Traditional Andean food date back to the Inca Civilization. For centuries inhabitants of the Andes have based their diet on potatoes, quinoa, maize and meat.

Theobroma cacao is a tree fruit endemic to the South American rainforest and distributed to Central America by humans. It was domesticated about 3,000 years ago by local indigenous people in the and in the Lacandon area in Mexico; the domestication of this crop happened independently of each other. Although not exclusively indigenous of Peru, the tree is native of the Amazon basin and it is found growing in the wild at low elevations in the foothills of the .

Flowers from the Theobroma cacao tree
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The name Theobroma means “food …

In 2007, Pure Nacional, a variety of the cacao tree was rediscovered in Peru, to the world’s chocolate makers it was a delight. In 1916 the plant was hit by disease and within a few years 100% of the trees were destroyed and the Pure Nacional species of cacao tree was put in the list of extinct species. The cacao tree is highly susceptible to diseases and insect pests.

Chocolate from Pure Nacional Cacao
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Pure Nacional was found growing in the valley of the Marañon Canyon which flows north along the eastern …

Quinoa is a crop that originated in the South American and Bolivia and was domesticated by more than 6,000 years ago. For the quinoa was a staple food, second in importance after . Its ability to survive in high altitudes, from 2,800 up to 4,000 meters, intense heat, freezing temperatures and little rain, made it an important crop on which the population could rely becoming part of the culinary culture of Peru. Its nutritional properties sustained the army in its long journeys. For those reasons, the …

Baked, fried, boiled, mashed, grated, dried, roasted, converted into flour, stuffed, stewed and grilled are some of the ways in which potatoes can be cooked.  They come in different shapes and colors, many shades of purple, blue, violet, pink, red, brown and yellow, pink with brown spots, yellow with pink spots and endless combinations. In the sixteenth century the took the potato to the Old World, it became widely accepted and quickly adapted to the culinary traditions of different nations. Its consumption became universal and was massively consumed during …

Peruvian cuisine varies depending on where you are. Due to the variety and supply of fresh produce is plentiful, there are many native Peruvian crops such as ,, kiwicha, and beans.

There are more than 2,500 varieties of . The potato is the main ingredient in .

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Yellow chilli peppers is a condiment and seasoning used in many
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Corn or maize in many colors
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Peruvian cuisine has been influenced by a variety of cultures brought by the arrival of immigrants from Spain, Africa, Italy, Japan and China. One of the most influential …