Housing and Development Newsletter
Biwer, who received his Ph.D. in anthropology from UCSB in 2019 and is now an adjunct professor at Ohio State University, said chuño is a quintessential part of highland foodways in the Andes, especially in Peru and Bolivia. It’s often described as a comfort food — a bowl of soup or stew served in high-altitude areas will almost certainly have chuño as an ingredient.
“Its importance in cuisine and identity cannot be understated,” he said. “The work that goes into making chuño is an effort that brings people together and reinforces social bonds.