Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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CUISINE SPOTLIGHT Fresh sea urchin at a Puerto Montt fish market off Isla Tenglo. Anita Epulef displays ingredients used by the native Mapuche people. Chile's Bounty The culinary traditions of this long strip of South America take inspiration from the Spanish and French but are most influenced by the distinctive terroir found in every region of the country. BY JOANNA PRUESS F rom a havoc-wreaking 2010 earthquake and resulting tsunami to the captivating rescue of 33 trapped miners in the Atacama Desert later that year, Chile has faced monumental events. Emerging undaunted, the country has secured a respected place in the public's opinion, and tourism and interest in Chile's culture and cuisine have since spiked. In January 2011, The New York Times listed the capitol, Santiago, as one of the "41 Places to Go," noting that the earthquake had not stood in the way of the country's booming music, art and culinary scenes. Combined with efforts from Chile's trade associa- tions and producers to market its indigenous and niche products more aggressively, the country has never been better poised to showcase its natural bounty to the world. A Layering of Cultures Measuring 2,700 miles in length, Chile is the world's longest country in terms of length-to-width ratio as it averages only 109 miles in width (giving rise to one theory that the country's name refers to its resemblance to a chile pepper). Chile formally became independent of Spain in 1818, after which the French and other Europeans came to make their mark. During the mid-19th century, the Chinese immigrated to work the mines, and in the 1980s Koreans arrived. Centuries after the Spaniards' initial arrival, Chile still entices the world with its treasures, not least of which are its food and wine. Daniel Martinez, deputy trade commissioner of ProChile New SEPTEMBER 2012 101 "I respect tradition—my whole family, back to my grandmothers, was involved with cooking—and I want my guests to taste the DNA and soul of my country in my food." —Tomás Olivera Leiva, chef-owner of CasaMar Curanto en hoyo, a creole dish of fish and meat traditionally cooked in the ground. PHOTOS: DENNIS MARRERO