Fancy seeing Lima through the eyes of a chef? We’ve received a sneak peak of chef, Martin Morales' food-filled itinerary for his trip to Peru with food journalist Andy Lynes.

With a cook book Ceviche Peruvian Kitchen coming out on the 4th July and Ceviche on Tour: Britain’s first ever restaurant tour beginning on the 28th June, Martin Morales, founder of Ceviche, has got a lot on his plate over the coming months. In light of these exciting new projects Martin is heading to Peru to show food journalist Andy Lynes exactly why he’s so passionate about Peruvian food – the driving force behind all of his ventures.

We have a sneak preview of Day One from the extensive itinerary that Martin has carefully constructed to ensure that Andy receives a well-rounded insight into Peruvian food.

I couldn't wait to get to Garufin, a much revered Argentinian restaurant in London's Holborn. Hoping to be transported to the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires, this basement restaurant had a lot to live up to.

I felt a little rush of excitement as I pushed open the clandestine door to tip-toe down the stairs of this new Argentinian restaurant, Garufin. The scene that greeted me didn’t disappoint. Understated and accurate, I revelled in the simplicity of the beige walls and black and white lino floors. I felt like I’d entered one of Buenos Aires’ famous Bares Secretos (secret bars) and was ready to have a long and lazy evening meal complemented by sultry malbec tones and the menthol notes of Fernet Branca.
 

Johno, from our product department has put together an extensive packing list of bits and bobs that you'd kick yourself if you forgot on a trekking trip in the Andes. Based on years of experience of trekking in the region his expert advice comes from personal experience. This fantastic list is a must-read for anyone who's planning an adventurous summer.

The right mentality can go a long way
Unforeseen events can sometimes change your plans at the last minute. A flexible attitude will ensure that you don’t let it spoil your trip.

Train your feet before your trip
If you’re not used to walking long distances, try walking around the house and garden bare foot to toughen up the soles of your feet. Check your toe nails for ingrown or sharp edges and cut them short before hiking.

Inti Raymi (or ‘Festival of the Sun’), the second largest festival in South America, is upon us once more and not to be missed this summer. A week long celebration of live music, events and street-fairs will take place throughout Cusco, Peru, at the end of June, culminating with a grand procession and re-enactment of the ancient Inca ceremonial honouring of the sun god, Inti. Join the celebrations and journey back to the time of the great Inca Empire at this very special annual event.

Inti Raymi (or ‘Festival of the Sun’), as related by the famous 16th century Inca historian and writer Garcilaso de la Vega, was at the time of the Inca Empire one of Cusco’s most important ceremonies. Held in the city’s main plaza, it was in honour of one of the Inca religion’s most revered gods, Inti, the Incan sun god, and is also thought to have coincided with their celebration of the New Year.

The competition was on this week with our Latin America-isnpired baking competition. Read all about our imaginative entries and stayed tuned for the delicious winning recipe to be revealed!

It’s been an exciting and cake-filled time at Journey Latin America head office this week. We all got stuck in with helping to raise money for LATA Foundation by taking part in a Latin America-inspired bake off between all of the staff. It seems like quite a challenging theme and sounded a bit tricky from the outset, so we put together a Pinterest board to inspire everyone and get them thinking outside the cake tin! This threw up all sorts of options from cakes infused with national spirits to unconventional empanadas and modern twists on classic dishes.

The results were brilliant and we raised a whopping £150 for LATA Foundation. From savoury chilli con carne empanadas to sweet (and quite alcoholic!) mojito cupcakes, there was amazing diversity throughout the entries and certainly a lot to learn about traditions and delicacies throughout our favourite continent.