In the Andes, where I live now, foods like potatoes, corn and herbs are common because they grow well in the mountains and at high elevations.
Living in Áncash has helped me see how people cook with what the land provides. Like my host family, many families grow their own crops or buy food from local markets, which makes meals feel closely tied to the seasons and the land. Dishes like pachamanca and picante de cuy reflect the environment by using local meats, native plants and traditional cooking methods. Eating these foods has helped me understand how the environment shapes what people eat and why those foods are so important to their culture.
