The emblematic dish "Sopa de Novios (Bride and groom soup), tradition of Cura Mori" has become the fourth Peruvian dish to receive the Guaranteed Traditional Specialty (ETG) distinction from the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi by its initials in Spanish).
This is a key intellectual-property recognition that protects and values culinary heritage. The recognition comes from the district of Cura Mori (located roughly 858 km north of Lima), in the heart of the Bajo Piura region.
ETG designations protect recipes and production methods passed down from generation to generation, also inform consumers about their unique attributes, and support the regional economy through gastronomic tourism.
"This recognition not only celebrates a recipe but the living memory of a community that has preserved its identity through flavors handed down over generations," said Sergio Chuez Salazar, Director of Distinctive Signs at Indecopi.
He noted that the dish combines chicken-offal broth, bread of soft crumb, rosca pasta, and the golden color of red and yellow chilli. Served slightly thick, the soup is garnished with olives, a boiled egg, and black raisins, and comes with white rice and a stew, often of free-range chicken.
The recognition was made possible through coordination among the District Municipality de Cura Mori, the regional Indecopi office in Piura, the Directorate of Distinctive Signs, and the local community, led by a cultural manager, district picanterías, and local cooks.
The process began in April 2024 and culminated in the dish’s official ETG registration via Resolution No. 035134-2025/DSD-INDECOPI, Chuez Salazar explained.
Arturo Ruíz García, District Mayor of Cura Mori, remarked that this recognition "represents a source of pride for all curamorinos, because the Sopa de Novios (Bride and Groom's Soup) is more than a dish: it is a symbol of unity, history, and love for our roots."
The event took place in the locality of Cura Mori, attended by regional and local authorities and citizens who sampled the traditional dish prepared by the district’s women cooks, heirs to the Cura Mori flavor tradition.
In Peru, the dishes already holding ETG status include:
- Pan de Anís de Concepción (Anise Bread from Concepción), a sweet, aromatic bread flavored with anise seeds and baked in clay ovens.
- Papa a la Huancaína (Huancayo-style Potatoes), boiled potatoes topped with a creamy cheese and yellow chili sauce.
- Ocopa Arequipeña (Arequipa-style Ocopa), a dish of boiled potatoes covered with a traditional sauce made from huacatay herb, peanuts, and chili peppers.
Over the past five years, around 200 collective trademarks have been registered in the Piura region, strengthening the competitiveness and development of local associations.