Products of Peasant and Indigenous Family Agriculture in Chile
The Rural World Store Network is an INDAP initiative that seeks to expand markets for Peasant and Indigenous Family Farming and bring their products closer to large urban centers. These premises, which are managed by peasant organizations, are now present in Santiago (La Moneda Cultural Center, Metro Pajaritos and Metro Escuela Militar), Concepción (Alessandri Gallery) and Valdivia (Maipú 129).
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Oregano of Andean foothills, commune of Putre, Arica y Parinacota
Premium oregano produced by the Aymara farmer Adelaida Marca Gutiérrez, with ancient agricultural techniques (terrace cultivation) and manual cleaning, in the Andean foothill’s town of Socoroma, commune of Putre, more than 3 thousand meters above sea level. This product, introduced to the area by the first Spanish settlers, has a Seal of Origin and has been recognized by the most prominent chefs in Chile as a gourmet quality ingredient for its flavor, texture, and intense aroma.
"Oregano contains a whole; It's my people, my ancestors, my grandmother, my parents. More than a food, it is an entire culture and country " says Adelaida.
Chañar Jam, Hidden Flavors, commune of Toconao, Antofagasta
Dalay Noemí Gonzales and her family have always been dedicated to processing agricultural products such as apricots, quinces, and children in Toconao, commune of San Pedro de Atacama. They have also innovated with rose petals, carob, and chañar jams. The latter is an ancestral fruit that, in the past, fed the indigenous peoples and that today continues to be part of the diet of the inhabitants of the northern area, which includes syrup, liquor, coffee, and jam.
"Almost all the families of Toconao process their crops to maintain the gastronomic tradition of the desert and the Lickanantay people," says the producer.
Extra virgin olive oil, Payantume, Huasco Valley, Atacama region
Since 1920, the González family has been dedicated to producing olives and olive oil in the Huasco Valley, between sheepfolds and inland valleys. Guided by the principles of organic agriculture and fair trade, today, this family business is mainly dedicated to producing extra virgin olive oil from the Manzanilla and Sevillana varieties. With a Seal of Origin, which stands out for its high oleic acid and polyphenols content, intense fruitiness, and a greenish-yellow tonality.
A taste of herbaceous notes of olive leaf and aromatic herbs, almonds and tomato stands out.
Crunchy and soft fig pulp flake snacks, Trikadia, Coquimbo region
Entrepreneurs Lili Guzmán and Humberto Ríos have been working in the commune of Monte Patria for seven years, dedicated to producing dehydrated and functional foods. They started with cactus juices and capsules; and they never stop to innovate. That is how crunchy and soft fig pulp flake snacks were born, without additives, preservatives, or warning seals, ideal for healthy school snacks and those who practice sports.
The fruit is selected and mixed, and the resulting paste is dehydrated in the oven to finally cut regular sheets, a process in which it preserves all its nutritional qualities.
Tomato-olive goat cheese snacks, Trikadia, Coquimbo region
This innovative snack produced by Lili Guzmán and Humberto Ríos in the commune of Monte Patria has become an ambassador of the traditional flavors of Norte Chico. It is already sold in supermarkets in the area and at the Santiago International Airport. With a high contribution of calcium and protein, the product is handcrafted with cheese from certified dehydrated plants, tomatoes, and olives.
“When we talk about goat cheese, we talk about transhumance, the effort of goat work, family gatherings, and what our grandparents cooked. It is a trigger for positive emotions and memories,” says Humberto.
Natural handmade manjar, Dulce Locura, Valparaíso region
With an old artisan recipe, sisters Ximena and Martina Alvarado give life in the Quebrada de Herrera, commune of Putaendo, to delicacies –natural and with flavors such as cinnamon, orange, vanilla and mocha, among others–, prepared with cow's milk from local producers, as well as jams made from all the seasonal fruits grown in the area and garlic pastes.
The name they chose for their venture, Dulce Locura, seeks to honor the products with a peasant flavor that they sell in their bazaar on Ortiz Street, peasant fairs in their region, and gourmet stores in different parts of Chile.
More than ten years ago, Ana María Ponce and her family created their enterprise for the production of cheese (fresh, ripe, and with spices) and goat's milk delicacy in Colliguay, a town in the commune of Quilpué. Both were products his grandmother and mother always put on the table. Today, they have 100 animals, which provides them with the raw materials for this homemade delicacy.
