miércoles, 26 de febrero de 2014

In the land of Pisco... Pisco Gatherings "A Story in New York"

Pisco / Peru more tan 400 years of History & Tradition (1613 -2013)
By: José Antonio Luna Caballero

Translate by Katrina Heimark

My wife and I made it through the end of the 90s and by the start of the new millennium we had been settled in New York for some 7 or 8 years. It isn’t important to discuss the details of why we made the trip, but a small summary in regards to our principal motive will help the reader understand the love and affection we have for our Peru. I am an architect and a musician at heart, and the principal reason that we moved here was the deepening of my knowledge of the guitar as applied to jazz music, as well as practicing my profession. My intention was to meld our music, above all, Afro-Peruvian music, with jazz, a combination that today many very good Peruvian musicians develop and practice.

As is typical with “temporary” immigrants, in the end, different motives or circumstances make the majority of us put down roots here. I brought with me, to this New York neck of the woods, my unblemished attachment to our land, its culture and its grandeur despite the fact that over those years the news in Peru was, principally, negative. But if during those tragic years and despite everything, I always defended what was ours, I did so even more so when things changed. It was then that the first “New Latino” restaurants were inaugurated which flaunted some Peruvian dishes--more in name than in flavor--but it was the first step towards what would come next. Among the first Latino chefs to become famous was Douglas Rodriguez, a son of Cuban immigrants and student of various Latin cuisines. He spent time in Peru, particularly in the northern regions, collecting flavors and Peruvian drinks, to later collaborate with a man of Irish descent in the opening of the famous Chicama restaurant on 18th Street in Manhattan. The first restaurant of this kind was El Patria on Park Avenue and 23rd Street. In these quality restaurants, which appear to be under an order of permanence and seniority in this country, Latin drinks are served along with Latin food, the first of which is the Margarita of Mexico, the Mojito of Cuba, the Caipirihna of Brazil and of course, the Pisco Sour… In those new restaurants that were multiplying across Manhattan and that we visited time and time again, we would always check the menu for Latin drinks and dishes. In the descriptions that normally followed, we sometimes found definitions such as this: Pisco Sour: Chilean Brandy mixed with lime, sugar, etc.

Then a friend of mine, an Argentine reporter and I, in a sort of Peruvian-Argentine Society, launched a campaign to clarify and promote the authenticity and origin of Pisco. Many times, and when necessary, we called the managers of the restaurants in order to explain to them in technical terms and with proof, why Pisco is Peruvian. Once in one of those restaurants which was called Sonora, the manager, at our insistence, responded that he was going to change the menu, but for increased assurance against the possibility that someone would refute the claim, or even complain, he asked for my name and number, which I gladly gave him.

Of course, no one ever called me… Sometime later, we returned to the same location to make sure that he had fulfilled his promise, and to our grand surprise, the menu said: Pisco Sour, Peruvian cocktail made with Original Peruvian Pisco… and if you disagree, talk to Jose Luna; he can be reached at telephone number… Seeing that filled me with pride, as today many restaurants and bars that offer Pisco Sour present it for what it is: Peruvian. Like everything in this city, when it grows, it grows exponentially. We can no longer track down every restaurant that serves our national drink, but this we can do: thanks to the labor of many Peruvians, like in my case, who have gone ahead with patience and affection, we continue to defend our Pisco. We have taken the lead and ratified, once again, that Pisco is of Peruvian origin, from a city south of Lima called Pisco, and that an exquisite combination has given birth to the unequalled and unique Pisco Sour.

July 2009

Tertulias pisqueras

Una Historia en New York (Versión Resumida)
Escribe: José Antonio Luna Caballero

Corrían los años finales de los noventas y comienzos del 2000 cuando para entonces hacían unos siete u ocho años que mi esposa y yo nos afincamos en Nueva York. No viene al caso entrar en pormenores del porqué de ese viaje pero una pequeña reseña del motivo principal ayudará a entender ese amor y cariño por lo nuestro, por nuestro Perú. Soy arquitecto y músico de corazón y la razón principal de nuestro traslado aquí fue la especialización de mis conocimientos de guitarra aplicados al jazz. y la práctica de mi profesión. Mi intención era lograr fusionar nuestra música, sobre todo la afro peruana con el jazz, combinación que hoy practican y desarrollan muy buenos músicos peruanos.

Como es típico con los inmigrantes "temporales", diversos motivos o circunstancias hacen que en su mayoría terminemos echando raíces aquí. Traje conmigo a estos lares nuevayorquinos, mi acendrado apego a nuestra tierra, su cultura y su grandeza pese a que por esos años las noticias del Perú eran en su mayoría negativas. Pero si durante esos aciagos años y a pesar de todo siempre salía en defensa de lo nuestro, con mayor razón, cuando se revirtió la situación. Entonces se empezaban a inaugurar los primeros restaurantes "Nuevo Latino" que ostentaban algunos platos peruanos -mas de nombre que de sabor- pero ya era un primer paso hacia lo que vendría después. Entre los primeros "chefs" latinos se hizo famoso Douglas Rodríguez, hijo de inmigrantes cubanos y estudioso de varias cocinas latinas.

