Parwa - Comunidad de Huchuy Qosqo, Calca, Peru

If I were to have lunch in the Garden of Eden, I think it would look a lot like a glass shelter with a panoramic view of an Andean valley. Surrounded by wonders as far as the eye can see, it's hard not to believe you’re in paradise. Even the food itself is a true taste of paradise. All ingredients hail from the local valley, born from the sweat on the brow of an honest, hardworking people.

It’s only appropriate that an Eden-esque meal would start with fresh-baked Bread. The medialuna-like twists are soft and still warm, and the pinwheels are laced with something green that tastes like chaya. 

Over 2500 varieties of potatoes grow in the Andes, and I have yet to find a single one I don't like. Same with whatever guacamole-green variety grows into this cold Causa. This mashed potato cake is filling and dense, a combination of avocado-guac, and the sliver of trout on top makes me want more.

I've had tons of Tamales, but this one was just divine. The finely-ground cornmeal has a softer, sweeter finish, smoother and less gritty than any all the others. A few chopped cubes of pico de gallo add a cool, crunchy contrast.

The Salad is a sampling of almost everything that grows. The local lettuce is a little buttery like butter lettuce and a little bit waxy like kale. The carrots and cauliflower are as sweet as forbidden fruit, and a simple dressing brings it all together.

The Pumpkin Soup is thick and a little bit fibrous, standing strong like its deep Andean roots. All the tranquil comfort of the lustrous green valleys sitting in a single bowl.

A deep fried Rocoto Pepper lightens the heavy ground meat-and-veggie stuffing, basically a pot pie in a pepper. This tiny, firm, yet-another-Andean-potato-whose-name-I-can’t-remember is one of the better varieties we’ve tried.

I've never had Quinoa I liked, and IMHO it’s America’s most overrated food. The gritty grains don’t hold flavor, and the texture made me feel like I faceplanted on a beach. Clearly, I’d never had quinoa in paradise because these smooth, fine grains are infused with a tender, savory chicken that soaks through every little grain. This stuff was good enough to make the Asian in me swear off rice.

The Purple Corn Pudding is pulpy like an apple pie without the apple and dark like a red-wine grape. So much gooey goopy-goop seasoned with cinnamon and spiced with cloves. The little nobbin of crumbly Cornbread adds a savory afterthought.

They really don't make things like they used to, but Parwa maintains Peruvian tradition in its purest form. Every bite is exquisitely crafted to capture the essence of the Andes. We didn’t get to see much more of the Sacred Valley, but it’s easy to see what makes it sacred.