• Peru •
LA FERIA
October Showcase
5527 Walnut Street. Pittsburgh, PA 15232
Phone: +1 (412) 682-4501 Email: [email protected] https://laferia.net |
On the second floor of Pamela’s Diner in Shadyside, there is a beautiful and tranquil space to experience what the Incan Empire and other pre-hispanic civilizations have left us. La Feria, meaning “The Fair” in Spanish, presents two of the most celebrated parts of a Peruvian fair: authentic Peruvian food and folk art. We had the great pleasure of speaking with La Feria’s owner, Luisa Porras, about the intricacies of Peruvian cuisine and how her background is essential to her restaurant and shop.
Owner
Luisa Porras grew up in a bilingual household in Peru, speaking both Spanish and English. The language skills she developed from an early age gave her adaptability within different cultures, a trait she utilized to become successful in each of the countries she lived in. From Peru, she traveled first to London, where she opened a Peruvian folk art shop which she maintained for twenty years; she attributes her interest in art to her mother, who also owned an art shop in Peru. The shop in London quickly grew in popularity, attracting everyone from the likes of Princess Diana to the promoters of a US-based TV show, who later asked her later asked her to open a similar shop in Pittsburgh. Since selling the culture of her home country was her passion, Porras was more than happy to spread it even further. So, twenty-five years ago, she decided that Pittsburgh was a great city to put down roots and moved here permanently.
In Shadyside, she chose to not only continue the business of selling Peruvian folk art, but also to expand her experiences to sharing Peruvian cuisine. The idea to open a restaurant came from Pittsburgh’s famous Pam Cohen, who provided indispensable business advice at the opening of La Feria and continues to support Porras in her endeavors. Although running both a shop and a restaurant can, at times, be busy and exhausting, seeing people appreciate the food and culture of her home country is what keeps Porras going. “I’m doing the things that I’ve always loved,” she told us, gesturing to the art around the shop straight from the artisans of Peru.
Though Porras has not lived in her home country for a long time, she hasn’t lost her Peruvian identity. Her restaurant feels "like a piece of home," and she is able to travel back-and-forth regularly, visiting family and collecting items to sell in the shop. Despite this strong connection with Peruvian culture she continues to feel, she calls herself a “believe of integrating cultures.” She showed a strong interest in each of our cultural backgrounds and was able to connect them to each other through common food interests and historical connections. Her cultural curiosity and aptitude for understanding different customs shone through and she continuously demonstrated the appreciation for diversity that our organization is dedicated to promoting.
Food
Ms. Porras designed her menu based on the type of food her mother made at home, which distinguishes her menu from any other Peruvian restaurants. Though, in Peru, most people hire cooks to prepare their daily meals, Porras’ mother was one of the few who chose to do the work herself because of her enthusiasm and appreciation for cooking. Ms. Porras shares this passion with her mother and enjoys sharing Peruvian comfort food with her community.
The food itself was absolutely delicious. Some of us tried a traditional Peruvian and Latin American snack: the empanada. They were made of a tasty fried dough with different types of fillings -- beef, chicken, spinach, and even spicy apple, which especially intrigued us. We also got the chance to try a type of Peruvian homemade soup made with chorizo and white beans. Chorizo is a type of pork sausage commonly used in Latin America, with an interesting texture more like dough than meat. It was unforgettably flavorful and one of our favorite dishes from the trip.
Peru & Folk Art
Peru is known for its long history and diversity of its people. The cultures found within the country range from those remnant of the ancient Incan Empire and that left by the Spanish Conquistadors, to those influenced by the immigration of more recent years. The folk art shop within La Feria illustrates this medley through artwork that is characteristic of a variety of Peruvian artists; the various wool scarves and sweaters, paintings, wooden instruments, and decorative mirrors are all made from artisans from all over Peru who Porras has known for decades. Some themes found in the art are well-known, such as Días de Los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), a holiday celebrated by Mexico and some Latin American countries to pray for and remember the dead. Others are more representative of local traditions, such as the unique musical instruments.
That said, we found La Feria to not only be a unique dining experience, but also an interesting look into Peruvian culture supplemented by fascinating and intricate folk art. We had a wonderful time learning about Ms. Porras’ journey around the world and hope to spread the message she shared about diversity and acceptance.