Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:
Review Questions
Topics for Discussion
Additional Projects
The inhabitants of the Andean region developed more than half the agricultural products that the world eats today. Among these are more than 20 varieties of corn, 240 varieties of potato, as well as one or more varieties of squash, beans, peppers, peanuts, and cassava (a starchy root).
Soups are an indispensable part of the main meal and frequently are a meal in themselves. Most South American soups originated in European kitchens; a few date back to pre-Hispanic times.
In the Andean countries there are the mazamorroas or coladoas , cream like soups made with ground dried corn and ground dried beans, quinoa, amaranth, or squash. Variations of this type of soup, called sangos , are probably the oldest Indian food. Sango was the sacred dish of the Incas.
The Spaniards introduced potajes (hearty soups), pucheros (pot-au-feu -type soups), and cocidos (meat and vegetables soups) that are popular in the southern countries of South America.
Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Paraguay have locros —thick soups made with hominy, beans, squash, and sweet potatoes. Chupes, popular in Bolivia, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador, are stew like soups prepared with fish, chicken, or other meat along with potatoes, cheese, vegetables, and may include eggs.
Venezuela is located on the northern edge of South America, bordered by Guyana, Brazil Colombia, and the southern waters of the Caribbean Sea. Due to the diversity in the landscape, Venezuela has an ability to grow a wide variety of crops.
Its main crop is sugarcane, followed by fruits such as bananas, oranges, pineapple, papayas, strawberries, passion fruit, watermelons, limes, and avocados. Because of its long Caribbean coastline Venezuela is as much a Caribbean country as it is a South American one. Venezuela has a strong fishing industry, famous for sardines, shrimp, clams, mussels, crabs, and tuna.
Brazil covers nearly half of South America and both the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn run through the country. Brazil is bordered by Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. The country’s main regions are the Amazon Basin, the dry northeast where farmers raise cattle, and the southeast, Brazil’s most populated region.
Guyana (formerly British Guiana), Suriname (formerly Dutch Guiana), and French Guiana (an overseas department of France) are situated in northeastern South America. Together they are called the Guianas and the influences are varied.
Peas, rice, and bread are staples in the diet of many Guyanese. Locally grown vegetables such as manioc, plantains, and breadfruit are widely consumed, but are available only in season.
Located in the northwest corner of South America, Columbia is the only country in South America with both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. Colombia also shares its borders with Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador. Coffee is Colombia’s leading agricultural crop. With its two coastlines, seafood makes a major impact on the cuisine, along with chicken, pork, potatoes, rice, beans, and soup. Columbia’s cuisine also has a strong Spanish influence.
This county’s name comes from the Spanish word meaning “equator” as it sits directly on the equator. It is bordered by Colombia, Peru, and the Pacific Ocean and includes the Galapagos Islands. Ecuador is renowned for its ceviche , made with bitter orange juice and chilies. AfroEcuadorians along the northern coast enjoy seafood seasoned with coconut milk. Peanuts and bananas are found on the lower-coastal regions.
There is also high-quality fish and seafood, and the countless varieties of Andean potatoes. Across the country national and regional dishes include lemon-marinated shrimp, toasted corn, and pastries stuffed with spiced meats. The core of the Ecuadorian diet is rice, potatoes, and meat (beef and chicken throughout the country and pork in the Sierra region).
Peru, just south of the equator, is located on the western coast of South America. It is bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, and the Pacific Ocean. East of the dry coastal plain of Peru lie the Andes Mountains, which contain active volcanoes and high plateaus between the ranges. East of the Andes are plains covered by rain forests.
This “land of the Incas” is the world’s potato capital, with more than three hundred varieties and colors (including purple, blue, yellow, and shades of brown to pink), as well as various sizes, textures, and flavors. This tuber, in addition to rice, chicken, pork, lamb, and fish, comprise the basic ingredient from which most Peruvian dishes originate. Most corn and beans cannot grow in the Andes Mountains because of the cold and the short growing season; thus, the potato was the main staple grown by the Incas and Indians.
The landlocked country of Bolivia is located in west-central South America and is bordered by Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. Due to the number of mountains with elevations of 18,000 to 20,000 feet, many people refer to the country as the “Tibet of the Americas.” The portion of the Andes Mountains that runs through Bolivia includes some of the highest peaks and most remote regions found anywhere in South America.
Although landlocked, Paraguay is bordered and crisscrossed by navigable rivers. Corn and manioc are the cornerstones of the cuisine in Paraguay. Other principal food crops include beans, peanuts, sorghum, sweet potatoes, and rice. Many types of beans are grown in Paraguay, including lima beans, French beans, and peas. The most popular dishes are based on corn, meat, milk, and cheese.
More than 2600 miles long and only 110 miles at its widest point, the terrain of Chile ranges from the desert in the north to the Antarctic in the south. Chile is located on the western coast of South America and bordered by Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru, as well as the Pacific Ocean.
Because of its location in the Southern Hemisphere, the fruits grown there are ready for export in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter season. Fruits exported to the United States include apples, avocados, peaches, nectarines, kiwifruits, plums, pears, blueberries, and cherries, and the main vegetables are garlic, asparagus, and onions. Chile’s long coastline makes it a natural for seafood such as abalone, eel, scallops, turbot, king crab, sea urchin, and algae.
Argentina, which means “land of silver,” is a rich and vast land—the second largest country (after Brazil) in South America and eighth largest in the world. Located in southern South America, it is bordered by Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Argentina’s heartland is a broad grassy plain known as the Pampas. The cuisine has been influenced by waves of European immigration. Italian immigrants have had considerable influence, and Italian standards like lasagna, pizza, pasta, and ravioli are commonly seen on the Argentine table, at least in the country’s major cities. Argentina is the beef capital of the world. The rich grassland of the Pampas are home to cattle and sheep, raised by gauchos (Argentine cowboys).
Uruguay is located on the southeastern coast of South America, bordered by Brazil, Argentina, and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a land of grassy plains and hills. Sheep and cattle ranches make up 80 percent of the land. Uruguayan cuisine is the result of many influences, including gaucho, Spanish, and Italian. With the arrival of large numbers of Italian immigrants in the twentieth century, many businesses opened by Italians were pasta-making factories. They also imported Parmesan cheese and prosciutto ham into Uruguay and these foods have made their way into the national cuisine.