"In a large pot, stir the fresh milk on medium heat until it is reduced by half. The sweetener and a natural thickener are added and stirred until it reaches the ideal point. The flavor is different, and it is also healthier," says Ana María.
Seville olive with merkén, Sabores de Naltagua, Metropolitan region
Jams, preserves, olive oils with spices, jellies, vinegar, mill salts, seeds, dried fruits and gourmet pastes, such as this Seville olive with merkén, which also incorporates vegetable oil and apple cider vinegar, make up the Flavors of Naltagua (Nalcas area in Madudungun), a family business that was born in 2011 between the Altos de Cantillana and the Maipo River, in the commune of Isla de Maipo, and led by Ana María Morales.
All their products are made with agroecological fruits and vegetables from their plot and local farmers, and this pasta is ideal for spreading with cookies or innovating in the kitchen.
Topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke), Nutramore, O’Higgins region
Topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke), also known as pataca or topinambo, is an elongated tuber with a flavor like the artichoke and rich in inulin, a natural gluten-free prebiotic. Rosella Ponce grows in the Pencahue sector of San Vicente de Tagua-Tagua and with it produces a series of functional foods, such as this Topi Shot (topinambur powder), which helps maintain a healthy intestine, improves the immune system, and is recommended to those who have diabetes, obesity, or slow traffic.
Her invitation to “topilovers” is to consume it in one or two servings daily mixed with juices, desserts, and salads, “to have a healthier life.”
Green walnuts in syrup, Fulgor del Alma, O’Higgins region
On a small farm in the Nancagua commune, Susana Coloma Carrasco is dedicated to growing walnut trees without agrochemicals to give life to a series of innovative products with the complete, young fruit of this fruit tree when its three layers are still green: the peel, the shell, and the seed. That is how these green nuts in syrup reach the consumer: they are harvested by hand, cooked, and sweetened for eight days before being packaged to achieve a delicious and unique result.
“Thanks to the care we give to our fruit trees, they generously give us unique flavors and aromas,” says the entrepreneur.
Natural peanut butter Vicar, Chépica, O’Higgins region
Felicita Moreno is the farmer behind Vicar Natural peanut butter, a food without artificial colors or preservatives and an excellent source of vegetable protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The raw material is grown and harvested with great dedication by the producer on its 6-hectare farm located in the La Orilla sector of Auquinco, commune of Chépica.
“I was just a country woman, but thanks to INDAP, today I am an entrepreneur; “They helped me grow as a person,” says Felicita, one of the few peanut producers in Chile.
Artisanal dulce de leche, Delicias Tatito, O’Higgins region
Guisela Martínez has been dedicated a long time to agricultural production with her family in Tinguiririca, commune of San Fernando. She started with fresh cheese and continued with natural and lucuma delicacy – with cow's milk from small producers in the area and sugar, without additives, coloring, or preservatives – and with jams. The name of her business, Tatito, is in tribute to an aunt who taught her all the recipes with which she makes her products.
Today, she sells at the Mundo Rural Store and through the social networks of her son, who works in the field with her, making natural fruit juices with the De Tingui brand.
Apolo González Rivas met and shared with a Mapuche community in the Maule foothills, where they gave him the knowledge to make merkén, a dressing with a territorial identity that marked him forever. Today, this entrepreneur is known nationally for the quality of his merkén, made in the commune of San Clemente with dried and smoked goat chili, toasted coriander seeds, coastal salt, and selected fine herbs, without any additive.
For this producer, inspired by Mapuche spirituality, respect for the land is the most important thing when asking for its fruits.
It all started with a condition preventing him from consuming spicy and irritating foods, especially the empanadas and coffee he loved. That is how Luis Carrasco, a farmer from Yungay, changed his diet and discovered fig, rice, and wheat coffee, infusions that he decided to make on his own, first with a modest artisanal machine.
Today, this entrepreneur handles all the roasting techniques and has a wide range of products he sells in gourmet stores and peasant fairs, such as traditional wheat coffee with chestnuts, chai spices, rosehip with figs and cocoa for coffee makers, and bag.
