Afternoon Tea in Peru
Afternoon Tea in Peru? Yes, it actually exists! You probably know afternoon tea from the British island, but also on the other end of the globe in Peru, the tea break is a big success!
Afternoon Tea at Inkaterra
At Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba iAt the Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba near Cusco the quintessential English tradition is now being transformed into an authentic Peruvian treat for the palate: Instead of cupcakes and scones the Haciendas pastry team presents homemade quinoa and pecan nut cakes or cookies made from coca leafs in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You can enjoy the delicacies while taking in the impressive panorama of the snow-capped Andean peaks.
Right on time at 4 o’clock steaming organic black tea is served in the lobby of the Hacienda. What makes it even more special: It originates from the organic tea plantation of the sister guesthouse Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel.
On the tea plantation, you can even lend a hand personally: during a short excursion, you stroll in between different kinds of tea and get to know more about the traditional tea production of Peru. Afterwards, you can pick fresh tea leaves and press them with typical wooden blocks. The result: your very own handmade tea bag, which you can take home with you.
Another insiders’ tip are the infusions of Peruvian herbs like Muña, the Andean mint, and Toronjil, a local lemon balm species. Even the Incas knew about the healing effects of these plants and used Muña for skin care, as an antiseptic an remedy for indigestion and Toronjil against nervousness and stress, insomnia and even as an aphrodisiac.
The own afternoon tea at home
And if you are now longing for a traditional afternoon tea: here is the authentic recipe for quinoa cookies directly from the Peruvian eco-hotel. All you need is your favorite cup of tea and you can imagine yourself being in Peru.
Did you know? Quinoa has been grown for centuries high up in the Andean mountains, where corn simply cannot survive!
Ingredients:
40g red quinoa
40g black quinoa
180g flour
80g butter
80g sugar
10ml olive oil
30g raisins
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
How to make it:
1. Beat the butter, add sugar and mix until creamy.
2. Add the sifted flour, quinoa, egg, baking powder, olive oil and vanilla extract.
3. Form small round circles and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes at
180°C.
