El Tren Macho pulls in, two hours behind schedule, to the dusty mining city of Huancavelica. Its passengers file out, find luggage, and embark towards their modest homes in the Citaq and and Huamanrazo hills of the Chonta mountain range. Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is orienting himself with the help of a map and a local, and makes his way down the winding streets towards the markets. As he walks, his head swivels, drinking in the atmosphere; children are running and kicking a football made of rags as the sun reflects off of tin roofs. As he approaches the market, the streets slowly become more and more congested, with vendors hawking produce and live animals and the shrewd locals searching for a bargain on the night’s dinner.
Bobby is in Huancavelica on a mission. He walks with purpose and direction, a sharp eye trained on the stands of vegetables; after much searching, he stops at a display of clay-red roots and flashes his impish grin. He has found the Oca Red tuber, what Heritage Plants refers to as “one of the ‘Lost Crops’ of the Incas.” Placing his purchase in his bag, he makes his way to the home of one of the locals.
Under a rusty roof, Flay and his host cook stand over a steaming steel pot, discussing the delicacy they are preparing; Flay gets tips on various ways of preparing traditional dishes with the Oca Red tuber, and brings in his own style, knowledge, and flavor; the cooks are deeply engaged in the exchange of their cultures, excitedly sharing stories and insights rooted in their own unique histories.
Huancavelica is one of the many exotic and intriguing locales Bobby Flay travels to, in pursuit of exotic and indigenous foods and the exchange of knowledge with locals, preparing meals as a cultural ambassador, spreading his own love for cooking while immersing himself in and leaving an imprint upon the cultures of each unique region his travels take him.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huancavelica http://heritageplants.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=8&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=41&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=26&vmcchk=1&Itemid=26
