Monday through Saturday from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM in Surquillo, Lima, Peru, at the corner of Avenues Inca and Angamos, is a street breakfast merchant: two employees, mother and daughter, that reside about one half block from the corner on Inca. Each day they wheel a vending cart that consists of two gas burners for cooking, pots, pans, cups, spices, coffee, eggs, onions, cheese, potatoes (sweet and regular), oatmeal, vegetable oil, water, and bread. The bread is fresh, and often hot out of the oven, French bread rolls from the bakery across the street.
During their hours of operation they prepare from the cart breakfast for local residents and business personnel. In front of the cart is a bench and from behind the cart the mother cooks fresh eggs and potatoes. A pot of coffee and oatmeal sit waiting for customers. Bread is bought daily. The menu is limited: fresh and the quality is consistent. Any day one can get a fried egg and French bread sandwich with coffee for S/. 2.00 (two Soles): S/. 1.50 for the sandwich and S/. 0.50 for the coffee.
The daughter will deliver or pick up. Delivery is of food. Pick up is for cups. All cups are ceramic: a heavy mug. If one had delivery or picked up their meal and took it to their work, the daughter would stop to pick up the mug. One nice feature of the ceramic mug, coupled with the food being fresh and cooked by the mother, is that the customers feel more like they are having a home cooked meal, instead of a fast food take out.
The bench in front of the cart becomes a seating area for those to eat their meals. You will see the same people gathering for breakfast or coffee at the same time. The street breakfast merchant creates a social satisfaction as well as supplying low cost meals.
Having developed the customer base, the merchant can purchase supplies daily with confidence and not be concerned with excess: keeping everything fresh. The food that is offered allows for a quick production time. Customers still get their meals quickly and receive a higher quality because it is cooked to order. They come daily because of consistency, both quality of food and hours, delivery, and the camaraderie that are offered by the merchant's stand.
The camaraderie became apparent to me one day when she did not bring the cart out. I found I missed not only my coffee but the morning conversation. The next day her daughter was alone to open the cart. Instead of delivery, this day the daughter had on the familiar apron of her mother and was cooking alone. I asked her where they were the previous day and why she was cooking instead of her mother. She explained that her mother was very sick and that while she was not accustomed to cooking she had to open so no other merchants poached their spot.
That day I realized that cart was more of a coffee stop and part my community: similar to a Facebook friend you take for granted until you realize they are not in your friends anymore. So I went to the mercado (market) and bought some flowers. That day I delivered them to the mother at the home on Inca and told her to get well soon because she was missed.
The mother is well, the cart is there and I am getting my coffee daily. I also get a sandwich when I don't have time at home for breakfast. Recently, in addition to the fried egg or sweet potato sandwich, she started offering fried fish. I found I love the fish: again only S/. 1.50 for the sandwich.
One morning, recently, she asked me what I wanted and excitedly said she had the fish I liked. I was in the mood for an egg sandwich, but didn't want to disappoint her. So I said let me have a fresh fried egg and the fish on the French bread roll. It was delicious. I have named the sandwich, but not to offend anyone let's just say I call it the name of a famous Peruvian cartoon: pezweon. For more information on that I have included a video here below.
I will be telling you about the other street food experiences I've had here in Peru. I have found that I am lover of street food: cheap, fresh, and always an experience. For today you had breakfast. Stay tuned for lunch.
The camaraderie became apparent to me one day when she did not bring the cart out. I found I missed not only my coffee but the morning conversation. The next day her daughter was alone to open the cart. Instead of delivery, this day the daughter had on the familiar apron of her mother and was cooking alone. I asked her where they were the previous day and why she was cooking instead of her mother. She explained that her mother was very sick and that while she was not accustomed to cooking she had to open so no other merchants poached their spot.
That day I realized that cart was more of a coffee stop and part my community: similar to a Facebook friend you take for granted until you realize they are not in your friends anymore. So I went to the mercado (market) and bought some flowers. That day I delivered them to the mother at the home on Inca and told her to get well soon because she was missed.
One morning, recently, she asked me what I wanted and excitedly said she had the fish I liked. I was in the mood for an egg sandwich, but didn't want to disappoint her. So I said let me have a fresh fried egg and the fish on the French bread roll. It was delicious. I have named the sandwich, but not to offend anyone let's just say I call it the name of a famous Peruvian cartoon: pezweon. For more information on that I have included a video here below.
I will be telling you about the other street food experiences I've had here in Peru. I have found that I am lover of street food: cheap, fresh, and always an experience. For today you had breakfast. Stay tuned for lunch.
well done Senior Mark
ReplyDeleteGreat story....you've always been a great story teller. You need to write a book!
ReplyDelete