We wish to launch the first edition of Savory Nation!

And we would like to do so together with you and also for you. As we know that your contribution is very important and decisive for us, we want the books to be top-notch! With your help, we will publish 500 copies of the book. We have decided on a design that’s 22 x 14cm/ 8.6 x 5.5 " (which is easy to carry around), with a color cover of 300gr. / 10.6 oz. and a smooth matte laminate (for it to look and feel nice), and, for the pages inside, 80gsm newsprint paper (which has a soft texture and facilitates reading).

What about the stories?

Peruvian food is delicious (how could anyone disagree!?). However, this flavor is not a random result but the consequence of a long process of cultural blending. What interests us are precisely the stories behind the dishes, those that inspire us, that awaken our memories, which amaze us or impel us into the future. And so, just as Peruvian food spans from spicy to sweet, from chifa to Creole dishes, from Pachamanca to ceviche, Savory Nation brings together 9 stories that feature diverse genres and characters. To illustrate this idea, we have included below a brief summary of the stories:

November 1st is the story of Hugo, who migrates to Lima from the province. Penniless, Hugo visits his mother’s grave at sunrise on the Day of the Dead, hoping not to run into his brother whom he has quarreled with. What he doesn’t expect is Paulina, his furious mother, to emerge from the grave for just one day in the realm of the living in order to resolve the conflict between her sons… and eat a proper meal.

To Grow within the Sea tells the story of Elena, a little girl who becomes a woman next to her beloved sea. Her father is a fisherman and Elena loves to be with him. She would give anything to accompany him every morning, but instead she has to go to her awful school. For Elena, happiness is flowing with the rhythm of the tides, working, cooking, sharing, and loving; all in a continuous and consistent lifecycle.

Home Sweet Home is the story of Ruben, a Peruvian migrant in Argentina. It is 1990, Ruben has just moved to Buenos Aires looking for a better future, but he struggles to adapt to a reality so different from his. Close to giving up on his journey, he hears about a Peruvian restaurant in town and when he visits it, the aromas and flavors give him back the strength to continue on his adventure.

A Joyful Death is about the agony of Visiteritos, a piece of Tantawawa bread who faces his last day of life. As tradition has it, he has been made to be eaten at a celebration. Fearful of his fate, Visiteritos asks God for help and so he is lulled into a deep slumber. In his sleep, he recalls his brief festive purpose, reliving the nobility and warmth that he is made of, and so he accepts that his sacrifice is the best way of sharing the sweet taste of happiness.

My Grandpa's Funeral is the story of little Ignacio who must travel to his grandfather's town to bury him. Accustomed to the city and hurt by his loss, Ignacio feels estranged and threatened by the town, but his perception changes when he realizes the distinctive esteem of its inhabitants, who organize a funeral full of food, music and joy in honor of his grandfather. As Ignacio participates in the celebration he discovers how sorrow can mix with a deep and intense joy.

The Revelation narrates the story of Catalina, a girl who finds in cooking a way of approaching God. The story is set in mid-18th century Peru. Despite her wishes and like many other women, Catalina is sent to a convent by her parents for her to have a better future than the one they can offer. The enormous pain she feels for being far away from her family is alleviated when she discovers the culinary delights hidden in the monasteries, as unexpected as the amazing friends she makes.

Yearning for Yesterday tells the story of Michael, a survivor of the future that crosses a devastated Lima after a water crisis. Michael wanders the desert towards the mountains. Escaping from one of the many tribes that populate the arid countryside, he meets a scientist. Together, they travel to a placid and beautiful virtual reality that recalls the pre-crisis times, but eventually he must face the crisis so as not to be trapped in it.

St. John’s Eve is the story of young Olga who spends the saint’s celebration with her grandmother in the rainforest which she has been forced to go to. Obliged by her parents, she obeys her grandmother and sulks while she helps her cook. Her bad mood dissipates slowly as she chops, cuts and seasons the dishes, joining in on the festivities. She heads to the river with her family to share with the other families their juanes, the typical dish prepared for the occasion, and her laughter is as clear and vibrant as the green Amazons.

My demon fruit is the story of little Alonso who early in his childhood discovers that he can transform the essence of fruits into a wonderful and special beings of his inner world. With this gift, he meets incredible and colorful creatures, until one day, an enigmatic and wild demon girl appears to him in his dreams. Thus, as the years go by and he grows to be a little older, Alonso begins a wonderful journey throughout Peru determined to unlock the demon girl’s prickly exterior in order to discover the sweetness and warmth that he perceives lies underneath.

What do you receive in exchange for your participation?

Each participation has a beautiful reward and there is an option for every palate. If you are bold, and we mean bold, and you’re fascinated by the concept of the book, you can unlock the secret of the tenth story: The Spell of the Lucuma (a love story about Luis, a young Nikkei who uses the powers of the lucuma to win the heart of his beautiful and unattainable schoolmate Rosa). If what you like is deciding, then you can join the creative team in the choice of the book cover. If you you’re a person that likes to share you have on of three very nice options: to choose one of the three dedications of the book and make it for someone special, to include your name on the cover page of one of the 9 stories, or get an autographed copy of the book… all so that your link to the book becomes manifest, showing the true beauty of collective creation.

And perhaps we were naive in omitting it before, but we trust that you are aware that the most important thing for us is the satisfaction of knowing that your participation helps to materialize a book that would only be a project if it weren’t for you.

What happens after the campaign?

We are well aware that clarity is very important in financing campaigns which is why we would like you to know in detail what happens once it is over. First of all, we will finish the stories, as expected (as you like them and as we like them). Then, we will translate them into English (taking care of the style as we want this to be a delicious experience too). Finally, we will carry out the book design (the cherry on top) and send it to print.

Good things take their time to make and so we won’t rush to the point of losing sight of what’s important: that reading the book be a wonderful experience for you. However, so that you can keep up to date with how Savory Nation is coming along, we will be connected through our blog or fanpage. There we will publish the advances we make every week of the 18 week process, until the book is finally ready to land in your hands for your eyes to see, and for you to sigh and enjoy the pleasure of reading it and savoring every word.

Who are the makers of Savory Nation?

A group of people that is very grateful to you.

Just as the book is materialized thanks to your contribution and the contribution of many others, the creation of Savory Nation brings together the efforts of three people: us. The creative writer of the stories is Pablo Santur, a screenplay writer with a long track record (more than ten years dedicated to TV), anime fan, teacher and novel writer. The translation of the stories to English is in charge of Ana Rosberg, a deeply talented literary writer, a lover of good cinema and a meticulous translator, all aspects which she brings together to translate the mellifluous Spanish language into English. All of the letters come together for the graphic layout at the hand of Renzo Godoy who is a silent creator, comic book fan and bon-vivant foodie, not to mention, a very talented designer. The three of us, in a joint effort, will make Savory Nation a wonderful experience for you.