(Sky News)
Last week I mentioned plans for the baobab to be sold in the UK well now it looks like Peru are hoping to introduce one of their favourite dishes to the international market - guinea pig.
I've learned a lot of interesting facts during my research for the Dr Midas books about Madagascar, Peru and Cambodia. For instance in Madagascar there are a lot of fadys or taboos about animals. Aye-ayes (a kind of lemur) are sometimes considered bad luck and if you see a tenrec (it looks like a hedgehog) you'll get lost. In Angkor they used to have crocodiles eat criminals toes and they like to eat deep fried spiders. In Peru they used to be very found of sacrifices and they like to eat guinea pigs - found on menus as cuy.
So I was interested to read on Sky's website about a guinea pig festival in Huacho, Peru, which is in its third year. The celebrations include contests for 'biggest', 'fastest'' tastiest' and 'best dressed' all to promote the food.
"Here we are trying to show all the work implied, their breeding, their diet, how we can get a better product, we are trying to present it to the world so that people don't have any prejudices," said chef Pilar Fox. "This is also to give an incentive to the communities who breed Guinea Pigs so they can see that it is a way of life, if they can get a good product they can sell it and try to enter in the international markets," she explained.
I'm still working away at my 'Dr Midas and the Khmers' and have penned new chapters while waiting at a hospital and at the zoo. However I've also been thinking about a new book not involving my time-travelling hero bu still set in the past. I'm also very aware that if publishers aren't interested in my Dr Midas books at the moment that I will have to try something new - but I can only write a story I'm really enthusiastic about.
One of the reasons I visited the zoo was to do a bit of research and to take some pictures and video. I'm hoping if my story comes together (I already have a couple of characters in my head) that I might be able to finish it in time to enter it in the 'Diverse Voices' competition.
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