but I was never a big fan of it: tripe is very chewy and has a distinct texture and, in my opinon, is very hard to season. I ate it anyway, out of respect, but when I got to Junín, I got to try some more organ meats that I had never had before. Liver, lungs and (sadly) more tripe have all been served to me in Junín, always with papas y arroz to go with it. The liver I really enjoyed; it had a very interesting texture and, as my host mother suggested, squeezing fresh lime juice on it made it taste even better. The potatoes and rice helped by absorbing a lot of the flavor too. The lungs I didn't enjoy as much but they were still better than tripe.
The first time I tried a plate with papas y arroz, I didn't think much of it. They are both common in the United States, especially potatoes in the form of french fries. After a couple weeks straight of them every day, I started to get tired of them, but after a couple months straight of them every day, you get used to them. They are both very versatile foods, and the kinds of sauces you can add to them is near infinite. My favorite so far is pollo al vino, a mild sauce with chicken and a special berry in it that tastes delicious. Regardless of the sauce, though, they have become an integral part of my diet here in Peru. The organ meat I was honestly excited to try. I have always thought it's important to try everything at least once, whether it's food or a new sport, so I was looking forward to checking something off my list that others might not get to try very often. Organ meat has also been put forward lately as very nutritous, which only made me more excited to try it.