Estuvo en el Perú, particularmente en el norte recogiendo sabores de comidas y tragos peruanos, para luego en colaboración con un descendiente de irlandés abrir el famoso restaurante Chicama de la calle 18 en Manhattan. El primer restaurante de ese tipo fue el Patria en Park Avenue y la calle 23 y en esos locales de calidad, aparecen por orden de permanencia y antigüedad en este país, junto con la comida latina, los tragos latinos, primero la margarita de México, el mojito de Cuba, la caipirihna de Brasil y por supuesto el Pisco Sour… Allí es que en estos nuevos restaurantes que se multiplicaban por Manhattan y que recorrimos una y otra vez, al revisar la carta con los platos y tragos latinos, en la descripción que solía acompañarlos, encontrábamos algunas veces definiciones como esta: Pisco Sour, Brandy chileno mezclado con limón, azúcar, etc. etc.

Entonces un amigo periodista argentino y yo, en una suerte de sociedad peruano-argentina, emprendimos la campaña de aclarar y promover la autenticidad y origen del Pisco, llamando muchas veces y cuando era necesario a los gerentes de los locales en donde nos encontrábamos, para explicarles de forma técnica y con pruebas, porqué el Pisco es peruano. Alguna vez en uno de esos restaurantes cuyo nombre era Sonora, el gerente ante nuestra insistencia, respondió que iba a cambiar la carta pero para mayor seguridad por si alguien lo refutaba o reclamaba, pidió mi nombre y mi teléfono, a lo que accedí gustosamente. Por supuesto nadie nunca me llamó… Un tiempo después regresamos al mismo local para cerciorarnos de que había cumplido y para nuestra grata sorpresa, ya en el Menú figuraba: Pisco Sour, cocktail peruano elaborado con Pisco original del Perú, y si no, pregúntenle a José Luna, teléfono tal... Esto me llenó de orgullo pues hoy en día muchos restaurantes y bares que ofrecen Pisco Sour, lo presentan como lo que es, Peruano.

Como todo en esta ciudad, cuando crece, crece exponencialmente, ya no podríamos seguirle el paso a todos los locales que expenden nuestra bebida de bandera, pero eso sí, gracias a la labor de muchos peruanos como es mi caso, que con paciencia y cariño por lo nuestro hemos salido y seguiremos saliendo en defensa de nuestro Pisco, hemos ganado la delantera y ratificado una vez más que el Pisco es de origen peruano, de una ciudad al Sur de Lima llamada Pisco, y que su combinación exquisita da lugar al inigualable y único, Pisco Sour.



Julio 2009

viernes, 14 de febrero de 2014

In the Land of Pisco... Monthly Contributors "The Magic of Pisco"

Pisco / Peru more than 400 years of History & Tradition (1613-2013)
By Lucero Villgarcia and Hans Hilburg Translate by Katrina Heimark There are various varieties that exist in the world that come from grapes and wine, such as Cognac, Armagnac, Brandy, Chilean distilled drinks, as well as our marvelous Pisco. What makes our distilled beverage different are the climates of the coastal valleys of Peru; they have so much sun and so much dryness that the grapes, by themselves, produce an excellent grade of sugar. This is ideal in order to achieve a good alcohol proof, and does not require a second distillation, as occurs with other beverages. The alcohol grade increases so much, when a drink is distilled twice, that it is necessary to add water to regulate the proof, which in the case of Pisco is unnecessary, as well as completely prohibited. Also, the second distillation causes the loss of the natural smells and flavors of the grapes. These harvests must be stored in casks in order for them to absorb the smells and flavors of the wood, as well as the color, which is also unnecessary, and not permitted for Pisco. There are also other distilled grapes, such as the Italian Grappa, but this is the distillation of the strong alcoholic liquor from grape pressings, or the seeds and skins , which will be overwhelmed after the elaboration of the grape whose destiny was to make wine. If all distilled drinks have their own characteristics, which makes them very pleasant, for us Peruvians, pisco is the purest and finest distilled beverage because as we have seen, no water is added to it nor isn’t stored in casks which alters its smell and flavor. Our spirit brings out from eight sensory-different varieties, each characteristic and of typical nature, which is precisely the “magic of Pisco.” Exactly because each cup has different smells and flavors, just like with wines. Also, we have non-aromatic “pure” piscos, such as the Quebranta, a variety with strong intensity in the mouth, gives us smells and flavors of banana, passion fruit, chocolate, raisons and herbal touches. The Negra Criolla brings us smells and aromas of spices, vegetables, raisons, chocolate, honey, and grass. The Mollar is highlighted for its Apple, floral, herb and yeasty tones, and the Uvina is characterized by its touch of olives, as well as red fruits, the mango and strawberries. If we discuss pure aromatic Piscos, called thus due to the fact that their smells are more intense and expressive. We also have the Italia, where you will clearly find citrus, tropical fruits, melon, floral tones, lemongrass, syrup, red raisons. Finally, we have the Torontel, a very expressive variety that encompasses us in its white flowers, jasmine, geraniums, citruses, sweet touches, and a sort of toffee flavor. Also, as if these varieties weren’t enough, we have the “Acholado” piscos, which are blends made from two grape varieties or more, and “mosto verde” to those that are the fermentation for the creation of more molt, all should also have their own characteristics, depending on the grapes that were used in the elaboration process. Pisco is a magical distilled drink, due to its versatility and generosity with cocktails. It brings out flavors and smells, giving them a very special touch, as it is a fresh distilled product, without any additives or manipulation in its production. And its alcohol proof, without any modification, gives it advantages over other distilled products that have sugar, and are affected by wood and water. It is because of this that it is possible to create an infinity of cocktails with the numbers of flowers, fruits, and spices from our three regions, as diverse as the number of pisco varieties. Just by placing a bit of flavor, passion and integration, one may have the bottle of Pisco in their hand. elpiscoesdelperu

