Pisco Stories
Searching for information about Pisco on social media, I came across an interview on a local radio station just as they opened the lines for listeners to participate. I copied the participation of one of them who introduced himself as Rolando from Lima: "In the most emblematic book of the war with Chile made by Chileans by Jorge Inostroza, "Adios al Septimo de Linea" 2nd volume page 71 there is this dialogue: "A sip of Pisco while we wait for your companions," he proposed, (they are talking about two meetings of spies), the agent accepted gladly and for half an hour they sipped several glasses of the fiery Peruvian liquor almost in silence...".
Rolando wanted us to see in that dialogue that an important historical work recognizes that Pisco is from Peru. Subsequently, the program host comments that he had read the 5 volumes of the work when he was a boy in Tacna, but he did'nt remember that dialogue, he remembered that they drank "Chupilca del Diablo" Pisco mixed with gunpowder to give them courage in battle.
These little stories, tales, legends, are what have made me passionate about our National Cultural Heritage drink. There are endless ones, I use them in my talks as great contributions to understanding why we defend the Peruvian identity of Pisco.
Another story that I really like is that of Marco Aurelio Denegri (Peruvian intellectual, literary critic, tv host and sexologist), in one of his programs, titled "The Great Pisco Taster, Augusto B. Leguía." Aurelio tells us: "
"His uncle Luis Ernesto Denegri Casas was the private secretary of Augusto Bernardino Leguía and Salcedo Constitutional President of Peru 1908-1912 / 1918-1929, this information is absolutely reliable and my uncle Luis Ernesto communicated it to us several times. He told us at family gatherings that Mr. Leguía was a great Pisco taster and had the best Piscos sent to him from Ica. He was always very well supplied with grape spirit.
Mr. Leguía said two things: that it had to be consumed slowly. Secondly, it had to be consumed alone". (This of drinking alone is also a gastronomic principle, true gastronomes always eat alone, never accompanied, because the company distracts and I have to concentrate on what I am eating, with all my senses).
One had to drink the small cup of Pisco slowly, mind you, only one cup a day", that was mandatory for Leguía, fundamental, this slowness in drinking allowed him to taste the Pisco, savor it, enjoy it, so he could properly appreciate all its virtues and fragrances. How long did Mr. Leguía take to drink a small cup of Pisco? According to my uncle's information, 30 or 40 minutes and sometimes an hour." Loved it!
There are also mentions of Pisco in several novels by Herman Melville (Moby Dick) in Omoo his second novel (1847) about the South Seas, an adventure aboard a whaler page 52:
"But there was a circumstance which at this time contributed more than anything else to reconcile many to their situation: this was the daily allowance of Pisco, which the steward doled out at the foot of the capstan, in little tin measures called "chiquitos." (tiny, little).
From now on we could say: give me a chiquito of Pisco, instead of a shot of Pisco, it sounds better, doesn't it? Always responsibly.
By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster
Registration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011
@elmagozurdo
Cocktail Magazine No. 32 september 02, 2020
Cocktail magazine (spanish) in issuu
Pisco & music
September 2020
Where pisco is the only protagonist!
#lapiscoteca #piscosour #winelover #pisco #pasionporlacata #bar #elpiscoesdelperu #vino #vinosdelperu #pisco #piscolover #Lima #Peru #Moquegua #Tacna #Arequipa #Ica
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