Presidia - Indigenous

Merquén or merkén is a Chilean spice made with a long, pointed chili pepper called aji, caciocavra, cacho de cabra, or goat’s horn pepper as the key ingredient. The peppers are grown throughout the Araucanía region and are picked in February, when they turn from green to red. They are then dried in the sun until they develop a violet color. The dried peppers are smoked, then hung from ceilings over a wood fire. After the second drying in the sun, these peppers are ground in a stone mortar or in an automatic grinder. The powder is combined with smoked coriander seeds and sea salt, and the spice blend should contain at least 70% of the powder and no more than 20% salt. The spice blend accentuates the rich and earthy flavor of the peppers, and it is generally more smoky and flavorful than spicy and hot. Coming from the gastronomy of the Mapuche indigenous people, merkén is used as a spice rub for meat, sprinkled on pizza, mixed into pebre salsa, or used in mani merkén, a snack of roasted peanuts seasoned with merkén. For a traditional Chilean side dish, it is recommended to try puré picante – mashed potatoes seasoned with this unique spice blend. Nowadays, the use of merkén is slowly declining because it is often considered a symbol of poverty in the country. However, the spice has turned up as a twist on the traditional Chilean aperitif known as pisco sour, where merkén is lightly sprinkled on top of the cocktail glass.

The Mexican region of Chinantla is the only place in the world where wild vanilla grows. Known locally as colibrí, these orchid vines grow in the heart of the forest, using moderate-size trees like citrus, cocoa, and calabash (jícara) trees for support. Once they have been collected, vanilla beans are traditionally sealed in bags, then left in the sun for 5 hours a day over 15 days. The process results in tender, fragrant berries with an appetizing coffee color. In the past, the fruit wasn’t used for cooking because it was offered to the Aztec emperor Montezuma as a tribute, while women combined it with mamey seed oil in order to make their hair shiny.

In the 19th century, Ecuador produced more than 30% of the world’s cacao, and almost all of the trees were of the Nacional variety, but in the 1920s, two serious diseases infected the trees, almost destroying the production in the process, leading to the substitution of many Nacional trees with other disease-resistant hybrids. Nacional cacao is delicate and exceptionally flavorful, similar to the legendary Criollo cacao. Nowadays, it is mainly produced in the remote area of Napo Province, and this isolation is the reason why the last stands of Nacional cacao are still protected in the Quichua tribe villages, located deep in the heart of the Amazonian forest.

For 3,000 years, the farmers of Siwa Oasis in the Western Egyptian desert have been taking advantage of water in the desert in order to grow chewy Siwa Oasis dates. Three of the most important varieties are Siwi, Azzawi, and Frehi, but there are three more varieties which are produced in small quantities and are at risk of extinction – Ghazaal, Takdat, and Amnzou. The producers sell both fresh and dried dates. After the initial 10 years, each plant produces about 50 kilograms of these chewy treats per year. The maturation period of each type varies – Amnzou bears fruit in September, Azzawi and Siwi at the beginning of October, Ghazaal at the end of October, and Takdat between December and January. The producers harvest the dates manually by climbing the tree trunks with a belt. Dates are used in a variety of local dishes such as tarfant (bread, dates, and olive oil), tagilla (olive oil, flour, dates, and water), and elhuji (dates, olive oil, and eggs). During the month of Ramadan, dates are consumed in the evening to break the fast.

Indigenous to the Andes, kaniwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule) is a highly nutritious and extremely hardy plant that continues to be cultivated in the Andean highlands of Peru and Bolivia for its edible grains (technically seeds) and leaves. Often compared to quinoa, which belongs to the same genus, the gluten-free seeds of this pseudo-cereal grains are relatively small in size and are characterized by a color that ranges from dark red to chestnut brown or black. Although the seeds are tiny, they pack high amounts of protein and are an excellent source of fiber, essential amino acids, antioxidants, and a wide range of beneficial vitamins and minerals. Kaniwa seeds are appreciated for their nutty and mildly sweet flavor, a slightly crunchy texture, and their high versatility. They can be used as an ingredient in various soups, stews, salads, pilafs, desserts, and beverages, or enjoyed with curries or stir-fries in place of rice. The seeds are also traditionally roasted and made into a nutty-flavored flour (kañihuaco or cañihuaco) which has many culinary uses. The grain does not have any saponins – protective coatings found in most plants, giving them a soapy, bitter flavor unless thoroughly washed, so there is no need to rinse or soak kaniwa before cooking. The kaniwa flour can be added to breakfast porridges or baked goods, used as a coating for fish or meat, or cooked into a delicious hot beverage. Nowadays, the cultivation of kaniwa in the Andes has shrunk to 2,000 hectares, and many farmers choose to grow more popular crops such as medicinal herbs and oats.

Originating from the Sierra Norte de Puebla mountain chain in Mexico, this honey is a product of pisilnekmej bees, endemic to the region. It is collected from April to June, exclusively on sunny days during the period of the full moon. Two terracotta pots are separated with a machete, the combs are selected, and the honey is then manually extracted, while other products are further separated into pollen, wax, and propolis. The obtained honey ferments for a few months and is then used as food or medicine, since it acts as a natural antibiotic for the respiratory tract. The honey has a spicy, piquant aroma, while its flavor is sharp, complex, and citrusy. It is produced by the indigenous Náhuat beekeepers who, besides honey, earn their living by cultivating coffee, cinnamon, macadamia nuts, vanilla, and pepper.

