Chicha or nectar the Incas. Valuing what is ours

Chicha, the ancient drink of Peru

The chicha (in Quechua Aqha) is a fermented drink native of South America, particularly widespread in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. There are several varieties by region but their preparation is mainly composed of the "improves", ie malting or fermented corn. It is made from pre-Inca times, it is a sacred drink used in ceremonial events and parties of all Hispanic cultures of the Andean central zone. Acllas prepared her for the Inca and ceremonies served to worship the Sun and the Moon and Mother Earth.

Chicha is a corn microbrew, because for their preparation must be malted grain and then fermented, alcoholic strength of it varies according to the region and "chichero", popular name of the person who makes it.

Since ancient times, each region had its typical way of preparing chicha, according to the ingredient used: carob in the north, quinoa, cañigua, molle, corn, potato, oca in the mountains, and cassava in the jungle. The chicha was used not only for its nutritional value but also for its religious function.

It was the favorite drink of the Inca nobility, was used in ceremonial rituals. During the Inti Raymi, the Inca offered with chicha in honor of the sun. Unappetizing this drink is also left on the grave of a deceased relative or offered as payment to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the Apus (guardians hills ) to have a good harvest. Today the chicha is used in religious rituals by some Andean communities that maintain ancestral customs. Corn was considered a sacred plant, crops are celebrated and represented the agricultural wealth of the Inca empire. It was perhaps more important than the potato, which was cultivated in the family

According to history, the Inca Atahualpa in the first encounter with the Spaniards, the square of Cajamarca, offered the Dominican priest Valverde, kero (glass) containing gold chicha. The priest threw the kero to the ground, thinking that Atahualpa wanted to poison him, when in fact that act, was an Inca custom to start the conversation. ( 'Surely he threw the beer, but the glass was saved !!)

After the independence of Peru in 1821, a song called "Chicha", referring to the chicha, written by the authors of the National Anthem, Jose de la Torre Ugarte and Jose Bernardo Alcedo, was very popular because vindicated meals and national drinks.

Les Incas mummies des anciens exposées sont sur la principale pour une place de Cuzco gorgée symbolique of chicha, une bière de maïs, tandis that souverain him boit in honneur leur titre depuis une plate-forme rituelle. © Jon Foster, Jeff Osborn, Amanda Hobbs, équipe du NGM National Geographic)

Chicha and Peruvian Gastronomy

The chicha is inseparable from the gastronomy, either as ingredient or the perfect complement to the varied and delicious Peruvian food. In Peruvian cuisine delicious chicha also used in the preparation of many dishes such as lamb and dry marinade Arequipa, where it is used to marinate the meat, giving it a tasty. In some places like in Catacaos in Piura, on sites which sells chicha, he gets a white flag to indicate that they have the drink.

Here are some places where chicha has predominant presence.

a) Tumbes

In Tumbes typical cuisine is made with fish and seafood, among which fish ceviche, black shells, prawns, crabs and shrimp cocktail, fried squid, seafood pionono. The chilcano, barrow, tasty rice shell, rice with seafood, sanguito of black shells and majarisco.

Ceviche of black shell is one of the most exquisite Peruvian cuisine entries. According to Peruvian tradition is one of the aphrodisiacs dishes par excellence. It is prepared with black shells, lemon, yellow peppers, hot chili peppers, hot peppers and onions. He served with slices of sweet potato, corn kernels, mountain court, chifles. The chicha is the perfect complement.

Rice with seafood is traditional dish of the northern coast of Peru, near the ceviche and jelly is made with various types of seafood such as octopus, shells, squid, prawns, mussels, clams, shrimp or conch.

b) Piura

In Piura all meals are accompanied with chicha (in Catacaos and La Legua offer it in all its picanterías) or a cold lemonade. It is painful to admit that despite its durability over time and its traditional consumption, chicha is prepared in a few places. "Every day is chicha, but is requested on Sundays and Mondays." For northerners, chicha is something like breast milk.

c) Lambayeque

Lambayeque is the land of good food, good drink; your kitchen dates back to ancient times. It is said that an attractive table on the palate must have two kinds of dishes: appetizers (light snacks, heavily seasoned and spicy) and knots (entrées or background) .Among the former are the chinguirito, ceviche of fish, seafood, chirimpico, panquitas, sausages and humitas, all accompanied by boiled yucca and mote. Among the latter we have rice with duck chiclayana, dry of cabrito, the ferreñafana cause, fried (pork), fish chilcano, the aguaditos, thickened, pepián turkey and tortilla line.

