"Empanadas & Pisco", so much fun with new and old friend (aka Mal) :)

"Empanadas & Pisco"? well, this is the Peruvian equivalent to the French "Cheese & Wine", hehe. Today was the day for the announced contest: Peruvian Pisco and Empanadas vs Chilean Pisco and Empanadas. It would take place at Yadi's land (aka my house), so I wanted to know what I should prepare for the big event. Would I be the only host? No way! Another local TB, Malvin, would help me, hehe.

The preparations started early that day. I wrote Jered in the morning asking him how he's doing and if his friends were already in Lima. Yay! they did it. So, they would be 5 happy people coming tonight. I asked Romain if he could join us, but he was busy :( No worries, Mal & I had everything under control. During the morning I was doing some research about where to buy the tastiest empanadas in Lima. Oh! Some info about that, empanadas are a pastry common in whole Southamerica. Jered and I were "discussing" about which country had the best ones, so I wanted to prove him that Peruvians were better, haha. Nevermind, I found the perfect place and it was close to Mal's house / hostel. So I would pick him at 4:30pm to start getting everything ready. Although I have the address, it wasn't easy to find the place: "La Casa de la Empanada" but finally we did it, hehe. OMG, that place was the empanadas' paradise. A large variety plus it was cheap and had good offers for drinks too, mmm. I think we would go back there soon, haha. We got 4 different kind of empanadas (3 fried: aji de gallina - a Peruvian dish with chicken;  artichoke & mushrooms; the Limena - sauted beef and 1 baked: traditional meet). We had the empanadas, so it was time to go for the Pisco ;)

In our way to my house we stopped in a supermarket in order to get the rest of the things we would need. After thinking and walking around we ended taking with us: Pisco (of course, this was the top in our list); Inca Kola (normal & light) and Chicha Morada (purple corn soft drink) both drinks to mix with Pisco, we would make an experiment; baby potatoes to dip with Huancaina sauce; carrots; cabanossi (spicy sausage) and fruit to make a fresh fruit salad. We got fruit they haven't seen before: pepino and granadilla. While we were doing shopping, Mal couldn't help it and took a "Tres Leches", he's still looking for the perfect one, haha. We arrived home early, around 6:30 and weren't expecting the guys until 7pm, so we had some time to chill out and relax a bit :)

It was 7 when Jered called me to help him talking to the taxi driver, haha. Ok, the guys are in their way, time to start the preparation for the event. While Mal was fixing the fruit salad, I was boiling the potatos and started with the decoration of the table. At first we wanted to be lazy and not use many dishes, bowls, trays, but at the end we couldn't help it and decided to use all white and sort of modern dishes. Don't want to sound proud, but we did a great job! The table was lovely, how we sat everything and even the candle in the middle, awwww.

It was around 8pm and everything was almost ready when Jered arrived. Mal opened the door and they came. A curly hair girl came straight and gave me a super hug. Now I know how it feels when somebody you don't know hug you when you see him for first time in your life. I have to be honest and say: I love it! This girl was Tina. Then a familiar face. It was Lance! We were already friends on TB, although he wasn't very active, but after this meet up he would become an addict, haha. He just said: "Yadi!" Then I saw Megan. Well, I have met her long ago, haha, just the day before, haha. Next was Jered and he introduced me to his sister: Beth. So, the attendants to this event were: Tina, Beth, Megan, Jered, Lance, Mal & Yadi. Yay! Quite a big and fun group! Jered had his backpack with him. What did he has inside? Well, 2 bottles of pisco, a couple of bottles of beer and Chilean sweets, hehe. This is gonna be a fun night...

So, now it was time to start with the challenge. Lance would be the one who tried the Piscos. In order to be blind, he used Tina's scarf. Then he took a sit and tasted the 3 Piscos. Ok, I have to be honest. He said he found one of the Chileans better. I wasn't happy with the answer, but had to accept it. Anyway, the girls tried the Peruvian pisco and they found it better, haha. We took a sit and it was my time to try the Chilean pisco. It was good, and warmed me inmediately. It tasted a bit like whisky. Personally I'm not a big fan of whisky but if you like it, you'd love the Chilean ones. Mal tried it too, but he has already done it in Chile. He and Jered agreed in one thing: The Chilean is better if you drink it straight and the Peruvian is better if you drink it in a cocktail... Well, I'm Peruvian so my opinion can't be 100% impartial. So I'd let you decide. I still have some Chilean Pisco by me at home. Before I forgot to mention it, bringing a non Peruvian Pisco into the country is illegal. Jered had to smuggle the bottles he brought. Uhmmm, illegal drinks taste better, haha. And we made another discovery, the potatoes help you clean your mouth better than crackers after tasting a liquor ;)

We started to eat the potatoes and the girls found the dip addictive, haha. I knew it, haha. But I know Jered was waiting for the 2nd challenge of the night. The Empanadas Contest! They were still warm and Mal cut them in pieces, so we all can try the different varieties. Jered and I started being in touch on TB because of an Empanada picture, so this contest meant a lost for us, haha. His opinion meant to me a lot since he has tried different empanadas in Chile and finally his veredict was that he likes Peruvian Empanadas better, haha. Ok, we are even! We were just sharing food, chatting and having a great time.

