Maruja Ramos de Aguilar

Picantera from Sociedad Picantera de Arequipa (Arequipa, Peru)

“La Maruja”, as Maruja Ramos is widely known, is a genuine institution of Arequipa spice cooking, which goes back three generations before her.

Born in the foothills of the Misti volcano in Arequipa, Maruja (64) describes spice cookery as a meeting, a communion of tradition, family and know-how. A legacy handed down to her by her grandmother and her mother, forming part of the popular exquisite recipes and stews in her traditional culture, carefully chosen for each day of the week and for each holiday.

This tradition of culinary art in the family which is still observed by “La Maruja” looks set to continue in the future. Her eldest son José Luis is following in her footsteps in this family legacy, and he and his mother preserve the tradition of the typical cuisine of Arequipa, handed down by the women of Arequipa with their pots and stoves.