Streamer Ibai Llanos is world renowned. He is an esports icon and his comments are always trending on social media. This has led to it being hired by international brands such as Pepsi, which requested it for a commercial aimed at Chile. The images began to go viral, but not because of the video itself, but because it maintains that the picarones are from that country.
“Aguante Chile”, wrote the fellow youtuber exposing the video. “I'm Ibai, a streamer and I like Pepsi. We want to do things differently. I'm going to stream Chileans who dare more because there is always a Chilean anywhere in the world,” he said.
However, when he came to the “names of original and different foods” he said that the picarones are native to Chile. “Perfect, bring it to me with a Pepsi,” he added.
The mention of Peruvian sweets in a commercial aimed at the Chilean public was the most talked about in the video by Ibai Llanos due to the ill-informed script: “Picarones are Peruvian. Please stop stealing our meals that if you want to be like us and have the best gastronomy in the world, but you don't steal it”, “with all due respect, picarones are a dish of Inca origin” and “how are you going to say that picarones are Chilean; if Chileans are well identified with their country because they have to be copying from others”.
THE PICARONES
Picarones are one of the most representative desserts and star inputs of Peruvian gastronomy and it has been in force since the times of the colony. The most unique way to prepare it is with flour, sweet potato, squash and it is served with honey, consumed popularly in public places or in restaurants.
In Peru, there are 25 varieties of picarones that are made from purple corn, pisco sour, native potato, mashua, quinoa and even yellow potato. It can also be combined with chocolate, blueberry, cocona, cherimoya, papaya, pineapple honey with orange, aguaymanto, strawberry, among others.
In addition, at the Lima International Gastronomic Fair, known as Mistura, there are competitions to award the 'Best Picarón', where the best exponents of this traditional Peruvian dish meet.
ORIGIN OF THE PICARONES
Picarones originated in pre-Hispanic times when the indigenous people prepared a similar recipe based on sweet potato and pumpkin, which were inputs that were part of the diet of the Incas.
With the arrival of the Spaniards, during the colonial period, new ingredients such as wheat flour and sugar were added, as well as the classic hole in the center.
The recipe was a success of the time that went through several generations and has been maintained until today. The cooks advertised their products with verses or melodic songs and sold quite a lot during the procession of the Lord of Miracles. Now it can be found anywhere in Peru.
The notable composer Rosa Mercedes Ayarza wrote 'La picaronera', a song that shows the appreciation that one has for the Peruvian sweet. “Here are the hot picarones! They call me picaronera because I sell picarones and they don't call me a thief when I steal hearts... How rich! How rich! Hot picarones!... Round and toasted, in their well-dipped honey, they provoke the rascals to old and young people”, says part of the lyrics.
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