a tree.

PRODUCE: Rum, dairy, plantains, cattle, pigs, chicken, coffee, tomatoes, pineapples, fruit and vegetables, coconut.

NEED TO KNOW: This is one of the richest and most diverse cuisines in the world.

UNUSUAL FOODS: Gandinga is a rich, heavy stew made from pig organs, Mondongo, tripe stew. 

FESTIVE FOODS: Arroz con dulce, Puerto Rican rice pudding, Arroz con gandules, yellow-rice-and-pigeon-pea dish with alcaparrado, coquito, an eggnog from rum and coconut milk, Octopus salad at Christmas, Pasteles (tamales), pig roast, stuffed turkey.

Want to add anything? What is YOUR favourite dish or place to eat in these countries?