To drink chicha is traditionally served for degustation "potos"), the pisco sour or llonque (spirits distilled from sugar cane).

d) Trujillo

There is a tasty and varied number of dishes, in some cases preparing ancient tradition based on fish, shellfish, seaweed, birds, livestock, land products, etc. There are over a hundred typical dishes. Trujillo must try chicha de Moche, Magdalena de Cao and other known places.

Ceviche, according to historical sources, originated about 2,000 years ago in the ancient Moche culture, south of the city of Trujillo. The dish is prepared with 5 main ingredients: fish filet cut in chunks with lemon, onion, salt and pepper or aji limo Moche. The dish is added a variety of ingredients to taste, one of the results of this combination is mixed cebiche. Fish that can be used are very diverse and include species can be fresh or sea water, accompanied with seafood, seaweed; and according to the taste with sweet potato, corn, trifles, cassava, lettuce leaves, weed, roasted corn (called cancha), etc. This dish has been declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation by the Peruvian government.

The “cabrito”, characteristic of the north, is prepared with goat meat marinated in chicha; I served with rice, beans and cassava. Other dishes are Shambar Trujillo, hearty minestrone soup made with smoked ham; Theologian soup, Frejoles to trujillana, Pepián turkeys, fish to trujillana, Mollejitas sillao.

e) Cusco

Chicha is the favorite drink of men, Apus or gods. Sometimes they add barley and quinoa getting a different and tasty on the palate.

Chicherías and North picanterías: Cultural heritage of the nation

As you see white flag in northern Peru, and red bags attached to a stick in the Cuzco streets, you know that you can find there chicha. Rescued from oblivion and following the arequipeño precedent April 2014, picanterías and chicherías of Cusco, Piura and Lambayeque, and picanterías of Tumbes and La Libertad, regain their social and emotional value to be declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation by the Ministry Culture.

Sociologist Isabel Alvarez Novoa, "This is the most important and significant as it has been in the country for the preservation of historical memory and recognition of the kitchens and women in their leadership role."

There is still something to be done. In La Libertad, chicherías have disappeared, and there are few recognized picanterías. In Lambayeque better the situation, picanterías help strengthen the identity and pride of its people.

Mariano Valderrama, in his book "The Kingdom of loche" that Boniface Carranza Quiroz entrenched tradition for over 70 years, with his homemade chicha and its famous duck rice casserole chicken, prepared with animals raised at home and served for years between walls and roof thatch ramada. Chichera is also strong tradition of Reque and Monsefú, where "more than 60" chicherías in 2013, although they were always under danger of disappearing.

References

Refrescante tradición peruana: conozca la historia de la chicha de jora, DOMINGO 26 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2010 | 09:29

http://elcomercio.pe/gastronomia/peruana/refrescante-tradicion-peruana-conozca-historia-chicha-jora-noticia-689736

Por César Sifuentes Chicha de jora

Experto de Comida peruana

http://comidaperuana.about.com/od/piscoycocteles/r/La-Chicha-De-Jora.htm

Chica de jora

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicha_de_jora

El néctar de los Incas: La chicha de jora

Junio 26, 2008 por Zapata Ruiz Ralph

https://piuraladulce.wordpress.com/2008/06/26/el-nectar-de-los-incas-la-chicha-de-jora/

Fouilles dans les demeures des souverains incas, guerriers ambitieux

Publié le 06 août 2013 / Mis à jour le 30 juillet 2013

http://www.nationalgeographic.fr/5124-fouilles-souverains-incas-guerriers-amerique-du-sud-archeologie/

Gastronomía de Trujillo

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Trujillo_(Per%C3%BA)

Declaran picanterías y chicherías como Patrimonio Cultural, MARTES 24 DE NOVIEMBRE DEL 2015 | 04:01

http://elcomercio.pe/gastronomia/peruana/declaran-picanterias-y-chicherias-como-patrimonio-cultural-noticia-1858402