zdficken's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Juane
Gastro Obscura
Story
Prepared Foods

Juane

Peru’s leaf-wrapped rice ball might be named after John the Baptist’s decapitated head.
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Maca
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Maca

The Andean root once fueled Inca warriors.
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Ají Charapita
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Fruits & Vegetables

Ají Charapita

The Peruvian pepper tastes like spicy citrus.
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Chicha Morada
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Drinks

Chicha Morada

Peru's purple drink made from purple corn.
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Cuy
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Prepared Foods

Cuy

The guinea pig is both food and pet in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
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Guayusa
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Guayusa

The Kichwa begin every day with tea and dream interpretation.
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Ranfañote
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Sweets

Ranfañote

This vintage dessert of bread, cheese, and syrup nearly disappeared from Peru.
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Causa
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Prepared Foods

Causa

Peru's strikingly beautiful mashed potato casserole.
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Lúcuma
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Fruits & Vegetables

Lúcuma

This butterscotch-flavored fruit has a way with desserts.
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Picarones
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Sweets

Picarones

The sweet potato donuts are an integral part of the Afro-Peruvian community.
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Sweet Potato Fly
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Drinks

Sweet Potato Fly

Fermenting tubers with spices, eggshells, and sugar creates a fizzy, wassail-flavored drink.
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Horchata Lojana
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Drinks

Horchata Lojana

Made from dozens of regional flowers and herbs, this tea reflects the unique flora of Loja, Ecuador.
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Ají Negro
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Ingredients & Condiments

Ají Negro

To make this hot sauce, first remove the poison.
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Chicha de Jora
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Story

Chicha de Jora

The Colombian government declared war on this once-ubiquitous drink.
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Kapeshuna Beans
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Ingredients & Condiments

Kapeshuna Beans

In the desert of La Guajira, Colombia, locally grown cowpeas hold spiritual meaning for the Wayúu tribe.
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Big-Bottomed Ants
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Meats & Animal Products

Big-Bottomed Ants

Catch these fiercely guarded queens for a crunchy, caviar-flavored snack.
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Naranjilla
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Fruits & Vegetables

Naranjilla

Relatively unknown outside South America, the tart, tomato-like fruit makes beloved juices and cocktails.
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Chocolate Santafereño
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Story
Drinks

Chocolate Santafereño

This steamy concoction features a salty, melted surprise at the bottom of the mug: white cheese.
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Cholado
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Sweets

Cholado

The cool Colombian treat blends shaved ice with syrup, fruit, and anything from wafer cookies to cheese.
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Cochayuyo
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Fruits & Vegetables

Cochayuyo

This hearty kelp has been feeding Chileans for at least 14,000 years.
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Piure
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Meats & Animal Products

Piure

Slice open this rock-like sea creature and you'll find tomato-red flesh that tastes great in Chilean ceviche.
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Chilean Sea Urchin
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Meats & Animal Products

Chilean Sea Urchin

Flip over these prickly treasures and find creamy, orange meat.
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Merquén
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Ingredients & Condiments

Merquén

In Chile's central Araucanía region, the indigenous Mapuche community still makes this smoky spice blend.
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Fog Beer at Atrapaniebla Brewery
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Drinks

Fog Beer at Atrapaniebla Brewery

In the Atacama Desert, brewers trap fog moisture to make crisp ales.
Gastro Obscura