The Ambassador of Peru to Ghana, Abel Antonio Cárdenas Tuppia, has disclosed the different types of potatoes grown in his country.
In an exclusive interview with KMJ on Prime Morning, a Ghanaian radio programme, the Ambassador revealed there are 6,000 different kinds of potatoes produced, as the country is the origin of potatoes.
But according to him, about 3,000 out of the 6,000 potatoes are poisonous.
“We have 6,000 kinds of potatoes. From those 6,000 kinds of potatoes, 3,000 are edible. The other 3,000 are poisonous. From those 3, 000 edibles, you can find on a regular day in a market around 800 varieties of potatoes,” he revealed.
Due to the variety of food grown in the country, some studies indicate that one can eat a three-course meal in Peru and may not repeat it in 30 years.
As the second country with the most record of different kinds of food, he said, “That’s why we Peruvians like to eat because our gastronomy is very varied. If you eat a Peruvian dish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can eat without repeating the food for the next 30 years of your life.”
As a result, he stated that Peruvians are always cautious when purchasing potatoes in the market.
Being the third largest country in South America, Peru is blessed with different kinds of food production within its territories, which provide the citizens with numerous types of food.
For this reason, he noticed that Ghana and Peru have similarities when it comes to food upon his arrival and tasting the Ghanaian dishes. He stated that his country’s food is heavily influenced by Africa.
Although he has missed the Peruvian dishes, he has loved and enjoyed the Ghanaian meals regardless. He commended Ghana as a country for having been blessed with fertile land and hospitality, giving it an advantage over other countries.
“You have a blessed land. Everything you put here is going to grow. You have great food and great places to go, but before all that, what you really have are nice people. Ghanaians in general are very welcoming. You’re nice and good from the heart. That is something that can be used as an advantage,” he said.
This, according to the ambassador, is not common in other countries, admitting that Ghanaians are authentic in nature.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador has mentioned some Ghanaian dishes he has tasted and loved throughout his three-year stay in the country. These include “Kontomire” (Palava Source), groundnut soup with “Omotuo” (rice ball), “Tuo Zaafi” with “Ayoyo” soup, “Fufu” with goat meat soup, and “Banku” with “Okro” soup.
Having tasted most Ghanaian food, he considered the country as having a very good gastronomy. He said, “Your gastronomy is very well done.”
