I am so excited to be introducing Wend Inspired Recipes to the site!  For this new series, I’ll periodically be sharing recipes inspired by my travels. While I’m abroad, sampling new cuisines is one of my favorite things. I’m always dissecting the dishes that stand out and trying to re-create them once I return home. I don’t fancy myself a chef, but I do enjoy cooking and entertaining, so it’s especially fun when the meal I’m preparing for friends or family also serves as a reminder of my past travels. I love it so much that I thought, why not share these recipes with all of you! I hope you enjoy!

My most recent big trip was to the beautiful country of Peru. I embarked on a week-long adventure with my Russian and another couple where we spent our days exploring the seaside town of Miraflores in Lima, wandering the ancient streets of Cusco and visiting the majestic ruins of  Machu Picchu. We also sampled a variety of traditional Peruvian foods from spicy parihuela soup to the traditional cuy (guinea pig) and of course imbibed frequently on local wines, brews and Peru’s national cocktail, the pisco sour.

When I returned home, I was craving the various drinks and dishes I enjoyed on my trip. Since guinea pig is a bit hard to come by in the States, I thought re-creating the pisco sour cocktail might be a little more practical.  It was the perfect way to reminisce on my travels and share a piece of Peru with my loved ones.

For those who are unfamiliar, pisco is a South American brandy produced in Peru and Chile. Light amber in color, pisco noses much like tequila, but when tasted provides sweeter notes, smoothness and an ever so slight smoky finish. While the cocktail may resemble the margarita, the pisco sour remains distinct thanks to its garnish of Angostura bitters, which adds sophistication and depth to this truly delicious drink. The full recipe is provided below…cheers and happy wending!

PISCO SOUR COCKTAIL

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 fl. oz pisco
• 1 egg white
• ½ fl. oz simple syrup (I prefer making my own using 1 part raw organic brown sugar to 1 part water, which explains the golden tint of my finished cocktail compared to the typical pale yellow)
• ¾ fl. oz fresh squeezed lime juice (½ a small lime)
• 5 dashes Angostura bitters (for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

• Combine the pisco, egg white, simple syrup and fresh lime juice in a tumbler
• Shake for 10 seconds to froth
• Remove lid, add ice and shake for another 10 seconds to chill
• Strain into a cocktail glass
• Add dashes of Angostura bitters to taste
• For an extra special touch, I garnished with a slice of Carambola fruit, which is grown in Peru.

*House of Wend reminds you to please drink responsibly.

What are some of the best dishes or drinks you’ve had while traveling?  Share your comments below!