To Cuy or not to Cuy

That is the question for many foreign travelers to Ecuador. For the uninitiated, cuy (pronounced coo-eee) is the South American guinea pig. This is an interesting name because the animal is neither a member of the pig family nor did it originate in Guinea.

Cuy come from right here in the Andean highlands, and the little fellows are revered in the Ecuadorian culture, used in spiritual practices and healing ceremonies performed by a shaman. They are also a local delicacy.

While driving through villages throughout the Andes you will see, especially on the weekends, proprietors roasting cuy on spits over charcoal fire. For some restaurants in Cuenca cuy is the specialty of the house. Many locals especially enjoy eating the head, feet, and skin because of their special crunch.

Now this whole notion of devouring “pet-on-a stick” is quite repellent to certain visitors. For some, memories of Fluffy from childhood do not exactly stimulate the old taste buds. Others are grossed out by the sight of what appears to be a whole tailless rodent (actually, that’s what it is---) being grilled.

But almost everyone, even those who won’t eat it, wants to know, “So what does cuy taste like?” A group of adventurous TerraDiversa travelers got to find out yesterday on a tour co-sponsored with GringoTree called A Day in the Country at Hacienda Totorillas.

We journeyed to a beautiful family hacienda in Tarqui to experience daily life in a rural environment. Less than 15 miles from Cuenca, the breathtaking Andean landscape felt worlds away from the city.



Guests saw cows being milked and later enjoyed eating the freshest cheese made that very morning. They observed a sheep being shorn, thread being created, and garments woven from local wool.



Fava beans were picked for lunch and visits were paid to the areas where free range chickens and cuy are raised. Highlights of the day trip were horseback riding and hiking.





All that activity works up an appetite, and our guests were treated to a special surprise. We served what we jokingly called “cutting edge Andean/American fusion cuisine”—hamburgers, hot dogs, and---cuy!



“Squeamish” wasn’t part of this group’s vocabulary as everyone went for it and at least tasted the exotic meat. One young lady was even overheard telling her mom, “I’ll eat yours if you don’t want it.”

So what’s the verdict? What does cuy taste like?

Well, the consensus was: it tastes like---cuy. A little gamey, a little greasy, a little like dark meat chicken maybe, but certainly unique and tasty.

For adventurous souls like our group we recommend hunkering down to a plate of cuy while you’re here. If nothing else, you’ll have a unique story to tell family and friends when you return home!