Jose A. Benzaquen Perea
For eight thousand years, the inhabitants of ancient Peru cultivated potatoes in the Andean lands. This native Andean tuber is a source of food and tradition to the people of the high Andes and a priceless gift of nature to the world.
More than 480 years have passed since the Spaniards discovered the potato in the Andes, a treasure from the Empire of Incas; taken to Europe, since then the potato has travelled and conquered the world.
Nowadays, more than billions of people in more than 150 countries obtain the highest rate of growth of old food crops. According to research, the annual potato production exceeds three hundred million tonnes and its trade is worth more than one billion dollars. As previously mentioned, the potato was domesticated thousand years ago, when the Indian people selected edible species from a monk wild potato.
It was demonstrated that this domestication came from the north part of the Lake Titicaca. According to the investigation of David Spooner in 2005, he also identified Solanum bukasovii as the possible wild ancestor and Solanum stenotomum as the first species of potato to be cultivated. The first documented mentioned of the potatoes in Europe, specifically in Canary Islands, dates from 1567 and we have the scientific evidence of the presence of potatoes native to the Andes, however the Andean potato was grown until the year of 1892. Naturally, the potato was a botanical and ornamental curiosity in Europe.
One of the first pieces of evidence that shows our potato growing there is a watercolor by Dutch botanist Clusius, entitled “Papas peruanorum”. As a result, potato is of the most cultivated products in the world. It is considered a daily meal in many parts of the world; making the potato an essential product. It is rich in ingredient of Vitamins such as Zinc, Potassium and Iron with a 55% of water within its composition. It is a tuber that we can always combine with other natural ingredients and present it in diverse forms and meals after two centuries of its existence in Europe.
I had the honour to visit the International Potato Center which headquarters is in Lima capital of Peru, whose vision is to reduce poverty, enhance food and nutrition security, and improve natural resources and ecosystem services. According to the CIP there are over 4,000 edible varieties of potato, mostly found in Andes of South America. During my visit, I had the pleasure to discuss with one of the most known investigators at the CIP, Dr. John Scott, an American researcher dedicated to identify the varieties of the potatoes and its uniqueness that can be cultivated around the world. Being at the CIP, I have learned that the diversity is expressed in different growing patterns and forms; the green stalks which contains reddish and purple flecks; the flowers may be star-shaped, pentagonal or wheel shaped and colored white, pink, red, light blue, purple, or violet.
The tubers of the native potatoes vary widely in flavor and texture and come in a fascinating range of shapes and colors. They are very different to the varieties grown in the rest of the world. There are other varieties in white, yellow, red and purple flesh, and unique and colorful combinations.
The United Nations has designated the year of 2008 as the International Year of Potato, highlighting all the efforts put into the production and research of this unique product. Peruvian potatoes have always been the centre of the world attention and still continue to demonstrate it to the rest of the world. I have to refer to my Peruvian agriculture that helped sustain the potatoes for a longer period of time such as the “Chuño”.
The word Chuño comes from Quechua ch’uñu, which means ‘frozen potato’ that is conserved for a long time staying in a great condition for future consumption used in various types of delicious meals. A product traditionally known within the Quechua and Aymara communities of Bolivia and Peru, also found in various countries of South America. In Peru, we can find more than 50 species of potatoes that are available in different villages but with a different touch of each one of them, demonstrated through its beautifully plated meals that are exquisite and delicious in all senses. According to many research, the top three countries of potato production is China, India, and Russia and the first country that exports potatoes is The Netherlands.
As a proud Peruvian, I need to highlight that potato has been one of the most important gastronomic product making our culinary Peruvian food authentic and diverse flavours of Peruvian gastronomy known for its rich flavours and diverse influences. This global legacy of potatoes is thanks to the all the efforts of the men and women Peru. Finally, it is necessary to recognize the past of my country in order to appreciate the deliciousness of the world´s top leading Peruvian cuisine.
