Pisco Sours, the national drink of Peru, were flowing in Lima over the past weekend to celebrate what has become my new favorite holiday: Pisco Sour Day. On Saturday afternoon, Barranco’s Plaza de San Francisco, pisco makers and restaurants had set up booths and displays dedicated to the cocktail. Vendors were handing out drinks, salsa music playing and kids chasing after pidgeons. In other parts of town, Miss Pisco Sour 2009 was crowned and there were countless professional Pisco Sour-making competitions.

The Pisco Sour is a mix of pisco – a locally produced grape brandy – lemon, egg white, sugar and a dash of bitters. Peru and Chile to this day fight bitterly over the origin of pisco. The production methods differ in the two countries, with plenty of scoffing on both sides. Until recently, Chile had been producing something like 50 times more pisco annually than Peru, but it seems that Peruvian exports of the drink have now surpassed Chile. From a Mercopress report:

Peruvian pisco exports have climbed 17 times in six years and the main markets are the US, Spain, Chile and Colombia.

“In 2002 we exported 80.000 US dollars and last year we jumped to 1.4 million US dollars, surpassing Chilean exports”, said Production Minister Elena Conterno.

In the same period pisco production soared four times from 1.5 million litres to 6.59 million litres.

For those like myself with little stake in the nationalistic struggle between Peru and Chile over the drink, the upshot is that Chile’s own Pisco Sour Day is coming on May 15. Mark your alcohol calendars!

Image: theworldwidegourmet.com