From Sacrifice to Snack

In ancient Peruvian culture, even the dead ate peanuts. Originating from the peaks of the Andes mountains, peanuts are not nuts at all but legumes and are more closely related to beans than cashews. For approximately 7,500 years, peanuts survived as a popular staple in humanity’s diet, and, in ancient times, religious rituals offered peanuts as sacrifices to the gods.

Culture, regional pride, and culinary choices are deeply connected, and a given dish can tell us a lot about the history of any region and culture. Just as pizza, barbecue, and frybread connects New Yorkers, Chicagoans, various Southern states, and Native Americans to their culture and their history, respectively, the anticucho serves the same purpose for Peruvians.