Ok, back to the drink. Would be drink straight Pisco the whole night? No no no. To make things more Peruvian we would mix Pisco with Inca Kola. Yes, it sounds weird, but trust me, it worked, haha. The Peruvian Pisco and the Inca Kola matched perfect! Before mixing the Inca Kola, just try it straight. Inca Kola is a must here and they would find it everywhere they go in the country. The girls just loved it! I was afraid they would find it too sweet, but just said: Bubble Gum! haha. It was the first time in Peru for all the guys - except Mal of course, who's a local now, haha - and they were so happy about spending their first night in a Peruvian house, hanging out with local people and tasting local food and drinks. So glad they enjoyed the experience.

Suddenly Mal stood up and he came back with the fruit salad! It was his master piece, how could we forget about tasting it? No way! I brought some mini forks and we all had our desserts. It was cool and fresh. So tasty!!! They guys have never sawn the pepino or the granadilla, so they weren't not only amazed by the flavour, but also by its appereance, haha. After the sweet break we kept on having our pisco and chatting about future travel plans. They all were leaving to Cusco next morning. Oh! It was election's day in USA, so from time to time we went to the computer to check how it was going, haha.

We weren't talking about politics, but other serious subjects were present like religion, customes, etc. They might not be the easiest topics, but we had a great time sharing our points of view and experiences, haha. Suddenly one of the girls remembered about the beer. The bottles were in the fridge. So we started drinking beer too, haha. We were dinking the beer they brought and I asked them if they wouldn't like to try the best Peruvian beer. I just listened: "YES!" haha, and I brought a couple of bottles of Cuzquena - very good! Oh! we were missing the Chilean sweets! No problem at all, I brought them ASAP. They were so tasty, delicious.

Mal decided to invite somebody else to the party: Gunther, my baby! First we all went to the backyard to play with him, who was really excieted about having so many new people with him. Then we left him coming into the house. We were just chilling out when Jared came with a Chirimoya - a fruit similar to the starfruit. I took it, went to the kitchen, cut it and served it to everyone. It was the first time for the girls and Lance trying the fruit. They loved it but couldn't describe the flavour, haha. There was still Pisco, but we were running out of Inca Kola... so it was time for the Chicha Morada, haha. I know, I know, how crazy we were to mix Pisco with every drink, haha. But believe it or not, it was good!

Once Megan was checking the computer, she noticed all the photos hanging on the wall of fame of the HQ, haha. So it became an attraction. Everyone liked it, but most of all they were amazed about the fact I met all these people in real life, haha. Now everyone wanted to join TB or become more active. I guess, I created some monsters, haha. Well, Gunther was driving me crazy running all over the place without any kind of control. But it took me just 2 pieces of broccoli to send him back to the yard.

It was getting late and we run out of beer and Peruvian Pisco. It was time for the guys to go back to the hostel and be ready to start their adventure next morning, actually in a couple of hours. I called a cab and while it came for them, we kept on chilling out. The girls were so sweet. They helped me cleaning everything. Super!!!! Lance was trying to convince me to join them to Cusco, haha. Teaching me how to pretend I was sick when I talk to my boss, haha.

Ok, the taxi arrived. It was time for them to go. It was so sad saying good bye to the girls. They would be back in Lima, but just in order to catch another flight. So we won't be able to meet again, well at least not here. But I have their contact info and we'll keep in touch. But I wasn't sorry about the guys, haha. Was I mean? No way! They will come back to Lima next week and stay here for a couple of days. We still have to do this pisco sour tour, haha. Mal left with them, but he won't leave Lima, hehe.

Wow! It was very late, time to go to sleep. But I wasn't the only one who went late to bed. Gunther was awake until 2:30am too. Next morning he was sleeping the whole morning, no jumping or barking, haha. TB dog needed a break too, haha. Ok, now I'll get ready for the next Meet Up, I think it will be sooner than expected ;)