If you were at the Sydney Food Festival last year, you'll know that 'A Taste of Peru' was a big hit, with chef Alejandro Saravia introducing the concept of modern Peruvian gastronomy. Today's guest blogger, Gaby Mora, brings the taste or Peru right into your kitchen and onto the palates of your friends and family with these great tips for a Peruvian party.

Gaby writes:

Peruvians, as all other Latin descendants, have a very special place for food in their hearts. Hospitality is ingrained in our systems; our ancestors had a culture of sharing and making guests feel welcome by offering them meals prepared with love and dedication.

Here are some insider's tips to bringing the Peruvian flavour into your home:

Getting into the vibe

Textiles are an excellent option for giving a Peruvian touch to your table. Place them on top of white tablecloths for an elegant-yet-ethnic look. You may be able to find them in The Latin Store and Caramba in Newtown (if you live in Sydney), and also try the Oxfam shops.

A simpler option is to decorate your house using the colours of the Peruvian flag: white and red. Fill bowls with bright-coloured chilies and limes, or interesting-shaped potatoes as table decorations and splash strong Peruvian colours around your home.

Drinks and nibbles

Pisco is our national brandy. Offer your guests pisco sour and algarrobina (cocktails) and they'll be delighted. Chilcano de pisco, with lime juice and a twist of bitters, is also a good option, especially for people concerned about drinking raw eggs. To purchase Peruvian pisco in NSW, visit www.piscoperu.com.au.

Forget peanuts and potato chips! Head to Tierras Latinas (Fairfield) or Fiji Market (Newtown) and get a few bags of cancha serrana. Or prepare a batch of huancaÌna (with yellow chilli and cheese) and serve as as dipping sauce for cocktail potatoes or cassava chips.

On the table

En la variedad est· el gusto: variety is the key.

Offer some seafood dishes like cebiche (citrus-marinated) and pulpo al olivo (a delightful marriage of octopus and olives), and mains like olluquito con carne (a spicy mix of beef with ollucos, a root vegetable) and arroz con pollo (a tasty rice with chicken dish that belies its simple name). A few salads (make sure they include avocado, corn, and lime juice) and white rice cooked with sauteèd garlic and salt with beans make perfect accompaniments to a Peruvian table.

Peruvian desserts are very sweet but super tasty. Leche asada (a poor man's crème brûlée) and alfajores (cornflour biscuits with dulce de leche (caramel)) are a couple of the most typical ones.

For more Peruvian recipes, head to www.yanuq.com or Lateral Eating.

¡buen provecho

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gaby Mora is a Peruvian foodie with a long love affair with cooking. Her blog, Lateral Eating, has the tagline "eating outside the box, literally", which pretty much summarises her quest for staying healthy while enjoying (and cooking!) tasty meals.