sacred Inka choclo

sacred Inka choclo,

maize of many colors, black,
yellow, pink, white, red

Maize, called choclo in Quechua, was the most revered food of the Inkas, who saved their best terraced land for growing this symbol of power. Maize, like squash, anku, and beans, chuwi, was cultivated as early as 10,000 years ago in Mesoamerica. In the milk stage it is roasted in the husk or boiled on the cob. When dried it is popped or ground into meal or flour. There are 35 heirloom varieties, many of them quite high in protein.