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Celebrity chef and Peruvian food ambassador Gaston Acurio may have officially stepped away from the kitchen but he is still leaving his mark in the food world. Acurio, who is on a mission to promote native ingredients of his homeland, is using social media to bring attention to a little known potato variety called Yawar.
The Yawar potato hails from the Andes and has burgundy skin and a deep red flesh - hence its name, a Quecha word meaning blood. Acurio refers to the potato variety as the "jewel of biodiversity of Peru" and is working with the Consorcio Papas Andinas Del Peru (Consortium of Andean Potatoes of Peru) to promote its use.
"The dream of the small farmers that produce Yawar is that, after 300 years of indifference, the potato will finally be loved and valued by all Peruvians...then travel the world, bringing prosperity and pride to its people," Acurio wrote on Facebook.
The Yawar will be sold in Peruvian supermarkets starting May 30th but it'll be some time before it makes it way out of Peru and into our tables.
What do you think? Are you excited about the Yawar potato? How would you cook it to enhance its beautiful red color?