Rediscovered in the last 30 years in the Mexican Tehuacán valley in the state of Puebla, Tehuacán amaranth is a resistant crop beloved for its nutritional value and adaptability to even the aridest regions. Also known as Amaranthus hypochondriacus, the plant can reach up to 2 meters in height. It is characterized by large green leaves and visually stunning flowers – deep red with green and pink nuances. Amaranth is rich in protein – particularly lysine, an amino acid involved in the growth process. The plant is very versatile – it can be eaten as a vegetable, used in soups and salads, or used as a spice when dried. Interestingly, the leaves are richer in iron than spinach. When toasted, amaranth seeds are often used to make traditional sweets, but amaranth can also be used to make flour for making tortillas, biscuits, and cakes. It doesn’t contain gluten, so it is also an important ingredient for people with celiac disease who make bread, pasta, and biscuits from amaranth flour.

Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree (lat. Argania spinosa L), which is native to Morocco. Well adapted to the harsh environment, surviving extreme heat and thriving in the barren soil, the endemic argan trees are traditionally grown in the Sous savanna valley. Each part of this diverse tree is usable: the fruits are edible, its precious oil can be extracted from the nuts and the wood is typically used for fuel. Argan fruit has a thick, bitter peel surrounding its fragrant pulp and nut, inside which there are one to three oil-rich kernels. If the argan oil is to be used for cooking, the kernels are roasted before being crushed, to bring out the flavor. Producing argan oil is a difficult process done by Moroccan Berber women using traditional knowledge. They work in cooperatives such as the Amal Cooperative in Tamanar and the Tifaout Women’s Agricultural Cooperative in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region. To produce just one liter of argan oil, it takes approximately twenty kilograms of argan fruit and almost twenty hours of work. The country is famous for its tree-climbing goats who eat argan fruit and leaves, excreting the undigestable seeds in the process, which are then traditionally collected and processed, although in modern times argan oil is often manufactured by hand. Therefore, this is one of the rarest oils on the market, but also one of the best quality. It has a delicate hazelnut taste and unique properties that make it usable in cosmetics, medicine and cuisine.

Growing in the forests in the southeastern part of Brazil, Juçara tree is characterized by a straight and thin trunk which grows up to 15 meters in height. It requires little sunlight and no fertilizers at all. Before the palm heart is extracted, the tree must be at least 8 to 10 years old. It is used in its entirety – the leaves for chairs and beds, the wood for building houses, the berries for an acidic juice, and the palm heart for boiling, roasting, and frying. The palm heart can also be consumed in its own with honey, because the Guaraní people don’t use salt and sugar. The heart is removed by cutting the top of the trunk and stripping the bark with a machete. It is typically sold while still fresh, on the spot, or to nearby restaurants for further processing. Due to the fact that it takes anywhere from 8 to 10 years to consume Juçara palm heart, it is considered rare and precious, even more so because vast groves of these palms have disappeared due to over-harvesting.

Taliouine saffron hails from the eponymous mountain village, located on the Souktana plateau, at an altitude of 1300-1500 meters above sea level, in Morocco’s region of Souss-Massa. The saffron is cultivated by a small number of producers, all of whom are members of the Coopérative Agricole de Taliouine, and the harvest typically takes place from October till November. With a more intense flavor and aroma but less vivid colors than other types of saffron, this highly-prized saffron variety is considered to be the result of a unique combination of perfectly suited territory, the region’s unique climate, and the indispensable knowledge of the people who are involved in its production. Saffron used to be sold by Jewish merchants, who commonly treated saffron pistils with olive oil - a method that is no longer practiced, while today, the primary saffron merchants are Arabs and Berbers. Although it is quite inexpensive when purchased and sold locally, this highly sought-after spice becomes a luxury food item as it reaches big markets in the country and Europe. In Taliouine, apart from using the spice in traditional Moroccan specialties, the local population typically adds saffron to their tea to warm themselves up and prevent disease in winter.

Produced by local women in the eponymous Moroccan village, set at the foothills of the eastern Anti-Atlas mountain range, Alnif cumin is traditionally gathered and processed from the end of April till the beginning of May. Bunches of hand-cut cumin plants are first dried, then beaten to extract the seeds, and finally sieved through a palm-leaf-woven container to filter out fine straw and dust. Distinguished by excellent quality and intense aroma, this cumin variety can be used both whole and ground, and it commonly enhances the flavor of various traditional Moroccan specialties such as couscous, tajine, and soups. Alnif cumin also goes well in combination with boiled meat and vegetables and is highly appreciated for its curative properties and for having a relatively long shelf life.

Anishinaabeg Manoomin wild rice is actually a misnomer since it is not actually rice, but aquatic grass that is (genetically) more similar to corn. The Anishinaabeg people call wild rice Manoomin, meaning the good grain. Wild rice grows best in the Great Lakes region – Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan. It comes in a myriad of darker hues such as tan, brown, and green. The flavors are richly complex with subtle notes of smoke and mushrooms. In September, the indigenous Anishinaabeg people harvest the wild rice in canoes by bending the blades of grass, then beating the seeds with the paddles. The seeds are then typically dried in the sun and threshed in the wind so that the husks blow away. Although Manoomin is easily cultivated and grows naturally without the need to be tended or planted, its existence is threatened by genetic manipulation and recreational zoning and damming of lakes.