Maqui Coffee, Productos Chihuaico, La Araucanía region
As soon as they settled in the Francisco Llancafilo indigenous community in the commune of Villarrica in 2013, Cristián Riffo and his wife Violeta decided to create a business to add value to the region's wild fruits. One of them was maqui, which in coffee format – ground, slowly roasted artisanal, and without artificial coloring – became its star product and the most demanded by those seeking a healthy diet, mainly for its antioxidant qualities.
Local farmers collect the berries in harmony with nature, and once processed, the coffee can be prepared and dissolved in water or a coffee maker.
Copihue Jam Florahue, Loncoche, La Araucanía region
In 2012, Verónica Cortés, a farmer from the Elocoyán sector of the Loncoche commune, came up with the innovative idea of making copihue jam, which was declared the national flower of Chile in 1977. She requested the corresponding permits from the Agricultural and Livestock Service. (SAG) and together with her husband, she got to work.
To achieve this product, the flower's petals are used, collected between the end of February and the beginning of July in the humid forests of the area, among oaks, olivillos, and hazelnut trees. Cooking the flowers was not easy, but she managed it. She then followed chocolates, alfajores, and copious liqueur, all with a unique and elegant flavor.
Rose hip jam, Oh-la-la Products, La Araucanía region
The rosehip in this bottle has been harvested in a pure and natural form and processed in the San Alberto plot of the Graneros Community, in the commune of Victoria, with whole organic sugar and without any chemical preservative. German settlers introduced This fruit from Central Europe and their tradition of making preserves.
Enzo Gazmuri, leader of the family business, which also produces medicinal herbs and apple cider vinegar, says that this jam is ideal for those looking for a natural and conscious culinary experience and for vegans, as it does not contain any ingredients of animal origin.
Maqui tea and infusions, Huertos Lawentu, La Araucanía region
Tea and infusions based on dehydrated medicinal herbs, which are grown with total respect for Mother Earth, is the offer of Huertos y Botánica Lawentu (healing in Mapudungun), a business owned by Jessica Sanhueza and her husband, small farmers from the Alonso Alonqueo community, from the commune of Padre las Casas.
One of its products is maqui tea, a native Chilean plant linked to the identity of the Mapuche people; in this format (20 bags), with a pleasant flavor and aroma, it is a natural antioxidant that helps regulate sugar and cholesterol levels, improves the immune system and helps prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Merkén mapuche, Curaco Gourmet, La Araucanía region
The entrepreneur Ginette Rivera Tralma, from the Juan Pedro Huircán indigenous community, commune of Cholchol (place of thistles, in Mapudungun), wears typical Mapuche clothing and jewelry. Since 2009, she has produced a series of dehydrated condiments to season meats, fish, and the traditional merkén. “Once smoked, the chili is toasted in a callana or wood oven, and salt and coriander seeds, also toasted, are added.
In the past, merkén was served only to those who wanted to be entertained, in small bowls, so that they could sprinkle it on the food,” she says about her product with her identity.
Smoked chili paste, Sabores de mi Huerto, La Araucanía region
Dehydrated “cacho cabra” chili pepper smoked with local wood, onion, vinegar, salt, cilantro, and garlic are the ingredients of this chili paste produced by Hugo Pincheira in the Cutipay sector of the commune of Angol. He says that his business was born accidentally after he harvested his chili peppers late in 2017 and had no buyers.
There, he tested recipes, and after a series of mistakes and successes, he created a line of pasta, sauces, and jams with products from his garden, with flavors, aromas, and sensations that refer to the countryside and his grandparents. “My greatest achievement in these years is seeing happy clients who enjoy the fruit of my work,” says Don Hugo".
“Cacho de cabra” chili paste, Sabores de mi Huerto, La Araucanía
Son of one of the largest tomato growers in Angol, farmer Hugo Pincheira, has been dedicated for six years to adding value to his garden's products. With fresh and recently harvested chili from the “Cacho Cabra” variety, he made this paste that also contains onion, vinegar, salt, garlic, and cilantro, with a heat suitable for all diners.
“The best criticism that people who have tried this pasta have given me is that it makes them remember old family recipes, their walks in the countryside, and happy times,” says Don Hugo, who, in a short time, has positioned his products in local commerce and gourmet stores in the country.
