Picarones

Picarones are a delightful Peruvian dessert with origins in Lima dating back to the viceroyalty period. Picture a donut, but with a twist: the primary ingredients are squash and sweet potato! These unique donuts are then drizzled with a rich syrup made from chancaca, a type of unrefined sugar.

The tale of picarones began during the colonial era as a cost-effective substitute for buñuelos, the donuts introduced to the New World by Spanish conquistadors. By replacing the more expensive ingredients with squash and sweet potatoes, a new dessert was born, quickly capturing the hearts of many. Picarones have even been immortalized in Ricardo Palma's book "Tradiciones Peruanas." They also appear in traditional Latin American music and poetry, attesting to their cherished status.

Interestingly, picarones have a bit of a cross-border history too. In the memoirs of Chilean writer José Zapiola, he mentions that these treats were a common sight in Santiago's Plaza de Armas before 1810.