viernes, 7 de febrero de 2014

In the Land of Pisco... Letters to The Editor

Pisco / Peru more tan 400 years of History & Tradition
Business Opportunities Write to us at editors@elpiscoesdelperu.com Translate by Katrina Heimark 1. What can we do so that Peruvian Pisco is sold in France at a competitive price? I live in Yvelines, whose capital is Versalles. Paul Andre Makaliz3@gmail.com 2. I’m Peruvian. I live six months of the year in California, three months in Mexico (my wife is Mexican), and three months in Peru. I would like to contact a company that exports Pisco and would like to have a representative abroad. I am a Real Estate Broker in California and Mexico, and in the process of retirement. I want to put my 40 years of experience in various businesses in the service of Peruvian Pisco. I have a few contacts with vineyard owners in Napa, California. Congratulations on your website. Cesar canchante@hotmail.com 3. How can I make a business with a small quantity of Pisco? Italo Sanchez Tohalino ipsancheztohalino@gmail.com 4. Dear Sirs, I would appreciate it if you could send more information on how to export pisco, as I am interested in beginning this business and meet Pisco producers, and develop my own brand, as well as learn how to export and earn money with this business. Regards Carlos Peñaranda carlos_roberto125@hotmail.com 5. Good Morning. I’ve read your email and I am very interested in promoting Pisco here (Portugal). I always try to do something, but on a very small scale, and I am trying to participate in small cuisine events, but my biggest limitation is the ability to obtain Pisco. Here it is very expensive (500ml cost 25 Euros), and there is no support from the Embassy. My idea is to organize, through the wine tasting and firewater circles here, the participation with Pisco in a continuous manner, especially for our compatriots in Madrid, who are the closest to be able to participate. In order to participate one must have a variety of piscos, and here we only have one brand and one type of Pisco harvest. Hugs, Marco L. marcoleyp@gmail.com 6. Hi, I live in New York and I heard about you through Cadena Sur. I would like you to tell me if you know where I can get all the varieties of Pisco here in New York, I live in Maspeth. Once I’ve purchased acholado and quebranta, and it took luck, because it isn’t something you do every day purchase Pisco, and you must request it from the liquor store.! The only brand they sell in NY is Ocucaje. Well, I hope you can help. I Thank you and congratulate you on your website! Good luck, from all my heart. Long live Peru!! Cecilia Pinillos marce-toli@hotmail.com 7. Please send me information about the opportunity to have business with pisco in the United States. I would appreciate it if you could send information as soon as possible, as I am planning to visit Peru, and I would like to have information before I travel. Sincerely, Cesar M. Marius Fax (240) 473 - 6856 CMMARIUS@AOL.COM CMMARIUS@aol.com 8.-I would like to know waht type of business oportunities I could have with the distribution of nwe products in Nwe Jersey. Eduardo Poma poma20@verizonb.net 9. I would like to know more about these business opportunities. I am starting a company whose goal is the Pisco industry. Thanks for your response. Nana Luzmila milita_rodas@yahoo.es 10.-Hello Livio, Where can I buy Pisco in Western Australia? Cheers Emmanuel Blondel wisdomad@bigpond.net.au elpiscoesdelperu