Spicy maqui Maqueo, Sabores Étnicos, Los Ríos region
Spicy maqui is a green chili paste macerated with other vegetables in vinegar and self-prepared maqui juice, which gives it an original spicy and bittersweet flavor at the same time. Its creators recommend it for snacks, pasta, salads, and sandwiches. Maqueo Sabores Étnicos is a company of Mapuche origin headed by Gladys Lefin and her daughter Claudia Manquepillán.
It was created in 2008 and is located in the foothills of Futrono. In this area, the picking families go out between January and February to look for the maqui berries, and they will give the origin of different products such as liquor, jam, and this new spicy food.
Soraya Álvarez, an entrepreneur from the Pato Llico sector of the Fresia commune, has been dedicated to producing gourmet jams for more than 20 years with fruits collected by peasant families in the area, such as currants, blackberries, rose hips, and mortar or tortilla. An intense red, aromatic, and sweet berry, rich in antioxidants and high in sucrose and fructose, which has always been an important food source for the indigenous peoples of southern Chile.
Soraya has sugar-free and sugar-free varieties of her products, and among the many milestones she has achieved, it stands out that her jams were at Expo Milan 2015.
Chilote black garlic, Kime Newen, Los Lagos region
The Chilote black garlic produced by Agrícola Kime Newen (good energy in Mapudungun) in the commune of Ancud is obtained from a Japanese technique, which consists of slow cooking of the fresh vegetable, with controlled temperature and humidity, for 40 days. Thus, it acquires its dark color, and the proteins and sugars caramelize, giving it a new aroma and flavor.
Andrea Curumilla learned about this product on a tour to North America, in Whole Foods supermarkets, and she and her husband, Benjamín Barría, were trained to do the same process with Chiloé garlic. It stands out for its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties.
Native chilote potatoes snack, Chiloé Gourmet, Los Lagos region
This gourmet snack is made with native Chilote potatoes of the mechuñe, vizcacha, cabrita, and murta varieties, sea salt, and 100% canola oil, with the territorial identity of the Punta Chilen Peasant Cooperative. This organization comprises 18 small Ancud farmers who grow traditional colored potatoes under an agroecological production protocol.
The snack has the SIPAN Chiloé seals, awarded by the FAO to distinguish products and services with a peasant-based cultural identity of the “magical archipelago,” and Originario, which are awarded by INDAP and Choose to Live Healthy for healthy ancestral foods.
Smoked chilote garlic paste, Chiloé Gourmet, Los Lagos
A head of Chilote garlic can weigh a kilo, and a clove, 100 to 150 grams. Its flavor is softer and more delicate than traditional garlic. That is the raw material with which the Punta Chilen Peasant Cooperative, made up of 18 small agricultural producers from the commune of Ancud, produces its six varieties of garlic pastes with the Chiloé Gourmet brand: honey-mustard, smoked, pepper, pebre, merkén, and olive oil.
Once the garlic is harvested, the cloves are separated, and they are left in the sun for 3 to 4 days until they have a golden hue; they are selected, the skin is removed, and the recipes are prepared, which rescue the traditions of the "magical archipelago".
Calafate berry jam, Suryuis, Coyhaique, Aysén region
Calafate is a wild bluish-black fruit that grows from the Maule Region to southern Chile, mainly in Patagonia. It is considered a gourmet product for the kitchen and is used in tea, liqueur, juice, syrup, and jam formats. A rich source of antioxidants, it is in the category of superfoods since it protects the body from cellular aging.
This jam is made with berries collected in the fields of the Aysén region by the family business of Coyhaique SurYuis, from Carolina Jara, which also works with other fruits from the area, such as maqui, gooseberry, rosehip, and sarsaparilla.
This syrup is made with maqui, a wild fruit native to Chile that is deeply linked to the spirituality and identity of the Mapuche people, which is used in traditional medicine and has been classified as a superfood for its richness in antioxidants, vitamin C, and polyphenols.
After being collected manually by residents of Patagonia, the company SurYuis, owned by agricultural engineer Carolina Jara, in Coyhaique, converted the maqui berries into this syrup, ideal for preparing cocktails, such as the maqui sour, the maqui mojito or Aperol maqui, and for dressing desserts. A healthy product with the identity of the end of the world.