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Andean people prepared their potatoes in a variety of ways, such as boiled, mashed, baked, and stewed in ways similar to modern methods [citation needed]. The Andean people also prepared a dish called papas secas , which was a process that involved boiling, peeling, and chopping.
The earliest archaeologically verified potato tuber remains have been found at the coastal site of Ancon (central Peru), dating to 2500 BCE. Potatoes became one of the most important source of food in Pre-Columbian Andean civilizations .
The most important ingredient in all Peruvian cuisine is the potato, as Peru has the widest variety of potatoes in the world. American food critic Eric Asimov has described it as one of the world's most important cuisines and as an exemplar of fusion cuisine, due to its long multicultural history. [1]
Andean farmers must contend with the severe fluctuations in temperature, the unpredictability of the rainy season, and a multitude of pest threats on the daily. [4] To cope with such challenges, many farmers try protect their crops by cultivating a diverse array of species rather than a monoculture.
Around 200 varieties of potatoes were cultivated by the Incas and their predecessors. The llama was the Inca pack animal, but not large enough to be ridden or used for plowing fields. A staple crop grown from about 1,000 meters to 3,900 meters elevation was potatoes. [17] Quinoa was grown from about 2,300 meters to 3,900 meters. [17]
After fall harvest (April–May), potatoes are selected for the production of chuño, typically small ones for ease of processing. These small potatoes are spread closely on flat ground, and allowed to freeze with the low night temperatures and dehydrate in the daytime, for about three nights. This process results in natural freeze-drying.
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The Propitious Esculent: The Potato in World History is a book by John Reader outlining the role of the potato (the esculent of the title) in world history. [1] [2] It was also published under the titles The Untold History of the Potato and Potato: A History of the Propitious Esculent.