I am super excited to finally get my first Misia Peta Blog post up!! Who is Misia Peta and why is this blog dedicated to her? Misia Peta was the pen name of Hilda Calderón (née Velezmoro), Peruvian author of several crowd-pleasing cookbooks, including the wildly popular Cocina Peruana por Misia Peta (trans. Peruvian Cuisine by Misia Peta).
Most importantly to me, however, she was my tiny, energetic and adorable “Abue” (grandmother), who would visit from far away and could whip up an amazing meal out of thin air even if she was only a guest and wasn’t supposed to. (-;
Cocina Peruana and Beyond
In Peruvian kitchens from 1971 onward the book, Cocina Peruana por Misia Peta, with its over 900 recipes, was an extremely familiar sight. This one book taught countless to cook traditional Peruvian recipes culled from diverse Peruvian regions and eras or to use the recipes as starting points to create their own family versions of old Peruvian favorites. Misia Peta was the Julia Child of Authentic Peruvian Cuisine and fans still seek her books-40 to 50 years later-at used book fairs and online.
Cocina Peruana was so well-loved that it was reprinted 10 times in its semi-original form, reprinted at least a dozen times in publisher-amended portions and continues to be passed down in families. Until recently, however, little was known about the author behind the pen name to this 652 page book and the books that followed. This site is about the woman who was Misia Peta, her family and their love of good eating and best living.
The One & Only Misia Peta
In 2009, when Hilda Calderón (née Velezmoro) was 94 years old, she enjoyed a renewed interest in her work, due to the explosion in popularity of Peruvian cuisine worldwide. Through a series of coincidences made possible by the advent of the internet, which I will cover in another post, the woman behind the pen name was unmasked and honored by the director of the Instituto Culinario D’Gallia. She was interviewed by Peruvian television & newspaper reporters, taken by limousine to the event and given the red carpet treatment. She truly enjoyed the “sudden” acclaim and honors and even gave a cooking demonstration at D’Gallia from what I hear.
At this point, I made her a FaceBook Page so she could directly answer questions and praise from her fans, now 3 generations strong. She was intrigued by the idea of having her own space online. Time had not slowed down her seemingly boundless energy. Misia Peta owned her own mobile phone which she quickly answered herself, regularly communicated with her family across several continents using Skype and answered her FaceBook fans personally. She was tiny, but mighty!
Misa Peta’s Legacy
Although Misia Peta passed away at the end of 2013, her need to keep constantly busy in order to improve the lives of her family—-whether by preparing/decorating perfect meals or creating a gamut of beautiful handcrafts–continues on through her children and their families. Her children are multi-tasking, over-achievers.
To give you an idea, my own mother not only worked as an editor for her father (founder of the publishing house, Thesis, S.A.), she is also a couturier, caterer, professional baker and wedding cake designer. Her 5 siblings are artists (sculptor, ceramicist, jewelry designer and interior designer), entrepreneurs, and amazing cooks all (one sibling is even a professional chef). Let’s just say, Misia Peta’s progeny are a gifted and multi-talented bunch!
Our Mission
This blog will feature anecdotes, recipes, photos and how-tos from Misia Peta and her family. You have found the right place if you are curious about Peruvian Cuisine in general, are searching for AUTHENTIC Peruvian Recipes or are just curious about Misia Peta herself.
My goal is to both pay homage to this energetic and plucky woman I am grateful to have called “Abue” and to share, along with my family, some of her enthusiasm for good eating and best living with the world.
XOX–
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